Lyoto Machida didn't let being friends and training partners with Mark Munoz stop him from knocking him out on Saturday at UFC Fight Night 30. Post fight, "The Dragon" also made clear that he also wouldn't let his long-time friendship and teammate relationship with Anderson Silva stop him from fighting "The Spider" if a title were on the line.
Of fighting friend Munoz, Machida admitted that the situation "upset" him but that "I am a professional. I have to do my job and that is all I did."
As for who he wants next, Machida declined to name names but made clear that all he wants is UFC gold once more, this time in his new division - middleweight.
"I don't know [ who I want to fight next]," Machida told Gareth Davies.
"It is very hard to say but for sure I want to be champion. I want the belt."
When asked about fighting the man he replaced on short notice against Munoz, the injured Michael Bisping, Machida seemed amenable.
"Yeah. It's a great match up. It's a great fight for me," he said.
Still, Machida wants the middleweight belt that his friend Silva held for so long. Anderson rematches the man who took the title from him, Chris Weidman, in a couple months, and Machida said he'd fight whoever wins that bout, even if it is Silva.
"Yeah. For sure," Machida said flatly and with a smile.
As recently as a couple weeks ago, Silva has said he'd never fight Machida but the new middleweight doesn't seem to share that sentiment now that he's a hot 185 pounder himself.
"If I want the belt," Machida explained.
"I have to chase the belt."
Follow Elias on twitter @EliasCepeda
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto-machida-willing-fight-anderson-silva-ufc-middleweight-160052819--mma.htmlTags: Jeff Soffer adrian peterson
No comments:
Post a Comment