• UFC news

Machida move to middleweight 'really could happen'

ESPN staff
December 16, 2011
Lyoto Machida wants one more chance to prove he can overcome UFC champion Jon Jones © Getty Images
Enlarge

Lyoto Machida has confessed he will have one more crack at Jon Jones, and then seriously consider a move to a different weight.

Machida has lost three of his last four UFC fights, but he came out of his weekend title shot against Jones with plenty of credit after becoming the first man to test the light-heavyweight champion.

The Dragon has now failed to beat Mauricio Shogun Rua, Rampage Jackson and Jones in recent times, but his relative success at UFC 140 has given him belief that he can recapture his 205lb title.

Machida is convinced he now knows how to beat Jones, so he will have one more run at UFC light-heavyweight gold before considering a switch of weight class - most likely to middleweight when Anderson Silva nears retirement.

"Now, I don't want to change - but if I am not the light-heavyweight champion it really could happen," Machida told Fighters Only.

"I lost but I still have three more fights at UFC and now my main goal is to be the champion of the weight class and bring the belt back to Para. Now it is a challenge to beat Jones and bounce back.

"We already know the path to get to him and in the next fight the things should happen with more ease.

"I think we always have to be learning something out of this and it is through the loss that we learn more than with the victory. I am a professional and it is part of my career: to win or to lose. I hope the next time we can celebrate together."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
Close

ABOUT COOKIES

To help make this website better, to improve and personalize your experience and for advertising purposes, are you happy to accept cookies and other technologies.

More Info Here Cookie Choices