• UFC 129

Couture admits there's a 'big chance' Machida is his last

Randy Couture has confessed exclusively on the ESPN UFC Podcast that there is a "big chance" his fight with Lyoto Machida will be the farewell bout of his legendary career.

Five-time UFC champion Couture takes on Machida at UFC 129, in what will be his 24th UFC fight, taking him level with Matt Hughes for the record number of bouts.

The 47-year-old has officially retired once before, only to then emerge from the shadows to win the heavyweight title against Tim Sylvia. Couture has hinted on various occasions since then that he would not fight again, but this time he is refraining from any big announcements, merely admitting that he cannot imagine putting his body through the rigours of another training camp.

"There's a big chance this is my last fight," Couture said on the ESPN UFC Podcast. "I'm not going to be making any official announcements, I don't think anybody would buy it - I already did that once!

"But I'm in terrific shape, I'm feeling confident about Lyoto and dialling into the attack and how we're going to get our hands on him. There's a lot of other things calling me now, and there's a chance this is the last one.

"I've got several other movies lined up, The Expendables 2 is coming up in September, and I've got my other businesses like the clothing company and the extension of the gym.

"Frankly, I'm tired of grinding it out, it's time to enjoy life."

Fighting in the light-heavyweight division, victory over Machida would inevitably lead to calls for Couture to fight new champion Jon Jones in what would be a clash of the new and old eras of MMA. Couture admits it is highly unlikely the bout will happen.

"He's got a ton of great tools, he's very very impressive to watch," Captain America said of Jones. "Anytime I'm facing a guy with a wrestling background, which he has got, it makes for a much tougher fight for me. It tends to cancel out my strength, which is my own wrestling background, and then you get down to the other stuff.

"I don't know if that's the kind of battle that I need in this stage of my life, and it would DEFINITELY be a battle."

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