Former UFC champion Lyoto Machida could be in for a homecoming.
It has been four years since Lyoto Machida last set foot in the UFC Octagon. As a former light heavyweight champion for the organization, Machida spent many years fighting for the UFC. He came to the promotion back in 2007 and had 24 fights during his time there. Machida decide to leave in a surprising move in 2018 and joined Bellator.
Machida has had six fights under the Bellator umbrella but has hit a bit of a slump lately. He has lost four fights in a row despite trying his hand at both middleweight and light heavyweight. The 44-year-old fighter could be getting ready to hang up his gloves for good but is looking for a homecoming bout in his native Brazil against another legend.
Lyoto Machida could be returning to the UFC to settle a score
The UFC will be returning to Brazil in January for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. They are planning on bringing as many Brazilian fighters to that event as possible. One man who is looking to make his final walk to the Octagon at the event is Maurício ‘Shogun’ Rua. Rua and Machida had a rivalry back in the day and fought twice in 2009 and 2010. They each hold a win over the other and now Machida’s manager, Jorge Guimaraes thinks it could be interesting to have his client sign with the UFC to finish the trilogy.
“When I heard ‘Shogun was doing his last fight at UFC Rio, I immediately called (UFC chief business officer Hunter Campbell) offering Lyoto for a trilogy,” Guimaraes said to Sherdog. “Hunter told me they initially were planning on someone like Tyson Pedro to fight Shogun, but he liked the idea and told me he was going to talk to Dana [White] about it. I have no doubt the Brazilian audience would love that matchup. Two champions, two legends of the sport, one win for each, doing their rubber match on the night of both of their retirement fights. Shogun is already a Hall of Famer, Lyoto also deserves that.”
Although it is unclear if the UFC would offer Machida a contract for just one fight it could a be deal too good to pass up. It seems he would be able to do so now that his Bellator contract is through.