Lyoto Machida will act as a workforce supervisor on the debut 12 months of the International Struggle League, however that doesn’t imply he guidelines out preventing once more. The GFL initially approached him with a proposal to compete earlier than in the end naming him the São Paulo workforce chief alongside coach Andre Pederneiras.
“They invited me as an athlete, however I stated, ‘No, I’m away for a while and I’d somewhat are available as a supervisor,’” Machida informed MMA Preventing. “I wish to see the way it goes, the adjustments on the group. I noticed the signings, lots of people getting signed, however we wish to see it taking place. I consider it’s going to be an ideal league and it’ll assist the game. You possibly can’t simply have one [organization], proper? Competitors is sweet, and that’s what we hope for as fighters and coaches. It opens extra doorways. For instance, ‘Dede’ [Pederneiras] has a number of athletes, who aren’t within the UFC, however have the abilities to be there, so perhaps one other door opens. Nevertheless it’s all very new to me, identical to it’s for you.”
The previous UFC mild heavyweight champion defined he turned down the supply to combat for GFL as a result of preventing shouldn’t be his precedence in the mean time, and he prefers to check himself able of management.
“I got here in as a supervisor, however I’m not taking away the opportunity of preventing,” Machida stated. “I’m not saying I gained’t combat once more. It’s not like that. Nevertheless it’s not a precedence for me. It’s a brand new promotion, I wish to see it occur, so I wished to come back in as a supervisor first to see the way it works. I’ve by no means been on this facet earlier than.”
The 46-year-old veteran has crushed the likes of Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Gegard Mousasi and Vitor Belfort throughout his 16-8 run within the UFC earlier than leaving for Bellator, the place he beat Rafael Carvalho and Chael Sonnen. He parted methods with the corporate after shedding 4 in a row from 2019 to 2022.
“The door as an athlete [is open, but] it’s not a precedence for me,” Machida stated. “I wish to see this group first and be a part of it on this facet. I prepare each single day. I’m not coaching like if I had a combat, in fact, however I’m doing what I at all times did, coaching jiu-jitsu, hanging, every thing. If a chance got here, it’s like I’m staying at 60 %, so I’d push the tempo and put together for a combat.”
The GFL roster is full of veterans of the game, together with 5 of Machida’s former opponents: Mousasi, Yoel Romero, Mauricio Rua, Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold.
“What would make me combat once more is perhaps a problem, one thing that made sense for me,” Machida stated. “Somebody from the identical technology? OK, it might occur, however it will probably’t simply be something or any combat. You need to know your home and second. This isn’t the time to combat a 25-, 30-year-old. Not that. It’s the second to do the proper combat, if it has to occur. However proper now, it’s not a precedence.”
