The last time Lyoto Machida stepped in the Octagon things didn't go his way.
Facing Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in May, Machida fell victim to the Brazilian's power and suffered a TKO loss, the first of his career, while also losing the UFC light heavyweight title.
Now back in training, Machida looks back at the fight with a clear mind, and says that now he's seen it all as a fighter, and that's only going to make him better.
"He told me now he feels like a complete fighter," said Machida's manager Ed Soares when appearing on MMAWeekly.com Radio. "He knows what it's like to win, he knows what it's like to be a champion, and now he knows what it's like to lose. He feels like a complete fighter, and I know without a doubt he's going to come back a better fighter, and it's just a matter of time before he has that belt around his waist again."
As far as a timeline for Machida's return, he's just waiting on a call from the UFC. Currently training alongside Anderson Silva, Machida is ready for a return to action, and wants to face the best the UFC can give him.
"He's out here training, we're ready to go right now," said Soares. "He's ready to fight whoever, he wants to fight the best too."
A few different names have been mentioned as possible opponents, including Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Forrest Griffin, while there are others that intrigue the former champion as well.
One name that popped up was former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin, who just knocked out Chuck Liddell in June, and could be looking for a big fight at 205 pounds. Franklin and Machida actually fought in 2003 in Japan in what was Machida's third professional fight.
The Brazilian finished Franklin with a head kick and punches in the second round, and handed the former Cincinnati math teacher his first loss as a professional.
"That could be a big fight," Soares said about a fight with Franklin. "At the end of the day that's the first guy who gave Rich Franklin his first loss, maybe Rich Franklin would like to avenge that. That could be a good fight."
One other interesting fight that Soares mentioned is a possible match-up between Machida and fellow Brazilian Vitor Belfort. The former champion has been sidelined with an injury from prior to his previously scheduled April match-up with Anderson Silva, but now he's back healthy and looking for a fight.
"You know what I think would be interesting is how about a Vitor Belfort?" said Soares. "Vitor Belfort/Lyoto Machida? I think Vitor now will get another fight before he fights Anderson Silva. Put it this way, anything can happen, you never know."
Of course the ultimate fight that Machida wants is another run at Mauricio "Shogun" Rua. The pair is currently tied with one win each, and Machida would like nothing more than to take back the title from the man that took it from him.
"He'd love to fight Shogun again," Soares commented. "It's 1-1 now, you know what I mean? Let's fight it again. But he'll fight whoever. When the UFC is ready, they'll give us that shot. We'd love to fight him right now, but whoever the UFC gives us is fine."
Whatever the match-up is, Lyoto Machida is locked and loaded, and ready to fight.
Source: http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/tem ... &zoneid=13