Former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida feels no pressure ahead of his Bellator debut on Saturday night. A 11-year veteran of the Octagon, ‘The Dragon’ will meet fellow Brazilian and former middleweight titleholder Rafael Carvalho, who is eight years younger than the 40-year-old Machida.
However, as the pair approach fight night, Lyoto tells Bloody Elbow he feels no pressure to debut at a different organization after such a long time under the UFC’s umbrella, not even when paired up against a younger ex-champion.
“I’m happy with the change. When I signed with Bellator, I knew this would be a new positive chapter in my career.