Lyoto Machida: I Try To Remove All Pressure & Emotion From My Fights

Long thought to be perhaps the most enigmatic striker in all of mixed martial arts (MMA) former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will find himself on the cusp on another title shot should he get past Luke Rockhold in the main event of tonight’s (Sat., April 18, 2015) UFC on FOX 15 from Newark, New Jersey.

He’s respected as one of the most well liked competitors in the fighting, a true throwback who draws on the roots of his extensive karate background shown to him by his father, Master Yoshizo Machida. “The Dragon” also wants to convey a mutual sense of respect to people in al walks of life, however.

Speaking during an interview with Phoenix Carnavale (via MMA.tv) during fight week, Machida gave thanks to his disciplined childhood and hoped other fighters would convey a similar attitude, even though he knows it’s difficult in that they didn’t have the same background he did:

“It’s hard to be like that. Because everyone comes (from a) different way … For example, some people, come from wrestling. They don’t have a very traditional philosophy of martial arts. Then it’s hard to regress something like that from people that don’t know. I grew up like that. My father is a master in karate. He always taught me the philosophy of karate. When I’m talking about philosophy, I mean respect, willpower, self-confidence. Those qualities, I think it’s very important, not just for fighting, but for any person. Doesn’t matter if you are a doctor, if you are a lawyer, or something like that, you have to have this philosophy.”

Machida believes this sense of respect is a part of him engrained since a young age, and it’s obviously spilled over into his fighting career in a big way. Even though he’s undoubtedly one of the most dangerous men on the planet, he attempts to show someone new respect each and every day, and he considers it paramount to make sure his base-level principles remain unwavering regardless of any outside influences:

“When you have something within, it becomes more easy. Then I was raised, I grew up like that, because my father taught me everything. Then every day I try to challenge myself, everyday I try to respect someone, I try to know what is my limit. I cannot cross the line, I cannot bother someone, I cannot – I know my limits, I know what I can do. Then I try to do, every day, stuff like that.

”To keep my principles, I think, is the most important thing. Every day, everyone change, it’s normal, but your principles never can change.”

It’s that ancient but effective philosophy that keeps him calm in his high-profile fights, contests where he won’t let emotion rule the day. “The Dragon” closed by saying he won’t get caught up in his own thoughts during a staredown or fight, instead emptying his own thoughts to stay focused on the challenge in front of him:

“I try to not put a lot of pressure, I try to not put a lot of emotion in my fights, in my staredown. I try to be very empty. No emotion. No mind. Nothing like that.”