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30/09/09 - Machida punches piece of wood "500 times a day"
UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida debuted for the UFC in 2007 and has not lost a single round since then. The Karate master says the punch is the hardest weapon of his arsenal - he trains it exhaustively for four to five hundred times a day.
“My punch is my heaviest hit and the toughest one to be defended by the opponent. I study the distance, the pace of fighting, because everybody knows how to punch. When to punch is the more difficult part. I train with a piece of wood (width 10cm, length: 1.30m) for about 400, 500 hits a day at each side. I also attack the punchbag to strengthen the movement” he said to R7 Esportes.
Machida took Karate to the highest level of the competition in MMA facing athletes from other martial arts since his childhood and this is the reason of the evolution of his tecnique.
“Karate fighters used to fight only guys from Karate. Since I was younger, I prepared myself training with guys from Muay Thai, boxing, capoeira, jiu-jitsu and judo. I adapted my style. You don’t have to change you style but have to learn how to attack and getting used to the timing of fighting,” he explains.
Lyoto takes on Mauricio “Shogun” Rua on October 24th in Los Angeles, California, at the main event of UFC 104. Despite the respectful relationship with Shogun, The Dragon takes the challenge as a real professional must to do.
“At the time of the fight we have to be professionals. The best [fighters] will chase up the title,” said the current champion.
The Brazilian Ninja
FO Staff Brasil
Thebrazilianninja@gmail.com
Please note: While the original interview was conducted by R7 TV the translation was produced by Fighters Only Ltd and as such is subject to copyright. Media are asked to credit both R7 TV as the original source and Fighters Only for any extract from this English translation that is used. Thank you.
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