GFL team manager Lyoto Machida leaving door open for MMA return: ‘I’m not saying I won’t fight again’

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GFL team manager Lyoto Machida leaving door open for MMA return: ‘I’m not saying I won’t fight again’

Lyoto Machida will act as a team manager on the debut year of the Global Fight League, but that doesn’t mean he rules out fighting again. The GFL originally approached him with an offer to compete before ultimately naming him the São Paulo team leader alongside coach Andre Pederneiras.

“They invited me as an athlete, but I said, ‘No, I’m away for some time and I’d rather come in as a manager,’” Machida told MMA Fighting. “I want to see how it goes, the changes on the organization. I saw the signings, a lot of people getting signed, but we want to see it happening. I believe it’s going to be a great league and it will help the sport. You can’t just have one [organization], right? Competition is good, and that’s what we hope for as fighters and coaches. It opens more doors. For example, ‘Dede’ [Pederneiras] has several athletes, who aren’t in the UFC, but have the skills to be there, so maybe another door opens. But it’s all very new to me, just like it is for you.”

The former UFC light heavyweight champion explained he turned down the offer to fight for GFL because fighting is not his priority at the moment, and he prefers to test himself in a position of leadership.

“I came in as a manager, but I’m not taking away the possibility of fighting,” Machida said. “I’m not saying I won’t fight again. It’s not like that. But it’s not a priority for me. It’s a new promotion, I want to see it happen, so I wanted to come in as a manager first to see how it works. I’ve never been on this side before.”

The 46-year-old veteran has beaten the likes of Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, Ryan Bader, Dan Henderson, Randy Couture, Gegard Mousasi and Vitor Belfort during his 16-8 run in the UFC before leaving for Bellator, where he beat Rafael Carvalho and Chael Sonnen. He parted ways with the company after losing four in a row from 2019 to 2022.

“The door as an athlete [is open, but] it’s not a priority for me,” Machida said. “I want to see this organization first and be part of it on this side. I train every single day. I’m not training like if I had a fight, of course, but I’m doing what I always did, training jiu-jitsu, striking, everything. If an opportunity came, it’s like I’m staying at 60 percent, so I would push the pace and prepare for a fight.”

The GFL roster is filled with veterans of the sport, including five of Machida’s former opponents: Mousasi, Yoel Romero, Mauricio Rua, Chris Weidman and Luke Rockhold.

“What would make me fight again is maybe a challenge, something that made sense for me,” Machida said. “Someone from the same generation? OK, it could happen, but it can’t just be anything or any fight. You have to know your place and moment. This is not the time to fight a 25-, 30-year-old. Not that. It’s the moment to do the right fight, if it has to happen. But right now, it’s not a priority.”

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