Multiple-time Brazilian karate champion Chinzo
Machida made a return to the ring earlier this month at Karate
Combat 43, where he earned a unanimous decision win over American
kickboxing veteran Shannon “The Cannon” Hudon.
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“It’s been a long time,” Machida told Sherdog.com. “I’m focused on
teaching at my academy [Machida Karate] in Los Angeles. But a
fighter is always a fighter. When the invitation came against a
veteran in similar shape, I thought it was a good way to return.
And It was a hell of an experience, but I don’t intend to keep
fighting. My goal now is to spread Machida Karate.”
According to Chinzo, Karate Combat has expressed interest in
signing Lyoto
Machida. However, he doesn’t believe the organization will make
an offer his brother will accept. Chinzo revealed that his father,
Yoshizo, motivated his kids to fight at a young age.
“My father is a classical Japanese [man]. Since we were kids, he
taught us that fighting with each other was something normal,”
Chinzo said. “Since our karate had no weight division, it was
normal for me and Lyoto to face each other in competitions. Once we
fought in the final of a national competition and cut each other. I
hit him first, so I won that final, but we both got cut. I recall
my father taking us together to the hospital very proud with the
gold and silver medals.”
Early on, Chinzo was the more successful athlete in the Machida
family.
“At the beginning I was older and faster, so I started winning more
but later on Lyoto studied my game and started to win too,” he
said. “Last time I counted, over 15 years of fights, there was one
draw, four wins for me and four for Lyoto.”
When it comes to striking specialists in the MMA world, Chizo is
most impressed by current UFC light heavyweight champion Alex
Pereira.
“He trained a couple of times with Lyoto, so I was able to see how
good he is up close. ‘Poatan’ is really intelligent, and even being
a kickboxer, he uses a lot of elements of karate,” Chinzo said.
“In karate, we look all the time for open spaces to attack the
oponent in the perfect moment, which we call ‘KIO.’ Every movement
‘Poatan’ does is to open that ‘KIO’ moment to surprise. No matter
if he’s doing feints, kicking or using fake strikes, he is always
one step ahead. That’s why I believe ‘Poatan’ will dominate the
division for a while.”
Chinzo also addressed the controversial “Machida drink,” the urine
therapy his father taught at home.
“Actually, my father is the only one who keeps doing that,” Chinzo
said. “He never forced any of my three brothers to keep doing it.
He just asked his four kids to try, but never obligated us to keep
doing it. Lyoto was the only one who followed him for longer, but
not anymore.”