Machida down for GSP karate vs karate fight, but will probably get Hendo

http://mmajunkie.com/news/30825/ufc-prez-says-machida-henderson-likely-scratches-head-at-machida-st-pierre.mma
NOTTINGHAM, England – A light-heavyweight bout between ex-champs Lyoto Machida (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) and Dan Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) is still in the works, UFC President Dana White today said.

"We're still working it all out," said White, who did not give a timetable for the proposed fight.

The matchup is widely expected to have title implications. But according to White, it's become suddenly difficult to find a title contender for current champ Jon Jones, who recently notched his fourth straight title defense.

The executive pointed to a recent interview Machida gave in which he said he'd be open to a fight at middleweight with welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre.

"Where the f--- did that come from?" White said. "(St-Pierre) and Anderson (Silva) makes all the sense in the world. Him and Machida makes no sense whatsoever.

"Doesn't that kind of tell you something? Everyone was looking for that No. 1 contender's spot, and suddenly no one wants to be the No. 1 contender in the light-heavyweight division? Pretty interesting."

Machida, who's previously hinted at a move to 185 pounds, was linked to Henderson after turning down a fight with Jones at UFC 152 on the basis that he didn't have enough time to prepare. The champ choked him unconscious when they first met at UFC 140 this past December.

Machida earned a title shot by knocking out Ryan Bader at UFC on FOX 4 this past momnth, but White pumped the brakes on the opportunity after the fighter turned down Jones.

Henderson is currently recovering from a badly torn medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee that forced him to withdraw from a title fight at UFC 151 against Jones (which led to the UFC canceling the event). The decorated fighter previously told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he would be ready to fight by year's end, though he didn't know his opponent.

Jones, meanwhile, is recovering from an injury he sustained in a fight against Machida's replacement at UFC 152, Vitor Belfort. In the first round of their meeting, which took place Sept. 22 in Toronto, Belfort caught him in an armbar and hyperextended it before the champ was able to escape. He later told reporters he may be suffering from nerve damage, but White today said that the extent of the champ's injuries is unknown.

Most likely, though, Machida vs. Henderson will have taken place before Jones steps into the cage again.

For the latest on the UFC's upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

http://www.fightersonlymag.com/content/news/17211-now-machida-wants-to-fight-gsp-as-well

Quote :

“It would be an interesting karate duel but I don't know at what weight we would do it. If it is at 185lbs, I will go for it,”

He can fight GSP, but only after I'm done with him.

GDPofDRC wrote:

He can fight GSP, but only after I'm done with him.

After GSP bores us to death in a 5 rounder vs Condit, everyone will be calling him out.

Random.

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

Or perhaps Machida wants to be one of the few guys who's beaten both Penn and GSP

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

Or perhaps Machida wants to be one of the few guys who's beaten both Penn and GSP

Penn, GSP and Ace. Didn't they all hold the title at the same time back in the day?

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

Or perhaps Machida wants to be one of the few guys who's beaten both Penn and GSP

Penn, GSP and Ace. Didn't they all hold the title at the same time back in the day?

Just looked and they didn't. BJ had a title before Franklin and again after. GSP won his for the first time just after Franklin lost his.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

Or perhaps Machida wants to be one of the few guys who's beaten both Penn and GSP

Penn, GSP and Ace. Didn't they all hold the title at the same time back in the day?

Possibly.

Damn I forgot Couture as well, Lyoto is a ex title holder slayer

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Random.

That's what Dana said. But we don't know the entire context of the Machida conversation. I'm sure he was probably asked about GSP.

Or perhaps Machida wants to be one of the few guys who's beaten both Penn and GSP

Penn, GSP and Ace. Didn't they all hold the title at the same time back in the day?

Possibly.

Damn I forgot Couture as well, Lyoto is a ex title holder slayer

I looked, they didn't. BJ held the title before and after but not during and GSP won his 1 month after Franklin lost his.

Couture, Shogun, Evans, Tito, Penn and Ace. IF Machida was to add Hendo to that list where would that put him in terms of GOAT talk ?

Ali wrote:

Couture, Shogun, Evans, Tito, Penn and Ace. IF Machida was to add Hendo to that list where would that put him in terms of GOAT talk ?

You can take Shogun off that list. No one really thinks he beat Shogun. Even if he beats Hendo, I'd still have Shogun higher on the list.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Couture, Shogun, Evans, Tito, Penn and Ace. IF Machida was to add Hendo to that list where would that put him in terms of GOAT talk ?

You can take Shogun off that list. No one really thinks he beat Shogun. Even if he beats Hendo, I'd still have Shogun higher on the list.

The first fight was close, I didn't view it as a robbery like some here did.

Machida beating Penn, GSP and Franklin would not put him in the GOAT talk. He's a much bigger fighter than Penn and GSP and even Forrest has beaten Franklin.

Anyway Machida is a moron for calling out GSP. Call out Jones, Vitor, Sonnen or Weidman instead.

Where is the actual quote from Machida ? I'd be shocked if he flat out called out GSP, very out of character for Lyoto to do that.

Ali wrote:

Where is the actual quote from Machida ? I'd be shocked if he flat out called out GSP, very out of character for Lyoto to do that.

WTF are you talking about? Read the thread. There is not only a quote from Machida but a there is a link you can click yourself to get to the quote. I'll help you out by telling you to look that 2nd post in this thread.

OU wrote:

Ali wrote:

Where is the actual quote from Machida ? I'd be shocked if he flat out called out GSP, very out of character for Lyoto to do that.

WTF are you talking about? Read the thread. There is not only a quote from Machida but a there is a link you can click yourself to get to the quote. I'll help you out by telling you to look that 2nd post in this thread.

Missed that.

Yeah like I thought it wasn't a direct call out.