Lyoto Machida returns to the cage this weekend…
Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Lyoto Machida, returns from an 18-month long suspension on Saturday. The 39-year-old Brazilian takes on Derek Brunson at UFC fight night 119 in São Paulo Brazil.
At one time, Machida looked to be the new dominant light heavyweight in the UFC. He entered the promotion after winning his first eight fights and then proceeded to win eight straight more while there. The biggest win of his career came at UFC 98 when he knocked out Rashad Evans to win the UFC light heavyweight championship.
Now, however, Machida has to be considered as in the twilight of his career.
Lyoto Machida Suspended
Machida’s suspension was uncommon for the current era. He notified USADA in the summer of 2016 that he had taken a banned substance without realizing it was prohibited. A subsequence drug test confirmed that he had taken the substance in question.
The supplement he took was 7-keto DHEA which can be purchased most places without a prescription. Perhaps thinking USADA would go easy on him for being honest, Machida was handed an 18-month suspension. He was not happy about it either.
“I want to say that I’m very disappointed in USADA, I think it is all extremely unfair, I take the blame for taking 7-keto, I [didn’t know] it was a banned substance, since I bought it over the counter at a supplement store, when it stated on its label 60 vegetarian capsules.” – Lyoto Machida
DHEA and USADA Suspension
USADA was unapologetic regarding their treatment of Machida. Their response was that Machida was entirely negligent. In this particular case, the band ingredient was listed on the label and was also part of the supplement’s product name.
Here is what USADA representative Ryan Madden had to say regarding Machida’s case:
When evaluating any potential reduction in period of ineligibility the primary driver is the athlete’s degree of fault.
Machida took a product that listed a banned substance on the ingredient label and was itself named after a substance included on the prohibited list.
And let’s be entirely clear here, the athlete in this case did not utilize any of the resources available to him.
All the same, 1.5 years of inactivity for something he came out and admitted to immediately after?
Check out the below photos of Lyoto Machida as he prepares for his upcoming bout with Derek Brunson this weekend. On the left, is Machida in a promo shot for this weekend’s fight. On the right is Machida from his bout with Gegard Mousasi before his suspension.
Lyoto Machida Before and After
Machida now says he feels the suspension was a blessing in disguise. The time away, he says, gave him time to correct parts of his game. Here is what he had to say earlier this week:
“I think there was something wrong in my mind, I just kept doing the same thing but I was expecting different results.
“Your mind gets tired and you need to find a different goal to achieve again. Now I am hungry again and want to be a champion again.”
