Machida explains fight-ending kick

Guilherme Cruz: Where did you take that kick from?

Lyoto Machida: This kick is from Karate, it’s the Kanku Dai. When I started my preparation, after I did a hernia surgery, I couldn’t do everything in training, so my father told me to train three or four types of kicks and use them in sparring, but very carefully, because they hurt a lot, it’s like the elbow. When I came to Canada I met Steven Seagal, and he told Lyoto, this kick will hit. But I wasn’t worried to use it or not, I’d do it if the opportunity came. I came more relaxed to the second round and hit that. It’s not like it came from nowhere.

GC: It was just like Karate Kid’, right?

LM: That’s true… Everybody at the stadium called me ‘Karate Kid’ after that (laughs).

GC: A lot of people pointed you as a possible threat to Jon Jones. Do you think your style is the best to defeat him?

LM: I believe so, my style matches well with his. He’s very eclectic, has many resources, bu I have too, and my timing and distance would help me a lot.

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