Lyoto Machida will serve as a team manager in the debut year of the Global Fight League (GFL) — but that doesn’t mean he has ruled out a return to competition as a fighter.
A former UFC light heavyweight champion, Machida made his mark with a unique fighting style heavily influenced by Shotokan karate, which he began training in at a young age. He reached the pinnacle of his career in 2009 when he captured the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Rashad Evans. Throughout his career, Machida secured wins over notable opponents such as Rashad Evans, Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, Mark Coleman and Dan Henderson.
After a successful run at 205 pounds, Machida moved down to middleweight, where he remained a top contender but never reclaimed championship gold. Toward the end of his career, he also competed in Bellator MMA. Now, he takes on a new role with GFL, a team-based MMA league set to launch in April 2025.
“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 in 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.”
Although Machida is embracing his managerial role, he isn’t completely closing the door on a return to the cage.
“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. 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.”
