Lyoto Machida
Active 2007–present · rated in 2 editions across 2 divisions · peak overall 86.0
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Lyoto Machida at light heavyweight
Scouting report
Born in Salvador and raised in Belém, Brazil, Lyoto Machida held the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship before losing it to Mauricio Rua in their May 2010 rematch. The light heavyweight ufc3-2012 card, rated shortly after that loss, carries an 86 Overall, with the 90 Fight IQ, 88 Cardio, and 84 Kickboxing reflecting his Shotokan karate-based counter-striking style, built on footwork and front-kick finishes.
Peak ratings
Lyoto Machida: the karate fighter nobody could solve at first
Lyoto Machida grew up in a family of karate practitioners and carried a distant, patient style into the sport's top promotion. He avoided the exchanges that other fighters wanted and hit them with counters, then left. Early in his run, opponents seemed unable to find him. He is a good pick if you like slippery.
Machida in eight ratings
Boxing. Clean and short. He uses straight punches to end sequences rather than start them.
Kickboxing. Excellent. Front kicks, head kicks, and karate timing made him hard to read.
Wrestling. Solid. His takedown defense and sumo-style clinch work were much stronger than people expected.
BJJ. Good. He holds a BJJ black belt, though he rarely needed it.
Strength. A little light for the category. He wins with timing more than with force.
Durability. Reasonable. He knocked out Rashad Evans, though he has also been stopped himself.
Cardio. Excellent. He fights at a steady tempo without wasting energy.
Fight IQ. The most impressive number. He seems to know where a fight is heading before it gets there.
Fight IQ is his real weapon
Machida's timing and distance sense come from thinking ahead, not from raw speed. He picks off aggressive opponents with counters and rarely gets drawn into a brawl. Put him on your team if you want a fighter who solves problems mid-round.
Limited by size and force: Strength
His strength rating is the lowest of his eight. A heavier opponent who can pin him to the fence and use size for control does not have to solve his karate at all. That is the matchup to worry about.
Lyoto Machida at middleweight
Scouting report
Lyoto Machida moved down to middleweight in 2014 after a career built at light heavyweight, where his karate footwork and front kicks had produced signature knockouts. Born in Belém, Brazil, Machida's game carried the same core tools into the new weight class — an 85 Boxing, 84 Kickboxing, and 90 Fight IQ — before challenging Chris Weidman for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 175 in July 2014, a fight he lost by unanimous decision. His middleweight card sits at an 86 Overall.
Peak ratings
Lyoto Machida at 185: the later karate years
Machida moved down to middleweight in 2013 and knocked out Mark Munoz with a first-round head kick in his first fight there. He then fought Chris Weidman for the title in 2014 and lost a decision. Later losses included Yoel Romero, who stopped him with elbows in 2015. This card is a veteran who still has a style few can copy but is no longer untouchable. That makes him an interesting pick at this weight. He is not the flashy champion of earlier years, but the distance control and patience are still there, and his best attributes are the ones that age slowest.
Middleweight ratings and what they mean
Boxing. Very good at 84. His straight punches land as counters when opponents move forward.
Kickboxing. Tied for his top at 90. Front kicks, angles and head kicks define his game.
Wrestling. Good at 78, tied for his lowest. Takedowns and defence are solid but rarely his focus.
BJJ. Good. He rarely needs to use it because of how he fights.
Strength. Also 78, tied for his lowest. He is not overwhelming physically.
Durability. Solid. He has been knocked out late in his career, but he absorbs shots well.
Cardio. Strong. He keeps a low output steadily across five rounds.
Fight IQ. Tied for his top at 90. He controls distance in a way that frustrates opponents.
Two peaks: Kickboxing and Fight IQ
Both Kickboxing and Fight IQ sit at 90, and they work together. He picks the range and then lands from angles his opponent does not expect.
Two low points: Wrestling and Strength
Wrestling and Strength are tied at 78, both still respectable. The card is weakest when a physical opponent can pin him against the cage and take away his space.
Keep exploring
Closest light heavyweight profiles to Lyoto Machida, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Shogun Ruabest kickboxing 90 · weakest wrestling 78
- Nikita Krylovbest cardio 86 · weakest wrestling 80
- Forrest Griffinbest cardio 90 · weakest wrestling 80
- Aleksandar Rakicbest strength 89 · weakest bjj 78
- Light Heavyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Middleweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- The most complete fighters: a guide that fits Lyoto Machida's strongest attribute, Fight IQ.
Draft Lyoto Machida into your build
Lyoto Machida enters the pool on any spin landing on light heavyweight or middleweight between 2010 and 2015. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are our own, built from independent research and from how Lyoto Machida is regarded by the MMA community, with earlier MMA video games used only as a starting baseline for the scale. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of Lyoto Machida's real-world abilities. See the disclaimer below. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read how we check our write-ups in our editorial standards.