LOS ANGELES -- UFC 104 headliners Lyoto Machida and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua met the media Tuesday, but that was after the Brazilians had already shared a plane together all the way from their home country to the U.S.
“To tell you the truth,” said Rua during one of the afternoon’s lighter moments, “Lyoto is a nice guy and we have been kind of friends for a while … but even though we are friends, I was very, very surprised to see him on the plane and actually sitting next to me, side by side, on the whole flight all the way from Brazil to here.”
Rua and Machida, who will duke it out for the UFC light heavyweight strap Oct. 24 at the Staples Center, chuckled about the scheduling and the seat assignments but also made it clear that their friendliness will have no bearing come fight night.
The undefeated Machida was the fan favorite in Los Angeles, a place he called his “home away from home.” The light heavyweight champion, who spends part of his training camps at the Black House gym in Gardena, Calif., spoke to the partisan crowd in his much-improved English.
“This is my first title defense and I hope I will win,” Machida said. “[He] is a tough opponent. He is a great person, very good on the ground and striking, but I will tell you one thing, I keep doing my homework.”
After a pair of tough fights to start his UFC career, Rua scored a knockout win over Chuck Liddell in April. That victory propelled him back into title contention and helped set up the October date with Machida.
“You guys, the fans, are my biggest source of inspiration,” said a beaming Rua through interpreter Eduardo Alonso. “You make me train hard and do my best to come here and give you guys a great show when I fight.”
UFC 104 co-headliners Cain Velasquez and Ben Rothwell were also in attendance. A man of very few words, Velasquez kept it short and sweet when discussing his bout with Rothwell.
“Always expect a good fight out of me,” he said. “That’s what I’m going to bring.”
Velasquez went on to address his Latino fans in Spanish with a similar statement.
Rothwell has traveled the long road to the UFC, and his comments expressed the added pressure so many fighters feel when making it to the big show.
“I’ve been doing this for a decade, 10 years, and for me, all along, it’s been about being in the UFC,” Rothwell said. “In 10 years, I really feel I have no accomplishments. … It sounds like I have done some things, but for me, it’s all been training, training to come here to the UFC.”
UFC 104 Lineup
Main card:
Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio RuaCain Velasquez vs. Ben RothwellSean Sherk vs. Gleison TibauJoe Stevenson vs. Spencer FisherAnthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Prelims:
Yushin Okami vs. Chael SonnenRob Kimmons vs. Jorge RiveraRyan Bader vs. Eric SchaferPatrick Barry vs. Antoni HardonkRazak Al-Hassan vs. Kyle KingsburyStefan Struve vs. Chase Gormley
