Former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida is the latest UFC star to defect to Bellator MMA.
In doing so, he’s drawn criticism from a former opponent he beat under the UFC banner back in 2014, current Bellator middleweight champion Gegard Mousasi.
Here’s what the Bellator champ had to say:
“He’s older, and there was drug testing in the UFC. But if I fight him, he would need a lot of drug testing, too.”
“Look at his physique, I think that says enough. He’s a skilled guy, no doubt about it, but when you get older, everything goes a little bit downward. Fighters, they cannot fight until 47 years old as they did before. If they’re clean, it’s difficult, especially against high-class fighters.”
“They can beat a little bit lower guys, but against top competition, it’s difficult when you’re 41 or whatever and still be able to physically – skillwise, maybe, but on the highest level, small things make a big difference.”
“I think he’s in a different stage now, and if he wins his (debut) fight, and he’s the contender, we’re 100% gonna (fight again).”
