Chinzo Machida Expects Title Run In Bellator MMA
Chinzo Machida will be making his second Bellator MMA appearance this weekend at Bellator 170, where he faces Jamar Ocampo on the preliminary card. Machida is expecting to become a champion in Bellator MMA down the line, much like his brother Lyoto did in the UFC.
“Despite being 39, my MMA career is just starting,” Machida said to MMA Junkie. “I try not to think about who’s the current champ. Of course, it’s important. It could be a future objective. But the challenge right now is to beat Jamar Ocampo. I’m focused on him. Once I get past him, we’ll see who’s next. Of course, any fighter dreams of being champion. I receive full support from Bellator, and hopefully the opportunity will arise in the future.”
However, unlike Lyoto, Chinzo has focused primarily on competing in karate tournaments, not in MMA fights.
“In Brazil, I wasn’t fighting MMA too frequently because my primary focus was karate,” Machida said. “But since I moved to the United States, I was presented with the opportunity to fight more often. Now I’ll have my second fight in Bellator.”
Bellator 170 takes place on Saturday, January 21 from The Forum in Inglewood, California with Chael Sonnen and Tito Ortiz headlining.
