Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida is set to square off against C.B. Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 58 on December 20, and says that he isn’t really worried about the match.
“He’s a complete fighter,” Machida said when asked about “The Doberman.” “He has some flaws, of course, but he has a good stand up game, good takedowns and a good ground game. He’s a complete fighter, and that makes him dangerous. He hits hard, but I believe I can stop him.”
Machida had asked to fight Michael Bisping, Luke Rockhold or “Jacare” Souza, but as all three were already booked in other matches, Dollaway became the only choice.
“I was talking to my manager about possible fights, and he said all of those guys had fights scheduled, so there was a chance that I would have to fight Dollaway,” Machida told MMAFighting.com. “He was the best option available based on the UFC ranking, so I kind of expected him to be my next opponent.”
The middle says he expects to finish “The Doberman” early.
“I don’t think (it will last five rounds). I believe I can finish this fight earlier,” Machida said. “I’m not underestimating him, but I’ve learned a lot in my past fights. I have learned a lot in my fight against (Chris) Weidman, so it’s likely that I will finish this fight before the fifth round.
“Whatever it takes. I’m training hard on my grappling skills and my striking, so I want to finish him with a knockout or a submission.”
