7 Threats To UFC Middleweight Champion Chris Weidman's Crown
1. Lyoto Machida
Enter the dragon. Lyoto The Dragon Machida embodies our pop-cultural belief of what a martial artist is. The consummate professional, never disrespectful but always lethal in the cage, Lyoto Machida first captivated UFC fans with his initial undefeated run that - like Weidman - saw him become a UFC champion before experiencing his first loss. Since then Lyoto Machida has accrued a total professional record of 21-4 and has been a perennial championship contender in the UFC.
Since dropping down to middleweight in late 2013, Machida has looked better than he ever has before. Hes scheduled to face Chris Weidman for the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 175 in a highly anticipated match-up. Machida is also close friends with former champion Anderson Silva, adding a layer of intrigue to the fight as hell be able to pick Silvas brain for tips on how to control the unbeaten American in the cage.
Should Machida emerge victorious, hell be one of very few men to win a UFC championship in two different weight classes. Should Weidman win, hell be gearing up to face more talented Brazilians like Belfort and Souza.