Caio Machado’s journey through the gritty ranks of the Battlefield Fight League in Canada was nothing short of a grind. It’s like he was chiseling his way through, prepping for something bigger. And boy, did that something bigger come knocking. August rolled around, and there he was, stepping into the spotlight of Dana White’s Contender Series. Just over three months later, bam! He made his debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “We have some good opponents around here,” Machado spilled to Sherdog.com. He felt it was all timed perfectly, his arrival in the UFC.
Now, picture this: a Brazilian heavyweight, who’s made Vancouver, British Columbia his home, gearing up for a comeback. That’s Machado for you. He’s looking to shake off the dust from a Nov. 18 decision defeat to the still-undefeated Michael Parkin. His next challenge? Don’Tale Mayes, this Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. It’s part of the UFC on ESPN 55 undercard. The loss to Parkin was a tough pill to swallow, his first in over five years. So, what does Machado do? He broadens his horizons, literally. “I did travel a lot for this fight,” he admitted. His training journey zigzagged from Franco Kickboxing and Pankration in his Canadian base, all the way to Hugo Goncalves’ Inside Muay Thai in Brazil, not to mention stops at the UFC Performance Institute and Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas.
Mayes, on the flip side, isn’t having the smoothest ride either, with two losses in his last three fights. But don’t let that fool you. Standing at 6-foot-6, the Louisville, Kentucky, native is a towering challenge for Machado, boasting a two-inch height and three-inch reach advantage. Mayes isn’t new to the UFC victory circle either, with wins over names like Andrei Arlovski, Josh Parisian, and Roque Martinez under his belt.
“At this high level, no one sucks,” Machado pointed out. He’s right. In the heavyweight class, it’s a game of giants where everyone’s packing a punch. According to Machado, Mayes is no slouch, but he’s confident in his own arsenal. “My speed and stamina will make the difference in our fight. He won’t be able to keep up. He won’t be able to find me with his strikes.”
Mayes last stepped into the octagon at UFC Fight Night 231, where he faced Rodrigo Nascimento in a rematch but didn’t come out on top. Machado, meanwhile, has been all about business, fine-tuning his game to patch up the gaps Parkin exposed.
“Without being rude, I don’t see anything special about Mayes that would necessitate a change in my game,” Machado declared. He’s sticking to his guns, ready to trade blows if that’s where the fight goes. This camp, he’s zeroed in on ramping up his cardio and physical prowess.
Despite the ups and downs, Machado, still fresh at 29, is eyeing a lofty goal for 2024. “My plan is to reach the Top 15 by year’s end,” he shared with a tone of determination. He’s aiming for three fights this year, each a step up from the last, all while steering clear of injuries.