Trainer Rafael Cordeiro made a statement regarding the Lyoto Machida vs. Chris Weidman fight, as he predicted a knockout victory for "The Dragon".
Cordeiro spoke to MMA Fighting about how he thinks his fighter will fare against the reigning middleweight champion Chris Weidman.
"If Chris thinks he's going there with that little hand and that he'll simply take him down and lay and pray, he's dead wrong," Cordeiro said. "Lyoto will knock him out. When you fight the champion you have to dominate, leave no doubts."
Two weeks prior to the scheduled Lyoto Machida vs. Chris Weidman fight, Ray Longo, who is the champ's trainer, criticized "The Dragon" about his ability to absorb punches.
"I think he's got a real weak chin," Longo said in his appearance at The MMA Hour. "That's his weakest hole. Weidman hits that guy, he'll hurt him bad. That's why he likes to control the pace of the fight. I don't think he likes to be pushed."
Rafael Cordeiro, who previously ran the famed Chute Boxe Academy in Brazil and trained figthers such as PRIDE FC legends Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Wanderlei Silva, immediately responded to Longo's statements.
"You can't say Lyoto has a weak chin," Cordeiro answered. "That's a lie. Lyoto fought and defeated bigger guys. He's a world-class striker."
Before the Lyoto Machida vs. Chris Weidman fight, "The Dragon" last faced former Strikeforce champion Gegard Mousasi, before earning his title shot against Chris Weidman. He won via unanimous decision, in an excellent display of his usual speed and agility.
And for Rafael Cordeiro, Gegard Mousasi is a taller task to deal with.
"I won't underestimate Chris Weidman, but Mousasi is tougher than him Mousasi is a brawler, and Lyoto fought five rounds standing against him," Cordeiro said. "Lyoto will go straight forward, going for the knockout."
"Lyoto will knock Chris Weidman out," he reiterated.
