UFC
Randy Couture believes there's a "big chance" UFC 129 bout with Lyoto Machida is his last MMA fight
Apr 1, 2011 - 9:58:15 PM Randy Couture believes there's a "big chance" UFC 129 bout with Lyoto Machida is his last MMA fight

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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Hall of Famer and multi-time champion Randy Couture meets Lyoto Machida at the end of the month in front of the largest MMA audience for any event in North America for UFC 129 in Toronto. And though he's retired once before, Couture says this fight really could be his last in the sport.

"There's a big chance this is my last fight," Couture said on this week's ESPN UK UFC Podcast, co-hosted by MMATorch UK Specialist Chris Park. "I'm not going to be making any official announcements, I don't think anybody would buy it - I already did that once!"

"But I'm in terrific shape, I'm feeling confident about Lyoto and dialling into the attack and how we're going to get our hands on him. There's a lot of other things calling me now, and there's a chance this is the last one."

For Couture, his budding movie career - not to mention the fact that he's closing in on 48 years of age - has his attentions being pulled outside of the sport. And with the amount of time he's put into this sport, Couture admitted he's getting tired of the grind.

"I've got several other movies lined up, The Expendables 2 is coming up in September, and I've got my other businesses like the clothing company and the extension of the gym," he said. "Frankly, I'm tired of grinding it out, it's time to enjoy life."

Penick's Analysis: This fight with Machida offers Couture a chance to prove once more that he can hang with a top fighter in the division. It may or may not happen, but he's giving it one last go, and it wouldn't surprise me if it was the last fight of his career. Coming up on 48, he's not going to attempt to make a run toward the title even if he pulls off a win over Machida, not with a young, dynamic wrestler in Jon Jones on top of the division now. Win or lose, UFC 129 is probably the last time we see Couture in the Octagon, and that's not a bad thing after such a long career.

[Randy Couture art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]