Lyoto Machida's contract had stoppage bonuses at one point in his UFC career

Lyoto Machida could be a win away from a shot at a Bellator title, but his past relationship with the UFC is back in the news.

A series of reports by Bloody Elbow showed that un-redacted documents used in the UFC Anti-Trust Lawsuit revealed that “The Dragon” had an interesting clause in his contract with the promotion.

Machida’s contract stated that Zuffa would pay him $100,000 in case of a stoppage win.

Speaking with MMA Fighting, the former UFC light heavyweight champion confirmed he had that clause but not throughout his entire run with the promotion. Machida said he doesn’t remember exactly how long that lasted, but “I think I had three or four fights with that specific bonus.”

“If I recall correctly I won two [bonuses],” Machida said. “I don’t remember for sure because it’s a decade in the company, many contracts, but one of those contracts really had that specific bonus.”

If his memory is correct, Machida pocketed an extra $200,000 in stoppage bonuses in the UFC. And that’s not the only time he’s made extra money for a win. “The Dragon” says that UFC president Dana White gave him a check after he defeated Tito Ortiz via decision in 2008, but that happened before he had that stoppage bonus in his deal.

Machida (26-8) first signed with the UFC in 2007, winning six in a row (with two finishes) to earn a shot at then 205-pound champion Rashad Evans. The Brazilian claimed the title with a second-round knockout and defended it once before losing a rematch to Mauricio Rua. He parted ways with the UFC in 2018 to sign with Bellator, ending his UFC run with a 16-8 record inside the Octagon.