Lyoto Machida willing to drop to middleweight 'if Dana White makes a good fight'

The UFC on Fox 4: "Shogun vs. Vera" weigh-in event took place earlier today (Fri., Aug. 3, 2012) at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, and featured all 20 fighters scheduled to compete on tomorrow night's card successfully making weight without issue.

That's not the story, though. The story is just how far under the weight limit a certain fighter came in at.

I'm talking, of course, about Lyoto Machida, who will participant in the co-main event of the evening in a showdown against Ryan Bader. "The Dragon," looking like he's in phenomenal shape, tipped the scales at 201-pounds.

Immediately, there was speculation regarding why it would be that Machida would come in a full four pounds (five, technically) under the contracted limit. Ariel Helwani got the word from the man himself on FUEL TV:

"I always walk around at 205, 210 maximum. I don't worry about this. I keep my diet all year round."

Makes sense, I suppose. The next logical question is whether or not the Karate master is considering a drop to middleweight. His answer:

"Maybe, if Dana White makes a good fight and invites me, I will."

A fighter considering a drop to a weight class he probably should have been fighting in anyway isn't exactly groundbreaking news. What makes this so interesting is the timing.

After all, UFC President Dana White recently revealed that if Machida can impressively dispose of Bader, more so than the winner of the main event between Mauricio Rua vs. Brandon Vera, he could very well earn a title shot.

Against the light heavyweight champion.

Perhaps Machida isn't counting on it either way and is simply planning for the future. Even if he moves to 185-pounds, though, he's maintaining his position that he'll never fight Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva.

"Anderson is my friend, we are on the same team, same manager. He is a true champion."

All music to White's ears, I'm sure, but what do you Maniacs think about it?