Two heavyweight standouts from across Canada are preparing to meet on Friday night.
Caio Machado (4-1-1) of Vancouver, B.C., is set to protect his BFL heavyweight crown against Christian Larsen (5-1) from Edmonton, Alta., in the featured matchup of BFL 67. Fans can catch the card on UFC Fight Pass starting June 4.
Based at Franco Kickboxing Pankration, the 26-year-old Machado brought a fresh name into his corner ahead of this championship bout.
One of the biggest additions to his camp was the recently crowned heavyweight champion in ONE Championship, Arjan Bhullar.
"It's fantastic to test myself against someone at that caliber," Machado told MMA Empire. "Arjan's a world champion right now, and the pressure and style he brings matches the kind of approach that tends to bother me—wrestling."
"I've struggled with it before, had more difficulty with it. My natural strength is striking, so getting exposed to that level of wrestling pressure, that elite wrestling standard, was valuable. An Olympic-level wrestler, ONE FC champion, ex-UFC competitor. Whatever he brought to the table, nobody I've trained with locally can replicate that intensity, so it was a genuinely useful experience."
Machado's sole defeat to Dustin Joynson forced him to confront areas he needed to strengthen, particularly his wrestling game and ability to handle relentless pressure from opponents. Following that loss, he focused heavily on defending from the bottom, defending off the cage, and building more comprehensive defensive wrestling fundamentals.
His development extends well beyond grappling. Over the past half-decade, Machado has shed fifty pounds and rediscovered his competitive drive through martial arts training in Canada.
He believes his conditioning and quickness hold their own against the best heavyweights globally, and leveraging speed has become a central theme in his training over the years.
"Many heavyweights struggle immensely with sustained intensity, which is why we see so many heavyweight bouts either end instantly via single-punch knockouts or drag along at a glacial tempo," Machado explained.
"I know I've got heavy hands and I haven't been knocked out yet. I'm still refining things, but imposing a higher pace will consistently give me an edge in my weight class."
Machado's most recent appearance came as his debut on UFC Fight Pass, where he successfully retained his title with a spectacular knockout victory over Canadian MMA trailblazer Lee Mein.
"To be honest, it was a solid performance, though I expected to go slightly longer since I always want to showcase my full skill set," Machado said.
"The local MMA community is very much about improving and becoming comfortable inside the cage. Plus being able to demonstrate myself. Because I have the extra endurance, I'm never solely hunting the quick knockout. I want to control the tempo, run my game, establish dominance, and then close it out. It ended sooner than planned, but I operate with a shark mentality. If I smell weakness, I strike. That's what unfolded."
The strategy behind beating Mein is something Machado recognizes he'll need to adjust as he prepares to measure his abilities against Larsen.
"I studied a few of his fights, including his bout with Lee Mein since we share a common opponent, which helps me compare more directly. He appears incredibly powerful; he might be the toughest opponent I've faced. Knockout capability—he has the power to end me in a single shot, so I need to stay alert, keep my guard up, and sharpen my defense."
"There isn't much else to uncover in his game plan. He carries heavy hands and hunts for knockouts, but I couldn't find much beyond that. I'm not sure whether it's because he boasts such an impressive knockout record, but across all his bouts, including the longer contest with Lee (Mein), it's always wild punches. No kicks, no knees. I view myself as a more adaptable fighter. I'm a more well-rounded martial artist, so that distinction should define this matchup for me."
Outside the octagon, Machado is also experiencing positive changes as his fiancée, Gaby, prepares to welcome their child.
"Great things have been happening since we discovered she's expecting. The baby arrives toward the end of June, so I'm hoping for a fantastic month. A title defense and a baby on the way—it doesn't get much better."
Machado's Shoutouts
"Obviously, everyone at FKP who's trained alongside me throughout this entire journey. My sponsors from The Van Burn Group, DLM Project Services LTD, Ruscitti Bros Ventures Inc., Drive Marketing Group, and Action Athletic Wear. Also, Forth Media Brazil, and my nutritionist Rodolfo, who's been assisting me with social media and dietary planning. A huge shoutout to my fiancée Gaby, who's carrying my baby—my first child. She's been putting in tremendous effort during this pregnancy. It hasn't been easy on her, but we're making progress. We're nearly a month out and thrilled to meet this baby. She's my foundation, my constant support. We've been together for several years and now we're looking forward to welcoming our child, getting married, and moving toward even greater things. Finally, Chris Larsen. Let's deliver something special—it's going to be a fantastic fight. I'm eager to step in the cage with you and determine who truly holds the heavyweight throne in Canada right now."
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