Video: Bellator 170's Chinzo Machida happy with this late rally – but sees work ahead

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – After a come-from-behind TKO win at Saturday’s Bellator 170 event, Chinzo Machida is happy – but not entirely satisfied.

Heading into the third round of his scrap against Jamar Ocampo (2-1, 0-1 BMMA), Machida (5-2, 2-0 BMMA) was told by his cornermen that he was behind on the scorecards. So the karate expert stayed on the lookout for a finish, which came via a head kick followed up by a devastating right hand that sent Ocampo face down to the mat (via Twitter):

And while his ability to withstand adversity and emerge victorious is something to be celebrated, Machida said the match showed there’s still work to be done.

“I think I need to improve a little bit the takedown defense and the ground work for sure,” Machida said. “But at the same time, I’m proud of me because I fought almost three rounds.

” … I’m so happy, but at the same time, I know I have to work a little bit more on the takedown and on the ground, as well.”

The featherweight bout was part of the MMAjunkie-streamed preliminary card of Bellator 170, which took place at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. The five-fight main card, including Tito Ortiz’s first-round submission of Chael Sonnen, aired on Spike.

Machida, it turns out, was not alone in critiquing his own performance. Apparently his younger brother, former UFC champ and fellow karate expert Lyoto Machida, also had some observations about his sibling’s display.

“(Lyoto) was happy, but he said that even on the standup technique, I was too anxious to finish the fight,” Machida said. “So I have to keep more calm and get a good timing and a good distance. Because sometimes I took a good shot (to him), but I wanted to finish the fight at the moment, and the guy took me down.

“So I think I have to wait for the good moment and not be so anxious to finish the fight.”

Now on a four-fight wining streak that includes three finishes, however, Machida was ultimately happy with an outcome that was only made possible by keeping in mind that it isn’t over until the final bell.

“My corner told me I was losing, because at the end of the first round, and at the end of the second round, my opponent was on top and I was on the bottom,” Machida said. “I think I was losing the fight, so for that reason, to the end I was looking for the knockout.

“I always put it on my mind that maybe I was losing the fight, but I had not lost the fight. Until the end, I put (it) in my mind that I can win the fight at any moment.”

To hear more from Machida, check out the video above.

And for complete coverage of Bellator 170, check out the MMA Events section of the site.