While former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida (16-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) will soon face one of the stiffest challenges of his career, "The Dragon" is already thinking well beyond that UFC 123 bout with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson.

Sure, Machida pines for another shot at the title he lost in May to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, but for the cerebral karate master, there's more to life than professional cagefighting.

"My family and I don't see martial arts as a purely physical pursuit," Machida told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "It's a sport that educates, that instills discipline and respect. It's the most important path for us."

A lifelong practitioner of traditional martial arts, Machida studied Shotokan karate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, sumo wrestling and Muay Thai under the guidance of his father at the family's Academia APAM Machida in his native Belém, Brazil.

While Machida believes there are still many great moments left for him in the cage, he's also working on a plan to bring his family's approach to martial arts to a broader base of aspiring practitioners.

"Our plan is to start an academy in the U.S. – Los Angeles to be more specific, since we feel it's a hub; it's where everything happens," Machida said." We're also considering Florida. My father, my brothers and I could rotate in from Belém."

Machida is quick to point out that the idea of opening a U.S.-based academy is a long way from becoming a reality, but "The Dragon" is anxious to teach the world his family's philosophy on martial arts.

"Of all the students practicing martial arts, very few will pursue it professionally," Machida said. "But most students will carry the doctrine, the philosophy, the respect with them. You can be a doctor, but you'll be a doctor with respect, ethics and dignity. These are things learned through martial arts. If you're a lawyer, the same thing applies.

"So our greatest goal isn't the physical performance; behind it all there's something much greater. It's the respect we carry within us."

For Machida, it's that philosophy which drives him even today. It's an approach that was instilled at him at an early age, and one which Machida believes too many instructors – and parents – are overlooking today.

"I believe children shouldn't be pushed too hard at an early age," Machida said. "We have our own academy and we know what that's like. Many children pushed too early often give up martial arts before reaching adulthood. By their teens, they often can't stand it since they feel no joy in it.

"A great deal of care should be used awarding a black belt to a child. My brother Chinzô, at the time (he earned his black belt), was Brazil's youngest black belt at 10 years old. But my father never pushed him. My brother wanted it. What I see often is that the parents want to live vicariously through their children, in a variety of sports like swimming, tennis, etc. That's what causes kids to burn out. That's when a great talent or opportunity can be lost."

"I had always wanted to do something that had very few rules"

Machida always aspired to succeed in martial arts, though his professional career started a bit sooner than he had hoped.

When Machida took his first professional bout in 2003 against Kengo Watanabe, it was only because there was no amateur program in which the Brazilian could cut his teeth.

"I had always wanted to do something that had very few rules," Machida said. "I had competed in sumo and some jiu-jitsu events, but I saw they were very restricted by rules, and MMA is the combat sport with the fewest rules.

"There is a variety of skills which can be used to achieve victory; my decision was based on that."

As with so many before him, it was Machida's admiration of original UFC champion Royce Gracie that led him to the sport. Little did Machida know he would soon be headlining cards in front of thousands of screaming fans in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and Montreal.

"I first saw Royce fight when I was 15 years old," Machida said. "I thought to myself, 'I'd like to be able to do the same thing this guy is doing – professionally.' I didn't yet know how. It was a challenge for me.

"I didn't think the sport would grow so much."

Of course, as with anything that experiences the type of exponential growth the sport of MMA has witnessed in recent years, there are bound to be a few setbacks. One of those hurdles has been the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport.

Surprisingly, Machida isn't necessarily completely against the use of PEDs in the sport. Instead, he believes the governing bodies of the sport need to make a choice – either crack down on those cheating the system or give carte blanche to all fighters to supplement as they see fit.

"I support blood testing," Machida said. "Right now, those fighters not doing PEDs may lose; the other guy may be stronger and faster, but he's not 'natural.' It's something one has to live with since most fighters are users.

"(As I see it), unless proven otherwise, everyone has used PEDs. Either everyone gets blood tests, or everyone should be allowed to use them – the way it used to be in Japan."

But PEDs are just one piece of the professional fighter puzzle. As MMA has evolved from a spectacle to a legitimate sport, concerns such as fighter pay, insurance requirements and retirement plans have become serious concerns.

Machida says he believes a fighter union could eventually prove very useful to the sport as a whole, in addition to the competitors involved.

"I think there ought to be something like the [Association of Tennis Professionals], a union that could protect the fighters' rights," Machida said. "This entity would be good for both the fighters as well as the UFC. I would sell this idea to Dana White by illustrating the benefits of a much more organized way of drawing up contracts.

"When the employer holds all the cards, there's a greater likelihood of miscommunication, since the dialogue is not so open. For example, a mediating body could have helped avoid what happened with Tito Ortiz. The UFC lost Tito for one-and-a-half to two years. A compromise could have been reached with a mediator. Again, such an entity could help both the fighter and the employer."

"I'm up for anything that brings me back to the belt"

Still just 32 years old, Machida likely has several more years of peak performance left in his frame. While fans were quick to hop off the Machida bandwagon after the karateka suffered his first career loss this past May, the former UFC champion says he's looking forward to proving the naysayers wrong as he works toward completing his current eight-fight UFC deal.

"My family – they've always been very supportive – my brothers, my father, my wife, my mother," Machida said. "Family is who I truly rely on when I need it – family first.

"I'd also like to thank my sponsors – Bony Açaí, Silver Star which is a great brand for me, MusclePharm, Piquet which is a local armored car company that has always backed me up, my friend Carlos Ribeiro who's a great supporter, and Jaco which manufactures my shorts. These companies support me so I can continue to train.

"'Rampage' was actually the first opponent offered to me, and I look forward to the fight. I'm up for anything that brings me back to the belt."