NOT AS ADVERTISED, BUT POSSIBLY THE BEST TACTICAL DISPLAY OF 2012 TO DATE

Anyone who read my pre-fight breakdown knows that I was seriously salivating over what appeared to be a surefire barnburner between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit. I really thought the matchup had all the necessary ingredients for a “Fight of the Year” performance. The fight certainly didn’t live up to the hype from an all-action standpoint, but that does not, in any way, detract from what was a near flawless performance by Condit.

“The Natural Born Killer” committed to a game plan that consisted of sticking and moving with the use of constantly changing angles. He never varied from that attack, not even for a minute. Sure, Diaz trapped him a few times, forcing Condit to fight with his back against the cage. But those exchanges lasted only a few brief seconds before the new interim champion circled away from the cage and resumed his tactical approach.

Diaz pleaded with him over and over to stand and fight, using vitriolic trash talking, taunts with his hands at his side, and doing just about everything else he could think of to try and goad his foe into a brawl. Condit never gave in to temptation, despite the fact that his natural inclination is to plant his feet and go to war with opponents. Anyone who believes that is easy to do should go back and watch Diaz’s career over the last four or five years. Every one of his opponents, except for British slugger Paul Daley, entered the cage with the same game plan. Only Condit was able to successfully implement it.

While the end result wasn’t a “Fight of the Year” battle, it was a virtuoso tactical performance, arguably the best of 2012 so far.

DEFEND OR NOT TO DEFEND, THAT IS THE QUESTION

Condit’s win over Diaz brought him a share of the championship that he so desperately coveted, but the belt comes with a dilemma. UFC President Dana White revealed after the fight that champion Georges St-Pierre is nowhere near being ready to resume full mixed martial arts training. The current estimate is the champion will finish his rehabilitation sometime in June, which means he won’t likely return to competition until November, at the earliest.

GSP’s health leaves Condit in a precarious position. He has to decide whether to wait for GSP and unify the belts in his next fight or take an optional defense while the Canadian standout is on the mend.  That may seem like an easy choice, but this is anything but an easy decision. Let’s look at both sides of the issue.

The argument in favor of waiting is an easy one to make. First and foremost, Condit knows that his title is only a placeholder until GSP returns. He will forever be able to refer to himself as a UFC titlist, but not a champion, until he defeats GSP (or GSP fails to return from his current injury exile). Thus, he hasn’t really accomplished his goal of reaching the pinnacle of the sport. Not yet anyway.

Taking an interim fight in the unpredictable world of the UFC, where there is no such thing as a tune-up or keep-busy championship bout, creates a risk that he will never actually receive the opportunity to challenge for the true championship. Thus, the risk created by defending the interim belt outweighs the reward, in terms of building Condit’s legacy in the sport.

Second, if there is ever a time to face GSP, who is one of the best fighters on the planet, pound for pound, it is right after he returns from a major injury. GSP will have to deal with the dreaded cage rust when he returns. I’m not listening to any argument to the contrary.

There is no way that he will be as sharp in his first fight back as he was in his last bout. The issues caused by the time away from active training and actual fighting are compounded by the mental hurdle associated with getting over an ACL tear is no joke. It takes most athletes some reps in actual competition, even once fully healed and rehabilitated, to subconsciously believe that the knee is ready for game speed. I will be shocked, if GSP is any different.

GSP, therefore, should have holes in his game that might not otherwise be present, if Condit faces him at any other point in their respective careers. Why risk blowing that opportunity, just to take an interim fight?

The argument for taking an interim fight is also pretty straightforward. Any advantage that Condit has over GSP due to the champion’s injury-forced exile is tempered by the interim champion self-exiling himself for a long period of time.

Keep in mind that the longest layoff of Condit’s career is 269 days. If he fights GSP on November 1, he will break his personal inactive mark by two days, and there is no guarantee that the true champion will be ready by November 1. Any little setback in his rehabilitation or preparation could postpone the fight even further, which means cage rust will be just as big of a problem for Condit as it is GSP.

Think otherwise? Talk to Rashad Evans about hanging around and waiting for an opportunity, rather than remaining busy. He will quickly admit that long stretches away have affected his subsequent performances. Again, why would Condit be any different?

Equally relevant is the fact that the fight game is as much about earning a living as it is competition. Condit doesn’t get paid to sit on the sidelines. He gets paid when he fights. Does it make financial sense to wait until November or possibly later for his next payday? Remember, we are talking about a guy with a wife, baby and new mortgage.

I’m a firm believer that fighters need to maximize their earnings during their brief time in sport. All fighters have very limited shelf lives. The question of “what’s next” once their career reaches its expiration date is a daunting one for all but the wealthiest of fighters, particularly since the expiration date arrives at different times for different fighters. It is a date that is nearly impossible to predict. So, passing up lucrative paydays, even in the face of risking a potentially more lucrative one down the road with GSP, seems like financial suicide to me.

Equally important, however, is the mental aspect of opting to sit on the sidelines. Think about it for a minute. If Team Condit attempts to talk their man into waiting for GSP, I question whether that would create a little doubt in the back of his mind. After all, if he isn’t good enough to defeat whomever the UFC puts in front of him, what makes anyone think he is good enough to defeat the man who many believe to be the single best fighter in the world? Will that self doubt cause hesitation when he actually receives the opportunity to fight GSP?

I’m a firm believer that Condit should take an interim defense of the interim title, based on GSP’s protracted timetable. Not only will it help maximize his short-term earnings, it will also put him in the best possible position, in my opinion, to remain at the top of his game for when the opportunity to face GSP does finally arise.

What would you do, if you were advising “The Natural Born Killer”? Let me know in the comment section below.

PAY NO MIND TO THE RETIREMENT TALK

Nick Diaz announced after the loss to Condit that he was hanging up the vale tudo gloves. To quote Public Enemy, “don’t believe the hype.”

Diaz isn’t going anywhere. Not after that loss, anyway. His words inside the Octagon were those of a deeply frustrated fighter who believed that, once again, he was treated wrongly by the system. I’m not so sure that he will continue to hold that belief when he goes back and watches the tape of the fight.

For the record, I scored the fight 3-2 for Diaz, giving him the nod in rounds one, two and five. The first two rounds were easy to score, in my opinion, as were rounds three and four. The final round was a bear, and I’ll admit that I still go back and forth on that one.

On one hand, Condit definitely landed more in terms of striking volume and significant strikes. He also showed far better Octagon control by darting in and out, while Diaz continually and ineffectively chased him around.

On the other hand, the takedown followed by the back mount was the single most dominant position of the round for either fighter. Condit was in more danger of getting stopped in those moments than Diaz was at any point in the fight. Of course, Diaz didn’t actually come very close with any of his submission attempts, so there is a school of thought that says I shouldn’t give so much weight to the takedown and back mount. It is a completely subjective question, one that I actually don’t feel that strongly about. In fact, after re-watching the fight, I am actually starting to lean toward Condit for the final round.

Whatever your scoring philosophy, the bout was close enough that it wasn’t highway robbery for either man to drop the decision on Saturday night. Diaz should not feel as if he has been wronged by the establishment. He should instead ask himself why he was unable to cut off the cage when Condit was on his bicycle, or why he didn’t get off first when Condit came into range. It was a very un-Diaz-like performance, one that I chalk up to a bad night mixed with a virtuoso effort by Condit.

Diaz isn’t going anywhere, folks. Trust me on that one. In fact, I think he is probably just one win away from re-asserting himself as the number one contender. Dana White mentioned in a post-fight interview that Diaz versus Josh Koscheck would be an interesting next fight. I agree. I think that is an excellent way to shake out who stands behind Condit, if he opts to wait for GSP. If Condit decides to take an interim challenge, I think Diaz has a strong argument that he deserves a rematch.

Either way, my guess is that Nick Diaz will be back in action inside the Octagon before summertime.

Seven fighters - plus UFC President Dana White -  attended the UFC 143 post-fight press conference: Carlos Condit, Renan Barao, Josh Koscheck, Fabricio Werdum, Dustin Poirier, Ed Herman, and Stephen Thompson.

The event's Fight of the Night bonuses went to Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson. The two heavyweights engaged in a back-and-forth battle that took place predominantly on the feet, with Werdum taking the unanimous decision.

KO of the Night went to newcomer Thompson, who laid out fellow debutant Dan Stittgen with a highlight-reel head kick in the first round.

Dustin Poirier earned Submission of the Night for his mounted first-round triangle/armbar over Max Holloway. With the win, Poirier moves to 4-0 inside the Octagon.

Each bonused fighter received $65,000.

 Press Conference highlights:

Werdum and Koscheck

Condit

LAS VEGAS, February 4 - Dustin Poirier ran his win streak to four in a row in UFC 143 prelim action Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, tapping out Hawaii’s Max Holloway with an armbar from a mounted triangle at 3:23 of round one.

Holloway, the youngest fighter on the UFC roster at 20, was the aggressor early on the feet, but he was unable to stop a Poirier double leg slam that forced the action to the canvas.

“I’m happy. You know, I’m 4-0 in the UFC now. I’m for real now,” said Poirier, who keeps inching his way into title contention against UFC featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo. “(Max Holloway) is tough. He’s a great kickboxer. A lot of people don’t know him but I trained for him like I would train for Anderson Silva.”

Watch Poirier's post-fight interview

EDWIN FIGUEROA VS. ALEX CACERES

Edwin Figueroa walked away from the Octagon holding his crotch. Alex Caceres walked away wondering … well, who really knows? Surely the 23-year-old bantamweight could learn a valuable lesson after controlling Figueroa for much of their scrap – but he was unable to overcome a two-point deduction for the second of two killer low blows that made Figueroa collapse to the canvas, writhing in pain and requiring minutes to recover.

Only Figueroa can say how much those devastating illegal kicks to the groin weakened him. But Texas’ Figueroa was performing early in round one – finding “Bruce Leroy’s” chin on a few occasions, even though Caceres did momentarily drop him with a shot.

Then came a brutal low kick from Caceres. Upon the first infraction, referee Herb Dean warned Caceres but did not deduct a point.

After taking minutes to regroup, and visibly miffed, Figueroa fought on and landed a hard kick to the face that dropped Caceres, who absorbed some ground and pound shots but later turned the tide, forcing a ground war and hanging on Figueroa like a backpack but unable to finish him with a rear naked choke.

Caceres was finding his groove early in the second, scoring with a front kick and a hard right hand. Then came a second, hard blow to the crotch. Again Figueroa lay on the canvas in agony.

When they resumed, referee Dean signaled for the two-point deduction, and urgency set in for Caceres to make up the deficit on the judges’ scorecards. The Miamian was impressive for the remainder of the bout against a weakened Figueroa, whom he dominated in the grappling realm. But at every turn Figueroa fought off Caceres’ choke attacks, triangles and armbars.

In the end judges scored it 28-27, 28-27 and 27-28 for Figueroa, now 9-1. Caceres fell to 6-5. Hear what "El Feroz" had to say after the fight

CHRIS COPE VS. MATT BROWN

A right-hand missile from Matt Brown put Chris Cope on the deck in their welterweight bout, and four blistering ground and pound shots sealed the deal at 1:19 of the second round.

The right hand that rocked Cope (5-4) caught him behind the ear.

“That’s exactly what I need to be doing,” Brown said of his knockout. “I got away from who I am. I’m back. I had always been trying out new things and this ain’t really the place to be trying them out. So enough of that. I got a right hand that will knock out anybody so I believe you’ll see more of that.” Watch Brown's post-fight interview

MATT RIDDLE VS. HENRY MARTINEZ

Sometimes you have to think that Matt Riddle just doesn’t give a damn about strategy and doing whatever it takes to win. Foremost for the free-spirited welterweight, is to put on a show for fans, snatch a Fight of The Night bonus and be involved in the bloodiest battle possible. The more damage, the better – even if Riddle is the punching bag. And that he was for most of the first round, when the much speedier Henry Martinez repeatedly cracked him with hard punching combinations, bloodying Riddle’s eyes, ears and nose.

Interesting to note is that Riddle is the much larger fighter, 6’1” to Martinez’s 5’7”. While Riddle is eating punches – and apparently enjoying it – you can’t help but wonder, “Why not throw more kicks?” “Why not mix it up with a little Muay Thai clinch or even some wrestling?” Why not put that much bigger body on the smaller fighter and make him carry your weight and maybe get tired down the stretch?”

Well, Riddle did adapt in round two, unloading with a much greater volume of hard kicks to Martinez’s body and head. Finally the Las Vegas transplant had broken the groove of Martinez, a very crisp boxer, who countered punches very well but could not stop the array of kicks coming his way. As a now-bleeding Martinez began to tire, Riddle amped up his assault and the two southpaws treated fans to toe-to-toe exchanges as the second round ended. Riddle did his best Ray Lewis impersonation on the way to his stool between rounds, screaming at the top of his lungs and imploring fans to get fired up.

In the third round, Riddle suddenly employed strategy, whacking Martinez with hard kicks to the leg and liver. Then he finally decided to put that big body on Martinez, taking him down and taking his back. Riddle would score another takedown and rain down with ground and pound as time expired, earning a split decision from judges by scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29. Watch the post-fight interview here

MICHAEL KUIPER VS. RAFAEL NATAL

There were moments when Rafael Natal, a BJJ black belt, repeatedly outstruck newcomer Michael Kuiper, popping The Netherlands’ standup specialist with some solid right hands, scoring with leg kicks and even a spinning backfist. But it was Natal’s bread and butter – grappling – that cemented his unanimous decision victory and dealt Kuiper (11-1) his first professional loss.

The first round wasn’t a barnburner, but Natal scored five takedowns. He was reversed late in the round and ate a few shots on the bottom, but seemed to have done enough to win the round. In round two, fatigue seemed to afflict both fighters in what was mostly a standup battle that saw Natal possibly get the better of the exchanges (Kuiper just kept coming forward, with little head or lateral movement, and ate quite a few right hands as a consequence).

Seconds into the third, a Kuiper uppercut dropped the New York transplant to his knees. Kuiper swarmed on top but could not find the shots that would put away his woozy adversary. The second half of the round belonged to Natal, who somehow mustered the strength for an explosive slam, dominated with top position and threatened with an arm triangle as time expired.

After the fight, Natal spoke of the wicked right uppercut that rocked him.

“It was bad because it was the beginning of the round. I felt everything was dark,” said Natal, a Brazilian native who is now 14-3-1 and has won two straight in the UFC. “But my jiu-jitsu saved me again (when) I got him in the half-guard.” More from "Sapo" Natal

STEPHEN THOMPSON VS. DAN STITTGEN

For one fight at least, Stephen Thompson was as good as advertised. The highly-touted kempo karate and kickboxing ace showed remarkable poise and grace in his UFC debut, essentially toying with Dan Stittgen before putting him out cold with a roundhouse kick to the jaw. Unorthodox throughout, the lanky South Carolinian (6-0) patiently picked Stittgen (7-2) apart with a wide variety of kicks. Most interestingly, Thompson held his hands very low, almost daring Stittgen to be aggressive so he could counterattack. Yet Stittgen maintained a low punch volume. When the Illinois fighter did attack, he threw a left hook and stepped to his left – unwittingly walking right into a perfectly placed roundhouse to the jaw.

At 4:13 of round one, it was a wrap.

“No words can really describe it,” said the 28-year-old Thompson, unbeaten in 50-plus kickboxing fights as well. “Those round kicks, we use them a lot in Karate. They can pack a lot of power and people don’t see ‘em.” Watch Thompson's post-fight interview

LAS VEGAS, February 4 - In a battle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Fabricio Werdum brutalized and bloodied Roy Nelson in the Muay Thai clinch for most of their UFC 143 co-main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision. And yet a slimmed down “Big Country” never stopped coming forward, even briefly dropping Werdum with his signature overhand right in what was otherwise a grossly lopsided first round.

The whuppin’ Werdum delivered also featured high kicks, front kicks to the face and crisp punching combinations. The world champion grappler’s unpredictability served notice to future heavyweights that Werdum, after nearly 3 and ½ years away from the Octagon, can beat opponents in so many different ways.

“This was the strategy. I know Roy Nelson is a tough guy, but I do Muay Thai every day,” said Werdum, whose closest call came when Roy Nelson trapped him in a tight standing guillotine choke.

Scores for Werdum were 30-27 across the board. Watch Werdum's post-fight interview

MIKE PIERCE VS. JOSH KOSCHECK

Up and coming welterweight Mike Pierce called out longtime contender Josh Koscheck and did his best to back it up, but it was “Kos” who grinded out a split decision in UFC 143 main card action Saturday.

In what was predominantly a standup affair between two high-level wrestlers, a couple of Koscheck takedowns, some timely right hands and being busier down the stretch likely proved to be the difference. Koscheck bled from the mouth and Pierce from the nose by the end of the fight.

As they often do, when “Voice of the Octagon” Bruce Buffer announced the winner, fans indulged the opportunity to massively boo Koscheck, which didn’t faze the welterweight contender too much.
 
“You guys boo me all the time. I’m the most hated man in MMA,” he said nonchalantly. “Guess what? I win. Deal with it, man. I win.”

Two judges scored the bout 29-28 for Koscheck (19-5); the third saw it 29-28 for Pierce (13-5).Hear what a fired-up Kos had to say after the fight

RENAN BARAO VS. SCOTT JORGENSEN

Fast and accurate puncher? Check.

Hard leg kicks. Check.

Distinguished BJJ black belt? Check.

Superb takedown defense? Check.

Future UFC champ? Well, the verdict is still out on whether Renan Barao will reach MMA’s Promised Land, but after stretching his unbeaten streak to 30 fights (tops in the UFC) with a commanding win over Scott Jorgensen, it does not seem far-fetched to think the 24-year-old Brazilian just might follow in the footsteps of teammate and featherweight superstar Jose Aldo.

Through the first two rounds, Barao virtually put on a clinic, loading up on his jabs, low kicks, and cracking Jorgensen hard with combinations that occasionally snapped the Idahoan’s head back. A lesser opponent would have folded, for sure, but Jorgensen is nothing short of a battering ram, and he just kept brushing off the carnage and charging forward (and occasionally landing some hard shots himself).

Jorgensen, a decorated Division I wrestler in his day, tried in vain for takedowns but was always rebuffed. Entering the third round, this much was clear: Jorgensen would need a finish to pull it out. One of his cornermen tried to inspire that sense of urgency in Jorgensen as he stepped off his stool to begin the final round.

“Win this fight right now! Come on let’s go!” he yelled.

Jorgensen (13-5) remained super-aggressive and had his best round, drawing blood on Barao’s face with his punches. Yet Barao, despite losing a little bit of steam on his punches, always retaliated and usually got the better of the exchanges.

Judges handed him a unanimous decision via scores of 30-27 across the board.

“I came here to fight three rounds. He was a very tough opponent and I expected that,” Barao said. “We trained a lot the distance and the kicks. That was exactly the gameplan.”

Before leaving his interview with commentator Joe Rogan, Barao had a message for everyone else at 135 pounds.

“I want the belt!” he yelled. Watch Barao's post-fight interview

ED HERMAN VS. CLIFFORD STARKS

Ed Herman couldn’t stop the heavy right hand of Clifford Starks. And Clifford Starks couldn’t stop the Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills of Ed Herman.

In the end, it was Herman’s BJJ that triumphed, knocking Starks from the ranks of the unbeaten with a rear naked choke at 1:43 of the second stanza.

“He was landing some good right hands on me; luckily I got a good chin because he was hitting me hard,” said Herman, his left eye swollen and beginning to close. “I was surprised I was getting hit with them. I shouldn’t have been standing right in front of him, but I pulled it off.”

Herman improved to 20-7. Starks, a former Arizona State University wrestler, fell to 8-1. Watch Herman's post-fight interview

LAS VEGAS, February 4 – Georges St-Pierre longs to punish the only fighter he hates. But instead of facing bitter rival Nick Diaz for the UFC welterweight title, GSP must now mentally prepare to battle a teammate of sorts in Carlos Condit.

With GSP watching cageside, Condit uncharacteristically and methodically danced and kicked his way to a unanimous decision victory over Diaz Saturday night in the UFC 143 main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center. The triumph earned Condit the UFC interim welterweight title, and he will meet St-Pierre for the belt sometime later this year depending on St. Pierre’s pending recovery from a torn ACL.

 “It was pretty sweet. My coaches and teammates prepared me for this fight,” said Condit, the former World Extreme Cagefighting champ who pushed his record to 28-6. “I did what they told me to do and it carried me to victory. Hats off to Nick Diaz. He’s a warrior. I’ve got nothing but respect for how he fights.”

Regarding his future date with GSP, who trains at Tri-Star in Montreal under Firas Zahabi but who has also trained extensively with Condit trainer Greg Jackson, Condit had this to say:

“It is an honor. Georges is a guy I’ve looked up to since I was young and before I was in the UFC. I’m completely honored.”

Diaz, who stalked Condit nearly all of the fight and had his moments with combinations – including an impressive 8 or 9-punch combo to Condit’s body in round two – surprised everyone in the post-fight interview, effectively announcing his retirement at the relatively tender age of 28.

“I’m not going to accept the fact this was a loss,” said Diaz (27-8), who hadn’t lost in over four years. “I’ve lost fights before…but that (decision) ain’t right. I pushed him back the whole fight, I walked him back …Carlos is a great guy. I think I’m done with this MMA ... I had some fun. I don’t need this s---. I pushed this guy backward the whole fight. He kicked me with little baby leg kicks the whole fight. I don’t want to fight this way anymore. I’m out of this s---.”

Diaz had made things very interesting late in the final round when he took Condit down, took his back and tried for a rear naked choke.

To chants of  “Diaz! Diaz!” the usually ultra-aggressive Condit came out in the first round way more mobile than usual, firing away with leg kicks.

In the second half of the round, however, Diaz, ever-stalking and now verbally taunting, scored with his boxing, included a beautiful shot to the body followed up with a crisp punch to the face. By round’s end, Diaz was still sticking out that chin and taunting and Condit was bleeding under his left eye.

In round two, Condit was more reticent and dancing. Greg Jackson’s were fingerprints all over it and Diaz was the one constantly pushing the action. In Diaz’s best sequence of the fight, he caught Condit against the fence and unleashed a volley of eight or nine punches to the body. Condit wasn’t nearly as busy as he had been in the first stanza.

In rounds three and four, Condit started attacking Diaz with more vigor, primarily behind an assortment of kicks to Diaz’s lead leg, midsection and head. Never did it seem as if the charging Diaz was wounded, but perhaps the noted boxer became frustrated by Condit’s constant mobility and refusal to stand in the pocket to exchange. Nevertheless, it was an intelligent and effective strategy, one that allowed Condit to cinch rounds three and four in the eyes of many in media row. Simply, Diaz’s fists had trouble finding any part of Condit’s body.

Judges scored it 48-47, 49-46 and 49-46 for Condit.

Watch Condit's post-fight Interview

Hear what Diaz had to say during his post-fight interview

 If you want to define the pure essence of the word “fighter,” odds are that eventually you will find yourself face to face with the story of Nick Diaz.

In many ways, he’s been fighting since his days growing up in California, moving from school to school and always being the new kid. It’s a story shared by thousands, but few have taken it as far as Diaz has – to the main event of UFC 143 this Saturday and a shot at the interim welterweight title against fellow contender Carlos Condit.

But for all the media attention and scrutiny around the 28-year old from Stockton since his return to the UFC late last year, all you really need to define who Diaz is would be a look at his second pro fight in July of 2002 against Chris Lytle. Yeah, that Chris Lytle, who at the time was already a seasoned vet of the sport. But when Lytle’s original foe, Jake Shields, was forced from the fight due to a staph infection, it was his 18-year old teammate, Diaz, who stepped in.

“This guy had something like 20 fights,” said Diaz in an interview before his 2011 bout with BJ Penn. “Chris was fighting in Japan, he was ranked in Pancrase, he was way older than I was, and I was supposed to lose.”

But he didn’t. Instead, Diaz pounded out a three round split decision that earned him his first title, the IFC welterweight belt, and truly started him on a career that he has had a love-hate relationship ever since. And though a lot of water has gone under the bridge since that day, he still has fond memories of his first big win.

“I think I was a lot happier when I won back then,” he said. “It was more about proving myself. Back then I really had something to prove and I really needed to be more than what I was. After those fights, I felt established in all sorts of ways. It was good.”
 
“When people would hear about who I was, they would pretty much think I was full of s**t,” he continues. “And even after these fights they would think the same thing, but at least I would know I’m not, and it was just enough for me to keep going.”

A jiu-jitsu player since he was 15, and a pro MMA fighter from 18, Diaz has spent more than half his life in the sport that made him a worldwide star, one of the best welterweights on the planet, and perhaps the game’s most intriguing figure. It’s a trio of titles that Diaz could probably do without, well, at least two of the three, and when it comes to being the best in the world, Diaz would likely enjoy that title if he didn’t have to deal with all the miscellaneous distractions and requirements that come along with it, like media obligations, etc. But he has no apologies for who he is.

“With me, you get the real me, real martial arts and a real warrior mentality,” he said at the media workouts for his fight with Condit. “I don't act friends with anyone I am going to fight. That's crazy, I don’t understand that. Some people aren’t mature enough to understand I don’t want to put on an act for the cameras. I’m real. I’m acting natural, I don’t want to be friends around a guy I am about to fight.”

You could chalk up such comments to Diaz being a hard man in a hard sport, and his mean mugs, and trash talking and taunting during fights do little to dispel that image. But we may not be seeing the full picture of the enigmatic welterweight.

“I don’t know how I come off, but I don’t like to hurt people, first off,” he said last year. “You get these guys like ‘I’m going through a lot and I’m real pissed off and I’m ready to fight and I just want to hurt somebody.’ I don’t say that and I don’t feel that. I don’t want to hurt anybody; I don’t want anybody to be hurt. I want to win, I want to come out on top, and I want to be in an exciting fight because I worked hard, but I don’t necessarily want anyone to hurt. That’s what I don’t like about fighting. I like the competition, I love it, but I don’t love fighting for money, because it hurts people.”

It may be why Diaz has been fairly reclusive when it comes to the media, and why he wants to keep his day job and his personal life as two separate entities.

“I’m trying to separate life and MMA fighting because they’re really two different things for me and that’s kinda rough for me to deal with and it’s probably been my biggest problem, more than the fights,” he said. “It’s my challenge to separate the two.”

So when he falls short of succeeding in that challenge, he’s left with two things – training and fighting. And with 11 consecutive wins constituting an unbeaten streak that has lasted nearly four years, it’s obviously something that has worked for him professionally. Personally? That may be another tale to tell.

“I don’t have any life, I don’t have anything else going on,” he said. “All these other people are like ‘oh, I have a wife and kids now.’ I don’t have any of that. I screwed all that potential stuff I had going for that up way back when I was too busy training to fight and acting crazy to train. Now I don’t really like the idea of changing what’s been working for me right now. So as long as I’m fighting, I don’t see things changing for me.”

Especially not with an interim title shot and the prospect of fighting current champion Georges St-Pierre right at his doorstep. But first he has to get by Condit, an equally hungry contender who has earned Diaz’ respect.

“He’s the next guy I need to prove myself against,” said Diaz. “We are both top level and we win by doing damage, not by trying to score points. He has a realistic fighting style like I do. Carlos is a very well rounded guy. He’s tough and it will be a fight.”

If Diaz emerges victorious on Saturday night, he will once again be the center of attention, something that has seemingly plagued him for years, but never more than when he missed two press conferences for a proposed fight with St-Pierre last year and saw the fight scrapped. He was eventually brought back into the fold for his UFC 137 bout with Penn, which he won via unanimous decision, and is now slated for Saturday’s matchup with Condit, which was originally going to be the GSP fight until the champion injured his knee and was sent to the sidelines. But during all of this, Diaz became mixed martial arts’ anti-hero, the most interesting man in the world not appearing in beer commercials.

It’s everything that he didn’t want, but with another stellar performance, the focus will be on his fighting and not everything else that he’s already put to the side to focus on his craft. On Saturday night, he could make his case for being the best welterweight in the MMA world, something that will only be proven as fact should he beat Condit AND St-Pierre. But he already has an endorsement from boxing’s best at 168 pounds, super middleweight champ Andre Ward.

“I've worked (sparred) with Nick and his brother Nate in the past,” said Ward, who was recently named 2011 Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association of America. “Both are extremely good boxers, and have a great feel for standup boxing. Nick specifically, is left handed, tough as nails and physically strong. That's why we work with him. I like Nick Diaz in an Octagon against anyone. I also feel he could compete in a boxing ring, if he so chooses.”

That’s the kind of respect Diaz wants. He’s not interested in photo shoots, autograph signings, or the bright lights. This is a fight. And if everyone else hasn’t figured that out yet, that’s not his problem.

“This isn't soccer, it’s fighting,” he said. “I've got no problem that this is a sporting event and being respectful, but it is a fight. It is what it is. It matters how I am seen by fans; sometimes I care, sometimes I don't, but when I think about it, I try to be real.”







 

UFC 143, which is headlined by the interim UFC welterweight championship bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit and the heavyweight bout between Roy Nelson and Fabricio Werdum, airs live on Pay-Per-View from the Mandalay Bay Events Center at 10pm ET / 7pm PT. Fans can also tune in to FX for four televised prelims at 8pm ET / 5pm PT, and those who “like” the UFC on Facebook can see two additional prelim bouts at 7:00 pm ET / 4:00 pm PT.

MAIN EVENT – Interim UFC Welterweight Championship
Carlos Condit (169) VS Nick Diaz (169)

PPV
Fabricio Werdum (246) VS Roy Nelson (246)
Mike Pierce (170) VS Josh Koscheck (170)
Scott Jorgensen (135) vs Renan Barao (136)
Clifford Starks (185) VS Ed Herman (185)

FX PRELIMS
Max Holloway (144) VS Dustin Poirier (146)
Edwin Figueroa (135) vs Alex Caceres (136)
Chris Cope (171) VS Matt Brown (171)
Henry Martinez (169) VS Matt Riddle (170)

ONLINE FIGHTS
Michael Kuiper (183) VS Rafael Natal (186)
Stephen Thompson (171) VS Dan Stittgen (170)

It's been a good week for The Downes Side: I went 5-0 with my FOX picks bringing me to 9 wins in a row. My Chicago homecoming went off almost flawlessly (save a lowlight in which an entire family of four flipped me off on my way to the arena). That's my biggest victory streak since I won the Vocabulary Bee in Mrs. Florian’s 6th grade classroom 11 weeks in a row.

I’ll get another shot at glory this week as the UFC rolls into Las Vegas' Mandalay Bay for UFC 143. The main event is my fellow wordsmith Nick Diaz facing Carlos Condit for the interim welterweight title.

Ed Herman vs Clifford Starks
Ed "Short Fuse" Herman has looked great coming off a nearly two-year layoff from a knee injury with quick wins over Tim Credeur and Kyle Noke. Clifford Starks is another example of the old adage, “Only two things come from Arizona State: drunk college girls and UFC wrestlers.” He made his debut last October with a weigh-in wardrobe malfunction followed by a decision win.

Prediction: Starks is a great wrestler, but Herman's superior striking and submission games will be too much for him. Starks has the potential to grind out a decision, but I’m sticking with the ginger. When you don’t have a soul, you have nothing to lose, and Herman takes this middleweight melee by 2nd round TKO.

Renan Barao vs Scott Jorgenson
Next we have Renan Barao pitted against Scotty “Young Guns” Jorgensen to determine who'll be at the top of the bantamweight heap in the post-Cruz/Faber 3 universe. Jorgensen is searching for another shot while Barao wants to increase his unbeaten streak to 30 straight (showoff).

Prediction: This is my favorite for Fight of the Night. While Barao has the speed advantage, Young Guns’ strength and wrestling can neutralize that. Expect a wild back-and-forth fight with Jorgensen’s grappling taking over as the fight progresses. Scotty will get his takedowns, ground and pound and put on the second best show of the weekend (the first obviously being Puppy Bowl VIII).

Josh Koscheck vs Mike Pierce
In the main card's first welterweight war, irrepressible instigator Josh Koscheck faces off against Mike Pierce, who got the fight by publicly calling out Kos. Both fighters are coming off recent wins and have solid wrestling backgrounds. Koscheck is looking to get back into the welterweight title talk while Pierce gets a taste of the spotlight with a high-profile opponent.

Prediction: Despite being a former Division I wrestler, Pierce has struggled against other wrestlers whose first names start with J (see his fights against Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks). Pierce has never been stopped, but that streak ends tonight. Koscheck will go for the takedown immediately, get position and go HAM. He’ll look great, then ruin all the goodwill he earned with a solid black-hat performance in the post-fight interview. Koscheck wins via first-round TKO

Roy Nelson vs Fabricio Werdum
After his Strikeforce sojourn, Fedor-beater Fabricio Werdum returns to the UFC with a heavyweight showdown against Roy “Big Country” Nelson. As for Nelson, after two disappointing losses to Junior Dos Santos and Frank Mir that made Big Country reexamine his lovable pudginess, he rebounded with a win against Mirko Cro Cop.

Prediction: Big Country may not be as fat and lovable as he used to, but losing weight hasn’t slowed down Seth Rogen’s career and it won’t hurt our favorite mulleted heavyweight, either. Werdum wants this fight to go to the ground, but Roy has the striking ability to keep him on the outside. Big Country keeps the distance and nickel-and-dimes Werdum to a decision win.

Nick Diaz vs Carlos Condit
The main event features everyone’s favorite anti-social fighter against a guy who's surprisingly mild-mannered for being a “Natural Born Killer.” Full disclosure: Nick Diaz is a friend of mine. And by friend, I mean that I once saw him in a Whole Foods in Las Vegas and talked to him for five minutes. But he didn’t call me a punk-ass bitch and we both use the same salad dressing so it’s clear that we’re very much alike.

Prediction: Condit has the wrestling advantage, but I imagine these two will stand toe to toe with one another. Condit says that he plans on testing Diaz’ chin, and that’s usually a recipe for disaster (see Diaz vs. Daley, Diaz vs. Lawler, etc). The 209 will outwork the NBK - Diaz wins the decision after five rounds and becomes the number-one source of pride for Stockton. Take that, Asparagus Festival!

Sadly, that brings an end to this edition of the Downes Side. If you can’t get enough of me, follow me on Twitter @dannyboydownes and add some comments and I’ll respond. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go place my bets for the game. For what it’s worth, my money is on Leroy Brown.

Saturday night can’t get here soon enough for Carlos Condit.

After spending the final four months of 2011 in what felt like a constant state of limbo, the 27-year-old will finally get to switch from hitting mitts with coach Mike Winkeljohn to putting his considerable talents to work in the cage. In a fitting twist of fate, Condit will get to take out the frustrations he’s endured against the man who has been at the root of many of them.

Rewind to September: Condit was slated to face UFC legend BJ. Penn in the co-main event of UFC 137, a bout that would be followed by Diaz challenging Georges St-Pierre for the welterweight title.

But when Diaz missed a string of media obligations, UFC President Dana White made a change, demoting Diaz from the main event, and elevating Condit. The man known as “The Natural Born Killer” broke down in tears on the phone when White told him the news.

Just 11 days before he was set to fight for the UFC welterweight title, Condit’s dream was put on hold. St-Pierre tweaked his knee in training; their bout was rescheduled for UFC 143, the annual Super Bowl weekend show. Diaz and Penn headlined UFC 137 instead, with Condit assured the outcome of the main event would not have an impact on his upcoming title fight.

On October 29, Diaz battered Penn before throwing down the gauntlet for GSP, questioning the legitimacy of his injury, trying to talk his way back into the fight he lost a month early. By the time White took the podium for the post-fight press conference, Condit’s fight calendar needed adjusting once again.

“There’s been a lot of ups and downs; a lot of excitement and disappointment,” admitted the former WEC welterweight champion. “It’s been crazy, as anybody looking from the outside can imagine. I think I’ve done a pretty good job of focusing on what I need to do — which is train and be prepared for whoever I end up fighting — and this time it ended up being Diaz.”

After shuffling places twice in the last six months, Condit and Diaz will now pair off, a torn ACL sending St-Pierre to the sidelines and the surgical table. With the date of his return to the cage uncertain, the top two welterweight contenders will battle for an interim version of the 170-pound championship on Saturday night.

It’s a fight that has been a long time coming for the 27-5 native of Albuquerque, New Mexico.

“I’m stoked to be done with camp. I’m stoked to be finally stepping out there to do what I’ve been training to do for the last six months: to go out there and fight, compete to the best of my abilities.”

While Diaz began his second stint in the UFC with much fanfare and an immediate shot at the welterweight title, Condit has quietly been working his way up the 170-pound ranks.

The last welterweight champion in WEC history, he lost a razor-thin decision to Martin Kampmann in his debut, coming out on the right side of the verdict against Jake Ellenberger in his second Octagon appearance. A come-from-behind victory over Rory MacDonald at UFC 115 caused people to start taking notice, and a first-round knockout of Dan Hardy in his own backyard announced Condit as a potential contender, though he remained behind some of the more established names in the company.

“It’s hard to get out from under the shadow of these guys like (Jon) Fitch, and (Josh) Koscheck, and maybe even Thiago Alves — guys that have been in the division for years and years and years, and all had great wins.”

But now is Condit’s turn in the spotlight.

His savage first round destruction of Dong Hyun Kim was his fourth consecutive victory, the second straight bout that he’s earned Knockout of the Night honors, and the third consecutive contest to produce a post-fight bonus. Though it looked like the gods were against him, Condit’s patience and perseverance has been rewarded, and he’s ready to make the most of it.

“This is a fight I’ve wanted for a really long time, and the fact that it’s happening now, after all this turmoil and craziness with the change of opponents and everything, it really couldn’t have worked out better.

“I think that styles make fights, and I think that this style match-up is going to be extremely exciting. It’s a very tough fight; Nick’s one of the best in the welterweight division. I think there are some guys stylistically that could probably beat him, but I think the matchup between us — we’re very evenly matched. We have similar skill sets, maybe a little bit different approach — different style — but it’s exciting.”

The 28-year-old Diaz is on an 11-fight winning streak that includes nine stoppages, with victories over the likes of Frank Shamrock, KJ Noons, Paul Daley, and Penn. An enigma outside of the cage, Diaz is all business when the lights go up and the fight begins, blending tremendous boxing with a slick submission game.

He’s also adept at shaking his opponents with a barrage of pre-fight banter, an ability and instinctual talent he’s passed on to his younger brother Nathan as well. Condit is prepared for it all — the boxing, the jiu-jitsu, and the verbal jabs.

“Nick likes to get in your head, talk a lot of trash, so I need to stay composed, and step in with the attitude that I always do; just be about my business, and not get sucked into all that other stuff. I just have to fight my fight. No matter what an opponent says or how much trash they talk, I get the opportunity to go in there and beat him down. I can just hold my tongue and let it build, and as soon as the cage door closes, it’s game time.”

Condit knows he’s in for a battle, but he’s ready, and confident that if he sticks to the game plan, he’ll emerge from Saturday’s headliner as the interim UFC welterweight champion.

“Nick is probably the toughest guy I’ve ever fought. He’s an endurance athlete — he puts tons and tons of pressure on guys — and he’s got some really good skills with his hands; his jiu-jitsu’s great.

“But I just really need to fight my fight. If I do that, I feel like I’m going to walk away with the belt.”

The UFC flyweight division continues to take shape as Louis Gaudinot returns to his true weight class after his stint on last season's Ultimate Fighter. He'll next face John Lineker, who will enter the UFC riding a 13-fight win streak. Both fighters have verbally agreed to the matchup at UFC on FOX in May.

Heavyweights Barry vs. Johnson to Collide on FOX updated February 1
Get ready for heavyweight fireworks as verbal agreements are in for a showdown between knockout artists Lavar "Big" Johnson and Pat "HD" Barry on the main card of FOX's third event this May 5 in New Jersey.

Plus, Karlos Vemola has verbally agreed to drop down to middleweight to face New Jersey’s own Mike "The Master of Disaster" Massenzio.

UFC officials also confirmed that the lightweight bout between Nate Diaz and Jim Miller that night will be the main event and will be scheduled for five rounds.

Superman vs. the Boogeyman in New Jersey in May updated January 30
A second lightweight scrap has been added to the UFC on FOX </a>fight card recently announced for May 5 in East Rutherford, NJ. Lightweights Dennis "Superman" Hallman and TUF 13 winner Tony "El Cucuy" (which translates to "The Boogeyman") Ferguson have verbally agreed to the matchup.

Ferguson is coming off a December 3rd decision win after a thrilling three-round fight with fellow stand-up ace Yves Edwards; Hallman scored a first-round blitz submission over John Makdessi a week later at UFC 140.

Third FOX Event to Feature Lightweight War updated January 24
East Rutherford, New Jersey could well be home to Fight of the Year this May 5 on FOX, as two of the best lightweights in the world collide to move closer to a title shot. New Jersey’s own Jim Miller, coming off of a Submission of the Night win over Melvin Guillard, will take on Nate Diaz, who is coming off a Fight of the Night-winning victory over Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone.

UFC president Dana White tweeted the news today, noting that both men are known bonus collectors. Miller has won a Fight of the Night award and three Submission of the Night awards; Diaz has won three Submission of the Night awards and five Fight of the Night awards.

Also at that event, verbal agreements are in for a meetup at 125 pounds between last season's Ultimate Fighter bantamweight winner, John Dodson, and Darren Uyenoyama. Both men are moving down from 135 pounds to do battle in the UFC's newest division, flyweight.

UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit
Nick Diaz Works Out With His Brother Nate At UFC 143 http://fb.me/1jUgmzb1x (@DiazBrothers209)  -Diaz Brothers

Just picked up my crackin new custom suit from @D2Kill in downtown ABQ http://pic.twitter.com/wKEl223D (@CarlosCondit)  -Carlos Condit

I'm in Las Vegas for @UFC 143! So who do you think takes it: Condit or Diaz? (@GeorgesStPierre)  -Georges St-Pierre

PR week almost over, and the fight actual starts tomorrow. Thanks for the supports. (@roynelsonmma)  -Roy Nelson

All I have 2 say! Enjoy the show. Feb 4 PPV don't miss it #ufc http://instagr.am/p/mbndo/ (@JoshKoscheck)  -Josh Koscheck

KOS, I agree with you. You should start looking to beef up you're resume now. These guys can help: resumesplanet.com (@MikePierce170)  -Mike Pierce

Almost game time! (@cliffordstarks1)  -Clifford Starks

Make sure to Catch me on UFC 143 Prelims by watching it on Facebook! It's FREE and in the comfort of your own house...Time to Conquer (@dantheanvil)  -Dan Stittgen

I find myself relating to Diaz after watching the Primetime special. (@KCBanditMMA)  -Jason High

That was a quick trip to LA, always get a bunch done here. Headed 2 Vegas @DiazBrothers209 & @CarlosCondit is gonna b epic! 2 bad dudes! (@UrijahFaber)  -Urijah Faber

Look What You Started, Pat Barry!
@DustinPoirier hitting a PLANK on our way to cut weight at the Palms!! Rep ping that UFC Brand! #ufc143 http://pic.twitter.com/wb5KBGS2  (@TimCredeur)  -Crazy Tim Credeur

WWW.SkypeAMonkey.com
I wish monkeys could Skype.... ... Maybe one day :-/  (@J_Brookins)  -Jonathan Brookins

Right!
so this guy tells @badboygarcia and I that he fought. I asked "how'd you do?" the guy said "medium, but I felt dirty afterward" ? Wtf right (@DUANEBANGCOM)  -Duane Ludwig

WEC Never Forget
We keep it #WECVintage over here, both tryin to do big thingsRT @Sholler_UFC: @jamievarner @SMOOTHone155 little WEC reunion over there?Nice!  (@SMOOTHone155)  -Benson Henderson

Gladiator Man Never Forget
Looking forward to seeing the new @ufc intro everyone is talking about!!! #RIPgladiatorman (@JoeB135)  -Joseph Benavidez

Smile. It Makes People Wonder What You’re Up To
:)   (@LouGaudinotUFC)  -Louis Gaudinot

:)   (@DanaWhite)   -Dana White

Prank the Frank
Frankie Edgar gets PRANKED! http://bit.ly/xF1pfT @FrankieEdgar @Almeidabjj @mmanytt @AliDominance @RenzoGracieBJJ @ufc (@AkiraCorassani)  -Akira Corassani

Ear-y Tweets
I never seen cauliflower ear on a girl..@rondarousey What do u guys think hot or not? http://pic.twitter.com/XVGFJe79 (@SugaRashadEvans)  -Rashad Evans

@SugaRashadEvans thanks, it was nice meeting you ... Despite you making fun of my ears ;)  (@RondaRousey)  -Ronda Rousey

Whenever someone starts to tell me something I always say "I'm all ears" even though I'm technically only 40% ears (@ForrestGriffin)   -Forrest Griffin

Stylish Outcasts at the Dogpark
Being anti social at the dog park ... We are the kids in the corner smoking cigarets http://pic.twitter.com/KGfhxUAT  (@Unclecreepymma)  -Ian McCall

You’re Not Alone, Bro.
So I think @UFC_Undisputed 3 is gonna be my date for Valentines Day #imaNerd @ufc (@CubSwanson)  -Cub Swanson

Showtime Fired Up
Can't sleep after watching UFC fights!!! Can't wait for Japan.... #fb (@Showtimepettis)  -Anthony Pettis

Can’t Keep a Good Mexicutioner Down!
Well when you fight the way I do stuff like that can happen. Props to @lavarjohnson for the win. Not sure what's next for me but I'll be ok. (@mexicutioner760)  -Joey Beltran

You had to hear it to believe it, and even then it was shocking. Hundreds, maybe thousands of British fans were firing back at American Chris Cope with the “Woooo” yell that has become his trademark (via pro wrestling legend Ric Flair) as he walked to the Octagon to face home country favorite Che Mills at UFC 138 last November. It was one of those moments that only sports can provide, and The Ultimate Fighter 13’s Cope has an idea why fans from another continent were buying in to what he represented.

“Here’s the thing, and I’m not trying to sound cocky or arrogant, but I’m kinda like a Rudy, and how can you not like the underdog?” said Cope, referring to Rudy Ruettiger, the walk-on for the Notre Dame football team whose story was immortalized in the film “Rudy.” “Forrest Griffin is never gonna be known as a spectacular, crazy fighter, but that guy provides the average Joe with hope because he’s a guy who came from grass roots, he worked hard and trained hard and now he’s in the UFC and he’s one of the poster boys.”

Already 1-0 in the UFC with an impressive win over TUF13 castmate Chuck O’Neil in June of last year, Cope was in the process of building his own success story until a crushing knee sent him to the canvas and kicked off a sequence that saw him stopped in 40 seconds by Mills. Yet as he walked back out into the LG Arena to watch the rest of the event, once again he was stunned by what happened.

“I got laid out in that fight,” he said. “I got caught with a knee 40 seconds in, and I was embarrassed as hell. I knew I was going up against a really good fighter and I knew that things could happen even though I’ve never been caught like that before. It is what it is, and it happened. But I remember going back to the locker room and then coming back out to sit down, and they all wanted autographs. They all wanted pictures. I’m like ‘guys, I lost; I got caught in there, why do you want my autograph?’ They said ‘We don’t care. We love you, you’re great.’ That made me feel good because it made me really feel like it doesn’t matter whether I win or lose because these people have got my back. I call it the Woo Nation. I do it, they do it, and when I fight, I’m not just fighting by myself. They’re in there fighting with me.”

This Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, odds are that the Woo Nation will be out in force again to back their man when he faces Matt Brown in one of those fights that promises action.

“I think he’s a very tough guy, he comes out to fight very hard right off the bat, he’s got very good striking, underrated submissions off his back, and he’s a gamer,” said Cope of Brown. “He comes to fight, and he’s always very dangerous. I’m a fan of his and I’ve got nothing but respect for him.”

There’s also plenty on the line for both men. Cope, still relatively inexperienced with eight pro fights, is coming off the loss to Mills, which puts him at 1-1 in the Octagon. Brown is 1-4 in his last five, making a win imperative. But regardless of what’s at stake, Cope has never strayed from a path of work, work, work.

“I’m a grinder,” said Cope, who does paralegal work at a Southern California law firm in addition to his fighting career. “I wake up at six in the morning, I’m at work by seven. My lunch break is training, I train and then I go back to work, I leave at four. And then I basically go to pro practice from 4:15 to 5:30, then I work another hour with a trainer from 5:30 to 6:30, then either run or do strength and conditioning after that. I don’t know what it is about me, but if you’re gonna build a wall of success, you build it one brick at a time. And all those practices add up.”

For him, that’s the key, just being consistent and working harder than the next guy.

“People saw me on The Ultimate Fighter, and they didn’t think I was that good,” he said. “And you might be better than me, you might be faster than me, and you might be more athletically gifted than me, but when you’re missing sessions, I’m not. I’m in the gym, and come hell or high water, I’m getting those three goals.”

Three goals?

“I’ve got three goals in this thing, and once I do those, I’m done. One of them is to fight for the UFC, and I’ve done that. The second is to fight in Japan. The third one is to win a belt, and if I can do it in the UFC, that’s the number one dream come true. And once I get those three, I’m out.”

If Cope sounds like he’s got everything together at the age of 28, that would be an accurate assessment. But it wasn’t always that way for him.

“My dad used to be a narcotics cop, and when I was growing up, he always told me that he’d disown me if he ever caught me on drugs, and the whole time I was growing up, when kids were getting involved with weed and ecstasy, and after graduation, cocaine, I never messed around with it,” he said. “Alcohol was the one thing, and I’m like ‘it’s no big deal; it’s legal, I’m fine doing this.’ Well, lo and behold, in my opinion it’s one of the most destructive drugs out there. Almost every time there’s a murder, or an accident, or sometimes a fight, usually alcohol’s involved. It’s America’s drug.”

And Cope bought into it hook, line, and sinker, using alcohol as a means to fit in with the crowd his father warned him about.

“I thought I was the cool guy,” he said. “I graduated from UCSB (Cal-Santa Barbara) and Playboy rated it like the number two or three party school in the country. And the college parties I threw were out of a movie. I thought I was awesome and the coolest party guy ever.”

But after getting picked up by the police on three misdemeanors (vandalism, public intoxication, and resisting arrest), Cope began to see that he was headed in the wrong direction.

“For the first time in my life, I saw myself on the other end of the legal system, and I didn’t like that at all,” he said, “But I still kept drinking for a couple years.”  

All the while, his pro MMA career was taking off, and when he got called to Las Vegas to be interviewed by producers for season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2010, it was party time for the 4-1 Cope.

“I was faded, and that was 11 in the morning the next day,” he recalled. But when he got home to San Diego, he took a good, hard look at himself and didn’t like what he saw.

“I was embarrassed about myself,” he said. “I said enough’s enough. I’m done. I quit. And that was December 8th, 2010.”

More than 13 months later, he’s still sober.
 
“I used to call myself an alcoholic and I don’t call myself that anymore,” he said. “I just say that I’m a person that doesn’t really have a kill switch. It doesn’t define who I am, it’s just an aspect of my life, and I just keep going.  It (alcohol) didn’t add anything to my life. It really alienated people from me, it caused me to blow a lot of my money, and I would guarantee that if I was drinking on that Ultimate Fighter show and got drunk on there, I wouldn’t be in the position that I’m in now. Life couldn’t be better now and I’m glad I did it.”

If that’s not a reason to become a full-fledged member of Woo Nation, I don’t know what is. And if you’re looking to count someone out of a fight, Chris Cope is probably not that guy, because no matter what the final result is, he’s already won.

“You can play in small in life, or you can play big, but to play big, you’ve got to get on the field,” he said. “And when you get on the field, you might win or lose, but you still got on the field and played ball.”


 

As a student of the martial arts since he was three years old, it’s safe to say that Stephen Thompson and his four siblings were born to throw punches and kicks under the tutelage of their father Ray. Not that it was a choice for the Thompson kids.

In fact, in what may be the oddest analogy ever, like the Amish, you did what you were told and followed the rules of the road until you reached a certain age where you would decide whether to continue with life the way it was, or break free.

Stephen rebelled a little early, around the age of 10.
 
“Growing up, there was a point there when I hated karate just because I had to do it,” he said. “Living in a family of martial artists, it was something that was required until we got to a certain age. And until I saw the benefits that martial arts have given me and other people, I really started to love it. One day it was like a light bulb clicked in my head and I understood what I was doing and what my dad was doing for us.”

So when his “Rumspringa” day, so to speak, came, he wasn’t about to walk away. He was going to be a lifer, as were his two brothers and two sisters.

It didn’t hurt that he was one of the best in the world at the craft chosen for him. When everything was tallied up, Simpsonville, South Carolina’s Thompson was a combined (pro and amateur) 56-0 with 39 KOs as a kickboxer, a staggering record that put him in rarefied air in that neighborhood of combat sports.

But being the best wasn’t enough, and so Thompson decided that he wanted to take a stab at another combat sport, mixed martial arts. It was a risky move, but “Wonderboy” believes that to be considered the best fighter in the world, you need to excel at all areas of fighting.

“I just wanted to do something new, something different,” he said. “My goal was to be the best fighter. And kickboxing wasn’t as popular, and in order to be the best fighter, I was gonna have to switch to MMA. I’ve been doing this my whole life, since I was three, and it’s my life – it’s a lifestyle. I eat, sleep and breathe it, and I love it.”

Turning pro in 2010, Thompson quickly compiled a 5-0 record on the local circuit, and after Mike Stumpf fell injured and was forced from this Saturday’s UFC 143 card against Justin Edwards, the 28-year old got the call to step in. Edwards would later be pulled as well due to injury, with Thompson now facing Dan Stittgen in Las Vegas. If it sounds like a whirlwind, it has been, but with years of competition behind him, adjusting shouldn’t be a problem for Thompson. What may be odd is being considered the rookie after years of being the toughest kid on the playground. But the grounded former kickboxer is embracing that part of this new journey.

“I’m usually not the type of person that boasts about things, ‘yeah, I was a world champion kickboxer, blah, blah, blah,’” he said. “So I’m just going with the flow right now. Being at the top in another sport and then moving into MMA, you’re down at the bottom of the pool, and that’s what makes it interesting; that’s what makes it fun for me, to work my way back up. It’s a challenge, and that’s what I like.”

What will also be a challenge is dealing with the nuts and bolts difficulties of having a reputation like his. When you’re a guy who never lost a kickboxing match, odds are pretty strong that opponents’ first thought will be to shoot for the ankles as soon as the bell rings. It’s a fact of MMA life Thompson has accepted.

“It’s probably going to be like that until we get up to the higher level,” he said. “Even now, everyone I fought in MMA tried to take me down. And if I do get a guy that’s gonna strike with me, that’s a plus, but I know that just about every guy I’m gonna fight is gonna want to take me down. I’ve already got that set in my head, and we’ve been working on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu every day.”

To that end, he’s got some pretty good help from his brother-in-law, who just happens to be the renowned jiu-jitsu practitioner Carlos Machado. And Thompson is more than used to getting a dose of tough love on the mat from Machado and some of his top students.

“I’m used to my brother-in-law and some of his upper belts just schooling me on the ground,” he said. “But that’s the way you learn, and that’s what I did when I first started striking.”

And even though he’s dialed back his striking in order to work his ground game and takedown defense, it’s a necessary process for him if he wants to avoid being dumped to the mat by his opponents.

“I’m not doing my striking as much, though I fill in just to make sure everything stays sharp,” he said. “I’ve been doing wrestling and jiu-jitsu for years, but just mainly focusing on that because I know those guys want to get me on the ground. This is a big stage for me. The UFC is top-notch, and the guys that I’m fighting are gonna be on their game everywhere. So I’ve just got to make sure that my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu’s there, so I’m definitely working on that more than my striking. And actually, I like my wrestling better than my jiu-jitsu. Obviously I want to keep it on my feet, I want to keep it standing, and I’m working on my jiu-jitsu every day too, but I love my wrestling because that’s what keeps me able to keep it standing. These guys are shooting for my legs, and my wrestling defense is what’s gonna keep me on my feet so I can knock these guys out.”

That’s really what everyone wants to see from Thompson, and should he find a welterweight willing to stand with him, it will certainly produce fireworks. But if not, that’s okay, because this isn’t a lark for him; it’s been his life, and in a way, it’s all been for this – to perform on the biggest stage in combat sports and show what his father Ray taught him.

“I’ve been doing this since I was three years old, and I would say that everything that I’ve done in the past has been leading me up to this,” he said. “My dad knew what he was doing when he was younger and had me starting my full contact training when I was 12. Even though my striking was what I was focusing on at an earlier age, I still was doing my wrestling, and I still was doing my jiu-jitsu, because that’s what Kempo is all about.”

As former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida would say, “Karate’s back.”
 

If your last impression of Fabricio Werdum is seeing him knocked out by future UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos back in October of 2008, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do, and the Brazilian, who returns to the UFC this Saturday night to face off against Roy Nelson at UFC 143 in Las Vegas, will be the first to admit that he’s a changed man, in and out of the Octagon.

“Everything changed in my life,” said Werdum. “Now I'm with a stronger camp, I'm with my master (Rafael Cordeiro) and close to my family. That time was not a good time in my personal life, but now I'm 100% in every aspect.”

And that’s not just talk to explain away what, at the time, was a shocking defeat. Practically no one knew who dos Santos was when he made his UFC debut that night in Illinois, and Werdum, who was coming off back-to-back knockout wins over Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera, was widely considered to be one of the world’s elite heavyweights, But a single uppercut ended Werdum’s night at the 81 second mark of the first round, sending him out of the organization while propelling dos Santos up the ladder on the way to the title.

The loss easily could have signaled the start of a decline for the native of Porto Alegre, Brazil, but instead, he got back in the gym and began reinventing himself, eventually winding up in Southern California with former Chute Boxe guru Rafael Cordeiro. By 2009, Werdum had signed with the Strikeforce organization, debuting in August of that year with an 84 second submission win over Mike Kyle. Three months later he decisioned countryman Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, but it wasn’t until June of 2010 that he made the MMA world sit up and take notice again.

That night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Werdum needed just 69 seconds to hand the seemingly unstoppable Fedor Emelianenko his first loss in nearly a decade, and what many considered the first legitimate defeat of the Russian’s fabled career.

A June 2011 matchup with a man he defeated in 2006, Alistair Overeem, followed, and though he lost a unanimous decision to the current number one contender, he showed that he could stand with a former K-1 Grand Prix champion and even hold his own. It’s something the decorated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt is proud of.

“I'm training everyday with my master Rafael Cordeiro, a few months ago I got my black belt in Muay Thai, and I'm ready to strike the whole time if I need to.”

And though he was doing well in Strikeforce, Werdum always felt that there was unfinished business for him in the UFC, and he expected that one day, he would get a call back to the Octagon.

“That was one of my biggest motivations to train every day,” he said, and soon, his patience would pay off as he got re-signed to the promotion and tasked with facing Nelson this Saturday.

“Every fighter that is part of UFC is here for some reason,” said Werdum. “Roy Nelson is a good boxer and good grappler, but I'm ready for him and to prove my value in the Octagon. I'm very happy to be back, this is an opportunity that I was waiting for a long time and now I'm ready to take it.”

Frankly, the timing couldn’t be any better for “Vai Cavalo,” as a win over “Big Country” will likely shoot him straight into the title picture, where currently two familiar faces – dos Santos and Overeem – are preparing to battle it out for the belt later this year. So, any pick from the fighter who may know them better than most?
 
“For sure it will be a great fight for the fans,” said Werdum. “They are both top fighters and I'm excited to see both of them back in the Octagon in the near future.”

Okay, that didn’t work out. How about this: any preference for an opponent, should he get a title shot soon?

“No, I just will look for my title shot against anyone that will be in my way. This is a very good division, with so many good fighters, and I will look for my spotlight and my way for the title.”

Well, for what Werdum lacks in calling out opponents, he makes up in fighting skill, and at 34, the Brazilian veteran feels better than ever as he makes his welcome return.

“I'm feeling faster and stronger, with more skills and experience, and I’m ready to go. The fans should expect a great show, and for sure a new and very hungry Werdum, ready to put a show on for them.”

Josh Koscheck doesn’t seem to be the type for New Year’s resolutions, and while he doesn’t describe it as such, his mantra for 2012 definitely has that feel to it.

“My saying this year is that I can do anything for 15 minutes,” said the longtime welterweight contender. “15 minutes of life is a very short period of time, and I truly believe I can do anything for 15 minutes. When I’m old and looking back at this I’m gonna say ‘I was a crazy dude, getting in there and fighting somebody, what the hell was I thinking?’ (Laughs) But right now, I’m young, I still got a lot of fight left in me, and I think I’m in a good place in life. And when you feel like you’re in a good place in life, good things happen to you.”

Koscheck’s optimism is well-placed. This time last year, he was coming off a five round championship loss to Georges St-Pierre that left him with a broken orbital bone. But after healing up and knocking out UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes last September, he put himself right back into contention heading into this weekend’s bout against always tough Mike Pierce, a fighter who surprised many by calling Koscheck out for the fight. “Kos” wasn’t surprised though, claiming that making noise on Twitter was the only way Pierce would get a big fight, and grudgingly, he admits the Portland native isn’t bad at the trash talk game he’s mastered.

“He’s doing a good job, I guess, for a young lad,” smirked Koscheck. “I just want to fight, and obviously nobody in the weight class would step up, so I guess I gotta fight this guy and put him in his place.”

Fighting’s the fun part for Koscheck, one of the UFC’s most active competitors, with 19 Octagon bouts already under his belt. After Saturday night, he’ll be just six away from tying Tito Ortiz’ record for most UFC fights, a remarkable accomplishment in itself for the 34-year old, but not the one he’s truly after.

“The belt’s always the important thing,” he said. “That’s what I want, but hopefully they make the winner of the (Nick) Diaz-(Carlos) Condit fight fight one more time because Georges is gonna be out for quite a while. So hopefully I get a crack at that interim title and hopefully I’ll smack whoever has that belt around and then me and Georges can get a chance to fight again.”

After going 0-2 against GSP in their first two outings, a third bout seems to be a distant prospect for the Pennsylvania native, but hope is part of the motivation process in any sport, and it helps keep him moving forward. If it doesn’t happen, will Koscheck be trudging up to Montreal when he’s 75, still looking for redemption?

He laughs.

“The first time he outwrestled me, the second time he cracked me the eye with a jab and I couldn’t see for 25 minutes, and I tried to tough it out just to give the fans what they paid for and I tried to win the fight regardless,” said Koscheck. “So I definitely think we have some unfinished business, but I hope I’m not 75 and still taking my walker or wheelchair up to Canada to get Georges to fight. Who knows? Hopefully, we can just settle it when we’re 75 by playing cards or doing wheelchair races if I don’t get another opportunity with him.”

There is pressing business before that though, and plenty of intriguing matchups for Koscheck at 170 pounds, beginning with Pierce in Las Vegas. That’s enough for him to put his body through more weeks of suffering to get the payoff on fight night, especially after a 2011 campaign that saw him compete just once.
 
“It feels good to be back fighting,” he said. “It’s what I like to do and I enjoy getting in front of the people and putting on a show. It’s better to be fighting than it is to be training. The training aspect of it is dead awful. It seems like Groundhog Day every single day. I get up in the morning at 10:40, I eat my cup of oatmeal, red cup, white spoon, half a cup of oatmeal, put honey on it, get my protein shake, get my towel, put my stuff in my training bag and walk out the door and drive to training. I do my training for two hours, come home, get my eggs, get my chicken, take an hour nap, and right back to the training at seven o’clock. I come home after that, eat, and go to bed. The training aspect of it sucks, but I enjoy the fighting aspect way more and I can’t wait to get in there and fight.”

Yet despite that monotony, Koscheck hasn’t strayed from Northern California and his relationship with the AKA Fight Team, the squad that has been with him from the start.

“There’s that old saying, if it’s not broke, why fix it?” he said. “I’ve been pretty content where I’m at, and the only reason I’m still where I’m at is because of the training partners I have. I really believe that those guys are the guys that got me here, and if you have guys of the caliber that I have to train with every day, those are the guys that have been there and have made me as successful as I am.”

This is true, but when it comes down to it, Koscheck is the one that has to make that walk to the Octagon, something that he revels in while others get frozen under the bright lights. What separates him from the pack?

“I think a lot of it comes from my background and how I’ve grown up and what I expect from myself as a person,” he said. “I think I definitely like going out there and putting pressure on myself and competing at the highest level, and it’s one of the things I’ve said throughout my career – I’m fighting in front of millions of people; why would I want to go out there and get embarrassed, when you can go out there and put on a show and succeed? Obviously not every fight in my career has always went my way – I’ve lost some and I’ve won some. And the good thing is that I’ve won more than I’ve lost. (Laughs) So I’m in a good place in life and I’m in a position where I don’t need to fight. I fight because I like it and because I want to fight and because I still have a lot to prove. Financially, I can probably stop fighting and be fine with it and worry about my gyms, and my apartments, and about the rentals that I have, and stuff like that, and be cool and just scale back my lifestyle. But I live a certain lifestyle that I’ve become accustomed to, and I love to do, so why not fight? It’s an easy way to make a lot of money.”

Being content could equate to losing some of that hunger that got you to the top before though. Koscheck doesn’t believe that’s the case with him.

“Just being content doesn’t mean I don’t want more,” he said. “More money is always good, more wins are always good. At the end of the day, it’s all about being content, and putting yourself in a position to go out there and relax and have fun with it. If I’m not having fun in this sport, by God, I’m gonna be looking for a new job. This sport takes a lot of time and a lot of effort, and if I’m not having fun with it, why put yourself through the misery.”

Why indeed? But after the rigors of training, the endless interviews, and everything else, Koscheck has 15 minutes to punch Mike Pierce in the face. And like he said, he can do anything for 15 minutes.

“If I can’t beat Mike Pierce, I better consider finding a new career or just fighting for paychecks. I gotta put it on him and prove a point to this young guy and all the young guys that think they’re gonna call me out.”



 

Light heavyweights Thiago Silva and Brandon "The Truth" Vera have verbally agreed to wrap up some unfinished business this May in Fairfax, VA. "Their last fight ended up a no contest and both guys are out to prove that they are the better man," said UFC president Dana White.

Verbal agreements are also in for a middleweight matchup at that event between "Filthy" Tom Lawlor and Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald.

The bouts will take place at the just-announced third UFC on FX event, tentatively scheduled for May 15 in Fairfax, Virginia. More details including venue information and ticket on-sales will be announced in coming weeks.

The names are familiar to UFC fans: Cain Velasquez, Ryan Bader, Aaron Simpson, CB Dollaway. So it’s really no surprise that Clifford Starks is the latest Arizona State University wrestling alum to make it to the UFC.

Is it something in the water?

“I think it might be the barbecue,” laughed Starks, a teammate of Velasquez who, despite being the second to graduate (behind Simpson) from the aforementioned group, was the last to turn pro.

“I wasn’t really thinking about it (fighting) at the time,” said Starks, who earned his Kinesiology degree in 2005. “I got into personal training right when I finished wrestling, but I missed being competitive.”

And flag football on the weekend just wasn’t going to cut it, right?

“The funny thing is, that’s what I was doing,” he laughs. “But I always knew that I was gonna compete in something. What I was going to compete in I just didn’t know at the time.”

Eventually though, watching his former teammate and the rest of the ASU crew begin to make their mark in mixed martial arts piqued his interest.

“I started seeing them moving up and making names for themselves, and I was always staying in training shape,” he recalled. “I did a couple bodybuilding shows, but seeing the success that they had definitely made me consider giving it a try. It was a great step towards maintaining something that’s similar to what I already knew.”

In December of 2009, Starks dipped his toe in the MMA pool for the first time, submitting Chad Menneke in the second round. Now hooked on the sport, Tempe’s Starks continued fighting and winning, showing off that ASU pedigree that fans were beginning to get accustomed to from those wearing the maroon and gold.

“I really think it’s the mental toughness aspect and the workouts that we would go through,” said Starks when asked the biggest aspect of ASU training that he brings into MMA with him. “They would really work us to where nine out of 10 guys would be throwing up afterwards. So when you go through something like that, you just kinda think that fighting’s no big deal. It is, and it’s very intense, but to go through the things we went through makes the transition that much easier.”

That’s not to say his October 2011 call to the UFC was an expected one. 7-0 as a pro, Starks had just finished up a three round decision win over Artenas Young on October 15th when his phone rang on October 21st. Did he want to replace the injured Brad Tavares and fight Dustin Jacoby at UFC 137 in eight days?

Absolutely.

“You made it to the big show, let’s see what you’ve got,” thought Starks, who admits that the short notice call helped him stay focused on what was important – the fight – and not about the idea of making it to the big show.

“It made it a little bit easier mentally because you really didn’t have time to think about it. You just had to jump on the opportunity and go from there.”

On that fall night in Vegas, Starks took the opportunity and ran with it, winning a shutout three round decision over the previously unbeaten Jacoby to improve to 8-0, and he did so without showing off any first time UFC jitters. Unless he was hiding them well.

“I was hiding it a little bit (Laughs), but once you get into the Octagon and the ref asks if you’re ready to go, you’re into fight mode, and that probably comes from my wrestling background a little bit too. It (winning on short notice) built up my self-esteem in that area, knowing that I can take something like that and make a good situation out of it.”

His reward for the big win? A main card slot on this Saturday’s UFC 143 card against veteran Ed Herman. It’s a big step up in competition for the 30-year old, but that’s nothing he’s concerned about.

“I feel it’s something that I’m ready for and I trained for very diligently, and we’ll just see what happens from there when the bell rings,” said Starks. “He’s a competitor like myself, I see us having a really great fight, and let the best man win.”

Clifford Starks plans on making sure that best man is the one from Arizona State University.

“I’m just gonna go out there and give it my all, fight my gameplan, and then see who comes out on top,” he said. “The way I feel about it, win, lose, or draw, this is such a large opportunity for me that I think I’m gonna learn from this experience regardless. Obviously I want to come away with the victory, and then I’ll revamp my gameplan from there. I always want to improve, I always want to be the best.”

Renan Barao, the bantamweight contender from Nova Uniao who faces former title challenger Scott Jorgensen at UFC 143, has a strong opinion about things that are new to him. And we are not just talking about fights, as Barao has already shown that he can stand and bang or grapple with splendor and, in the process, deal with matters such as his international debut in the WEC back in 2010, his move to the UFC, and his most recent bout in his opponent’s backyard when he subbed local hero Brad "One Punch" Pickett in England.

For Barao, it’s all just a case of adaptation, training, and will that make these new ventures become second nature, not only in the sport, but in life too.

"I never felt that responsibility that people are used to putting on me," he says. "They say I am a Nova Uniao black belt, so I need to sub everybody to prove a point, but I don't see it this way. Guys forget that I have also been training boxing for so long, so my game is to finish the fights, not exclusively trying to take people down and work the ground game. Perhaps the two fights I had in the WEC and in my UFC debut cemented the mindset that I am a grappler, and because of it they got shocked when I was better at trading blows with a guy nicknamed ‘One Punch.’"

The performance against Pickett back in November at UFC 138 was really impressive, and Barao fought like he was competing in an empty arena as he ignored the audience's boos in order to put on an absolute showcase of his talent. In pre-fight comments, he said the British fans’ cheers wouldn't affect him, and he naturally adapted himself to the situation with ease.

Yet while he deals with the pressure of his sport with no problem, saying it’s all about adjustment, we can't say the same thing when the topic is his samba dancing. Before UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro in January, Barao, along with Junior dos Santos, Ronny Markes and Johnny Eduardo, made an appearance at Samba School to test their skills with the rhythm and proved that the first two men are much better fighters than dancers.

"I shocked everybody with my rhythm (or lack of it), did you see?” he laughs. "If it was forro (a traditional rhythm from the Northeast of Brazil), you would see my talent, but samba... You know, give me a couple of weeks to train and I'll adjust better (laughs)."

All kidding aside, the 25-year old Rio Grande do Norte native did do his homework in the last 60 days of preparation, and after getting an in-depth look at his adversary’s footage, Barao took the first step toward extending his superb unbeaten streak to 30. Once again he speaks about adapting, adding that there are a combination of factors needed for him to overcome Jorgensen this weekend.

"I don't agree with those who talk about not studying your opponent’s game; it's very important to be aware of what the tendencies of Jorgensen are. That is part of a great strategy to trap the opponent or to capitalize on the holes in his game." Barao said. "On the other hand, these two fights I had in WEC and two in UFC were kind of a maturation for me. I felt the vibration, I could let my game go, and I could see what happens when you have the crowd on your side and you can't impose your will – being the favorite becomes a heavy boulder on your shoulder. You know, I believe this was what happened to Pickett; all the responsibility was on him, and the moment my punches and knees started to connect, he saw that the crowd couldn’t help and that it was only me and him inside the cage."

Topping with Jorgensen, Barao (29-1 1 NC) might not been counting with the "Young Guns" using the public to discourage him.

In Jorgensen, Barao will be facing a fighter who is in the top five in the bantamweight division, and who has wrestling credentials linked to the punching power that separated Ken Stone from his senses at the TUF 13 Finale and neutralized Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard and former WEC featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran. These “Young Guns” are the real deal to combat the Brazilian’s game, but Barao hopes to fire back with his own arsenal.

"What I can tell you is that the fight will be huge,” said Barao. “We are finishers, we are agile and we want the gold. I want to show more of my game on the feet, where I have the reach advantage over my recent opponents, and I know that to have a long reach is not a guarantee that you will box better, but I know how to use it. I know what the fight's positive outcome can generate for me and the key factor is to not get your mind lost into it. Just impose your game."

This pivotal meeting will probably mark the rise of a contender for the winner of Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber III. And though the Brazilian is aware of this aftermath, the current moment is the more important goal now as he has only one responsibility.

"My unique and exclusive responsibility is to go forward in all my fights, try to control the opponent and show my game and my work. This is the goal I carry, and it isn't heavy when I step in the cage."

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® presents its seventh UFC Fan Expo® event on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. UFC® President Dana White made the announcement today during a press conference to promote UFC® 143, which takes place this Saturday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“We love giving UFC fans ultimate access to our sport and athletes,” UFC President Dana White said. “This July, we’re putting together our best UFC Fan Expo yet. We’re going to have dozens of our fighters in attendance to sign autographs and meet fans, and we’re going to have some of the world’s top vendors and exhibitors. This is an absolute can’t-miss event for UFC fans around the world!”

Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo® are on sale NOW at www.ufcfanexpo.com. Tickets for Friday, July 6 are priced at $40, while tickets for Saturday, July 7 are priced at $45. A two-day pass is also available and is priced at $60. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets now and save, as ticket pricing will increase at the door. VIP packages for the UFC Fan Expo® are also available at www.ufcfanexpo.com.

The UFC Fan Expo® in July will feature more than 300,000 gross square feet of activities for UFC fans, including meet and greets and autograph sessions with top UFC and STRIKEFORCE® fighters, Q&A sessions with top UFC personalities, as well as grappling tournaments and other special events. More than 150 exhibitors will also be on hand, giving fans the opportunity to purchase and experience some of the best sports and lifestyle products on the market today. This marks the third UFC Fan Expo® held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2009, with additional UFC Fan Expos being held in Boston, London, Toronto and Houston.

On top of all the great fan activities, the UFC Fan Expo® will be held in conjunction with a major UFC Pay-Per-View event scheduled for July 7 in Las Vegas. Information on the venue and fight card will be announced in the weeks to come.

For more information on UFC Fan Expo® and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC Fan Expo® newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Brian Bernstein, Sales Executive at 203-840-5474 or email bbernstein@ufcfanexpo.com. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

The squeaky wheel gets oiled. Mike Pierce knows that now, and he kinda likes the whole idea.

“It was kinda nice when you ask for something and you get it,” said Pierce, who took to Twitter in December to ask UFC President Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta for a February 4th matchup with Josh Koscheck. Well, he got his wish.

“It was great, I should have done it years ago.”

For Pierce, it’s been a long road to Las Vegas and the main card for Saturday’s bout with the former world title challenger. 5-2 in the Octagon, with his only losses coming via decision to Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks, the Portland native was that ‘middle of the road’ contender who had some spotty outings early in his UFC career but who was starting to hit his stride with his 2011 wins over Kenny Robertson and Paul Bradley.

“I’ve been with the company three years now, I hope I picked up something along the way,” he laughs. “But I think I’ve found my place and my niche and I’ve been developing a style that’s not only effective, but exciting to watch.”

Yet without a spectacular victory over a big name foe, he was probably stuck in the preliminary portion of the card until a long win streak would give him his shot. Or he could just take his chances and call out the biggest available name. So that’s what he did, choosing Koscheck as the object of his tweets.

“He (Koscheck) would give me a little more credibility, he’d put me in a good spot if I beat him, and the other thing is that he’s just one of those guys that I think the fans just don’t like, and they would really love to see someone kick the s**t out of him, and I want to be that guy.”

Pierce got the fight, but Koscheck hasn’t been his usual loquacious self this time around, something that surprises his opponent.

“He’s been unusually quiet this time around,” said Pierce. “I don’t know why he hasn’t been his normal Josh Koscheck self. A lot of people have been asking me ‘why do you think he’s like that.’ I don’t know, ask him. (Laughs) I just saw an opportunity there to fight one of the top guys, he’s been around a long time, he’s someone I wanted to fight, I asked for it, and I got it.”

It is a tough fight for Pierce on paper, but he’s had plenty of experience taking on wrestlers in his UFC stint thus far, with Fitch, Hendricks, Bradley, and Robertston all coming from Division I programs. So getting in there with a former D-I national champion in Koscheck isn’t an issue.

“I would love to do nothing but beat up on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guys and smash them all day long, but the guys that are at the top are typically the wrestlers,” said Pierce. “You can look division through division, and whether they’re wearing belts or not, a lot of the top guys have strong wrestling backgrounds. It’s just one of those inevitable things where you’re gonna fight a lot of wrestlers, so it comes with the sport.”

And Pierce is no wrestling neophyte, having briefly competed for Portland State University’s mat squad.

“It always gives a little extra incentive to try to one up someone in a fight where we both have strong wrestling backgrounds,” he admits. “Of course, he won a national title and he was an All-American four years in a row. I didn’t really stick with wrestling for as long as I could have. I got bored with it, and it was time for me to move on and do different things, and I chose a different path. Had I stayed with it, I’m sure I would have been an All-American at least once or twice, but I’m in the sport where I want to be now, and my background and titles that I did have or could have had don’t really mean anything to me, and neither do his.”

What Pierce will definitely be looking for is Koscheck’s right hand, a lethal weapon that has ended many nights for opponents, but also one that he believes is easily detected.

“He loves throwing that right hand,” he said. “The only problem is that you can see it coming from yesterday. (Laughs) But it always helps to have a little bit of luck. I had a wrestling coach ask me a question, what would you rather be, a consistent wrestler or a lucky wrestler. I said I’d love to be the consistent wrestler. He kinda laughed and said ‘I’d rather be a lucky wrestler, because the lucky wrestlers beat consistent wrestlers. And it’s the same thing in the fights. He (Koscheck) has got a skill set and it’s been working for him, but I don’t plan on being caught by an overhand right I see coming a mile away.”

And at 31, Pierce knows that the time is now if he wants to make a move on the ever elusive world title, so a win over Koscheck is imperative.

“I’m not getting any younger,” he said. “I’m in this sport to be the best and to have a title and that’s always been my goal at the end of the day. And if that’s what it takes, another fight or another two fights to get there, then so be it. I’m just gonna keep coming until I’m there.”

So who’s next on the call out list?

“I haven’t been putting any thought past Josh Koscheck,” he laughs. “I’ve been focusing primarily on him, and when it comes to that, I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with someone. Hopefully, I’ll get it again. It worked this time, maybe it will work again.”