Author: By Duane Finley

There is a noticeable resilience in Stipe Miocic.Whether it’s a natural quality that comes from his Midwestern roots or the majority of his life being in some form of athletics – or both – the heavyweight contender isn’t the fading type. The Cleveland representative is simply no stranger to hard work or having to earn every inch gained during his athletic career, and his persistence has produced successful results time and time again.“I don’t think people understand it because they don’t know what it’s like to go through it,” Miocic explained, descri … Read the Full Article Here

It only lasts a few moments, but watching Dustin Poirier’s eyes scan a room full of people reveals a lot about him. Two minutes into the future, the 26-year-old will lock in on the conversation at hand and begin breaking down the elements that have combined in his life to make him one of the most exciting rising talents under the UFC banner, but the space between, filled with Poirier sizing up and taking in the steady stream of faces milling in and out of the breakfast nook he’s sitting in, is nothing short of fascinating. The seemingly endless collective of passersby would hold … Read the Full Article Here

The lightweight division has been one of the most competitive collectives under the UFC banner for the better part of a decade. While there are no easy fights up and down the roster, the upper tier of the 155-pound fold is a veritable shark tank of dangerous finishers and elite-level talent who are all hunting for a shot at the lightweight crown.As is the case in any shoot ‘em up division, making ground of any sort is an achievement of sizable proportions, but when a fighter manages to work his way up the divisional hierarchy to reach a coveted top 10 ranking, that is something special … Read the Full Article Here

Just getting to the UFC is an accomplishment in and of itself, but staying there takes an entirely different sense of drive and determination. This is a reality Jonathan Wilson has understood since the first time he stepped into amateur competition, and every ounce of work he’s done leading up to his official Octagon debut this Saturday night in Nashville has been invested with longevity in mind.In Wilson’s mind, he’s been patiently waiting for his chance to show he belongs competing with the best fighters in the world under the UFC banner, and it’s a moment he’s … Read the Full Article Here

Derek Brunson has no shortage of confidence.The North Carolina-based middleweight has set his goals to become the best 185-pound fighter in the world, but he’s also very much tuned into the fact there is work to be done before that happens. Fortunately for the Jackson/Winkeljohn fighter, work ethic and determination are also things Brunson has in large supply.“I honestly believe I can beat every single middleweight in the UFC,” Brunson said. “I know that 100 percent, but knowing and doing are two different things. I live in North Carolina and MMA isn’t big here. … Read the Full Article Here

The tides of fortune swing quickly at the highest level of mixed martial arts. Fights can be won or lost in the blink of an eye, and goals that once seemed so far away can materialize in rapid-fire fashion or be pushed to a distance where they will never be achieved. Those conditions make the stakes high with every step taken, but that environment isn’t necessarily foreign to all who enter.Just north of one year ago, surging flyweight talent Ray Borg went from wondering if and when his chance to show and prove inside the Octagon would come, but three fights and back-to-back Performance … Read the Full Article Here