Author: By Duane Finley

Dustin Ortiz came to the UFC with his sights set on making it to the top of the flyweight ladder. And while the 25-year-old is still a few victories away from reaching his goal, he’s certainly not wasting any time putting in the work it will take to get there.After three years of developing his skills and finding success on the smaller stages around the sport, the Franklin, Tennessee native finally received the call to compete inside the Octagon. While there is a unique amount of pressure that hangs over a fighter making their promotional debut with the UFC, Ortiz had the added element of doin … Read the Full Article Here

Every fighter who makes it to the UFC does so by traveling a path all their own. While there is no clear-cut or guaranteed road which leads to the doors of the Octagon, the evolution of the sport has brought light into places once uncertain and unknown. If an athlete puts in the work and finds success on smaller stages and regional scenes, there is a high probability the biggest opportunity in mixed martial arts will present itself in some form or fashion. Yet, for every competitor that finds a place on the UFC roster, there are hundreds who faded out along the way, making it crystal clear the … Read the Full Article Here

The UFC’s global push has opened the doors to the premier stage in mixed martial arts to numerous fighters from around the world. With each new country the Octagon touches down in, a handful of fighters from that region are selected to compete under the bright lights of the UFC banner. For those who get the opportunity, it is undoubtedly the biggest moment of their careers, and one Daniel Hooker is determined to make the most of.The Auckland native will be on the bill when the UFC makes its debut in his hometown for Fight Night: Te Huna vs. Marquardt on June 28. The passion for mixed martial a … Read the Full Article Here

Putting everything together on fight night is a difficult formula to master. Those who are able to parlay the hard work and sacrifice of preparation into performance under the bright lights typically go on to find massive success in the realm of combat sports, while those who fail to work the process quickly fade into irrelevancy. Talent is ultimately the most crucial factor in the equation, but experience is important as well.While Andy Enz is still in the early stages of his mixed martial arts career, he believes he’s been steadily putting the right type of experience under his tires along h … Read the Full Article Here

There is always something deeper when the ground work of construction has been experienced. Six years have passed since Andrei Arlovski last stood inside the Octagon, and on Saturday night at UFC 174, he will be returning to a place he had a hand in building. While stars like Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture are credited with taking the organization’s visibility and popularity to great heights in the mid-2000s, it was during that time “The Pit Bull” was laying the foundation for the future of a heavyweight division very much in need of repair.Where single-disciplined specialists like Mark Colem … Read the Full Article Here

The evolution of Sergio Pettis is in full swing.Where most athletes come to the Octagon at a later age and seek out success on the strength of an established attack, the 20-year-old Roufusport fighter is bucking trends at every turn. “The Phenom” is still developing his skill set and building upon the talents that already have him sitting as one of the hottest prospects in the fight game, and while he boasts a wide variety of weapons, the experience column is where the next phase of his growth will be measured.Despite finding success with smaller promotions, in order to blossom into the next g … Read the Full Article Here