Author: By Duane Finley

Championship gold is the desired destination for every fighter. Where most are eager to get their opportunity in the quickest fashion possible, Chad Mendes has learned to take a measured approach. It is a position he’s stood in before and the former number one contender is intent to make sure the next time he steps into the Octagon with a title on the line that the results are going to be different.

It wasn’t all too long ago when the Team Alpha Male fighter took his shot at current champion Jose Aldo’s crown at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Mendes ultimately came out on the business end of that affair, but after suffering the first loss of his career, the 27-year-old returned to the gym determined to get back on track.

In his next bout against TUF alum Cody McKenzie at UFC 148, “Money” wasted no time getting down to business. Mendes needed only 31 seconds to claim the victory as he folded McKenzie with a brutal body shot to end the fight.  It was the type of performance Mendes needed to get under his belt and he was pleased with his work inside the Octagon.

“It’s always a great thing when you can get a quick finish,” Mendes said. “You go through a hard camp over eight weeks, grinding, and killing yourself to get ready. Then you go in there, beat the guy up, and get the quick finish. It’s a great feeling. I like Cody. He’s come in and trained with us in the past, and after the fight I invited him to come back out to train again. Getting the finish was an awesome feeling and it was a great fight for me.”

The victory over McKenzie kept Mendes hovering in the title picture, but with Aldo already committed to a scheduled bout, moving on to the next step made the most sense. That opportunity will come at UFC on FX 6 in Australia against highly-touted Brazilian prospect Hacran Dias. While the Nova Uniao product is yet to establish a name in the UFC, his past accomplishments and the stable of fighters he comes from are certainly factors on Mendes’s radar.

“I’m definitely not taking this guy lightly at all,” Mendes said. “He’s only had one fight in the UFC, and might not have a name here just yet, but I believe he’s tougher than some of the other guys I’ve faced. He is coming out of a great camp at Nova Uniao and our team (Alpha Male) hasn’t done too well against them. I think this is an opportunity for me to get in there and get a notch up on the scoreboard for us.

“I’m excited for it. I’ve been training hard and I feel great. Stylistically, he’s mostly a ground guy. He likes to take guys down using upper-body techniques and trips. Growing up I did a lot of Greco-Roman wrestling so I’m pretty comfortable with the upper-body stuff. I’m just excited to get in there.

On paper, the matchup between Mendes and Dias reads like a classic “wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu” matchup, but the California native is expecting much more when the action gets underway. While he doesn’t discount the fact his wrestling pedigree will come into play during the fight, Mendes wants to use every trip into the Octagon as an opportunity to broaden his skill set.

“I expect wrestling to be a key factor in this fight,” Mendes said. “I’ve been wrestling since I was five years old and I’m sure he’s been doing jiu-jitsu for just as long. It is completely different though. You get guys who are black belts in BJJ coming into the gym and they aren’t used to the grind American wrestling puts on them. The high pace, banging on the head, and having the weight on top of them – it really wears them down. It’s just something they are not used to. I’m looking to use my style, keep the pace high, and push the pressure. I’m going to be looking to break him.

“For me, the standup aspect of the fight game is something I’ve been working hard at. It is not just the technique, but getting comfortable using it inside the Octagon. With wrestling you are constantly bent forward in a wrestling stance and your body adapts to it in order to be strong in that position. Coming into MMA you are upright in boxing or Muay Thai stances and it is completely different. My biggest progression has been getting used to that and being comfortable letting my hands go inside the Octagon.”

“It’s just a natural instinct when you are a wrestler to take the guy down. Some times when the pace starts getting high it’s a natural instinct to shoot a blast double and put your opponent on his back. It’s definitely something you have to fight from time to time.”

The bout with Dias comes at a crucial time when all of the major players in the featherweight division are preparing for upcoming fights. In addition to the batch of contenders holding ground in the weight class’s upper tier, big name entries such as former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and longtime contender Clay Guida are certain to shake things up.

“Edgar and Guida are big names and before I ever started fighting, I watched both of those guys,” Mendes said. “It’s cool that some of the fighters are cutting down but I’m interested to see how both of them do. It’s kind of a big weight cut for both of them and that can affect your performance quite a bit. I’m going to be interested to see how they look at 145 pounds.”

While Mendes will be watching to see how the other contenders fare, his primary focus is the one directly in front of him. It is a step-by-step approach and Mendes is excited to mix it up with Dias.

“It’s going to be a high paced fight and I’m going to be looking to finish him,” Mendes said. “He’s a grappler. I’m a grappler. I’m sure there are going to be some sick scrambles, and it should be fun for the fans to watch. A win should put me in the mix for a title shot but I’m taking things one fight at a time right now.”

Championship gold is the desired destination for every fighter. Where most are eager to get their opportunity in the quickest fashion possible, Chad Mendes has learned to take a measured approach. It is a position he’s stood in before and the former number one contender is intent to make sure the next time he steps into the Octagon with a title on the line that the results are going to be different.

It wasn’t all too long ago when the Team Alpha Male fighter took his shot at current champion Jose Aldo’s crown at UFC 134 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Mendes ultimately came out on the business end of that affair, but after suffering the first loss of his career, the 27-year-old returned to the gym determined to get back on track.

In his next bout against TUF alum Cody McKenzie at UFC 148, “Money” wasted no time getting down to business. Mendes needed only 31 seconds to claim the victory as he folded McKenzie with a brutal body shot to end the fight.  It was the type of performance Mendes needed to get under his belt and he was pleased with his work inside the Octagon.

“It’s always a great thing when you can get a quick finish,” Mendes said. “You go through a hard camp over eight weeks, grinding, and killing yourself to get ready. Then you go in there, beat the guy up, and get the quick finish. It’s a great feeling. I like Cody. He’s come in and trained with us in the past, and after the fight I invited him to come back out to train again. Getting the finish was an awesome feeling and it was a great fight for me.”

The victory over McKenzie kept Mendes hovering in the title picture, but with Aldo already committed to a scheduled bout, moving on to the next step made the most sense. That opportunity will come at UFC on FX 6 in Australia against highly-touted Brazilian prospect Hacran Dias. While the Nova Uniao product is yet to establish a name in the UFC, his past accomplishments and the stable of fighters he comes from are certainly factors on Mendes’s radar.

“I’m definitely not taking this guy lightly at all,” Mendes said. “He’s only had one fight in the UFC, and might not have a name here just yet, but I believe he’s tougher than some of the other guys I’ve faced. He is coming out of a great camp at Nova Uniao and our team (Alpha Male) hasn’t done too well against them. I think this is an opportunity for me to get in there and get a notch up on the scoreboard for us.

“I’m excited for it. I’ve been training hard and I feel great. Stylistically, he’s mostly a ground guy. He likes to take guys down using upper-body techniques and trips. Growing up I did a lot of Greco-Roman wrestling so I’m pretty comfortable with the upper-body stuff. I’m just excited to get in there.

On paper, the matchup between Mendes and Dias reads like a classic “wrestling vs. jiu-jitsu” matchup, but the California native is expecting much more when the action gets underway. While he doesn’t discount the fact his wrestling pedigree will come into play during the fight, Mendes wants to use every trip into the Octagon as an opportunity to broaden his skill set.

“I expect wrestling to be a key factor in this fight,” Mendes said. “I’ve been wrestling since I was five years old and I’m sure he’s been doing jiu-jitsu for just as long. It is completely different though. You get guys who are black belts in BJJ coming into the gym and they aren’t used to the grind American wrestling puts on them. The high pace, banging on the head, and having the weight on top of them – it really wears them down. It’s just something they are not used to. I’m looking to use my style, keep the pace high, and push the pressure. I’m going to be looking to break him.

“For me, the standup aspect of the fight game is something I’ve been working hard at. It is not just the technique, but getting comfortable using it inside the Octagon. With wrestling you are constantly bent forward in a wrestling stance and your body adapts to it in order to be strong in that position. Coming into MMA you are upright in boxing or Muay Thai stances and it is completely different. My biggest progression has been getting used to that and being comfortable letting my hands go inside the Octagon.”

“It’s just a natural instinct when you are a wrestler to take the guy down. Some times when the pace starts getting high it’s a natural instinct to shoot a blast double and put your opponent on his back. It’s definitely something you have to fight from time to time.”

The bout with Dias comes at a crucial time when all of the major players in the featherweight division are preparing for upcoming fights. In addition to the batch of contenders holding ground in the weight class’s upper tier, big name entries such as former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and longtime contender Clay Guida are certain to shake things up.

“Edgar and Guida are big names and before I ever started fighting, I watched both of those guys,” Mendes said. “It’s cool that some of the fighters are cutting down but I’m interested to see how both of them do. It’s kind of a big weight cut for both of them and that can affect your performance quite a bit. I’m going to be interested to see how they look at 145 pounds.”

While Mendes will be watching to see how the other contenders fare, his primary focus is the one directly in front of him. It is a step-by-step approach and Mendes is excited to mix it up with Dias.

“It’s going to be a high paced fight and I’m going to be looking to finish him,” Mendes said. “He’s a grappler. I’m a grappler. I’m sure there are going to be some sick scrambles, and it should be fun for the fans to watch. A win should put me in the mix for a title shot but I’m taking things one fight at a time right now.”

Josh Koscheck has never hesitated to pursue something he wants, and when the former number one welterweight contender makes his return to the Octagon in 2013, he is coming back with a vengeance.

After being sidelined with a back injury for the final quarter of 2012, the 34-year-old has his sights set on making another run at the top of the division. For the past six years, Koscheck has been one of the organization’s elite 170-pound fighters, and it is a status he is eager to regain when he steps back into action. In order to jump start this process, it is going to take a high profile fight with a marquee opponent, and “Kos” believes a bout with former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz is the perfect solution. Never one to mince words, Koscheck shared his motivation for pursuing the matchup.

“That is a fight I’ll take all day long,” said Koscheck of the possibility of a clash with Diaz, who is still on a suspension handed down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission following his UFC 143 bout with Carlos Condit in February. “I feel like it’s a great matchup for me and I believe the fans are already on board to see that fight. It is a fight that makes sense and I think maybe Nick Diaz and I should settle it up to see who takes the spot behind the number one contender (Johny Hendricks). I feel it would be a great fight for the fans, with a great build-up, and Nick brings a lot to the table. He’s a good fighter. He’s tough. He has that tenacity where it’s ‘It’s me against the world and %$#$ you!’ I have the same attitude. I enjoy fighting people who have the same attitude because they are going to come in, never give up, and they are going to stand in front of you and fight. Nick Diaz will absolutely do that.”

In a potential matchup between the season one TUF alum and the Stockton “bad boy”, the UFC would have guaranteed fireworks. Both men carry brash personas which have set them apart from the status quo of fan-friendly competitors under the organization’s banner. And while Diaz fights have been typically painted in a “white hat” vs. “black hat” fashion, Koscheck promises it will be nothing of the sort if the two are allowed to throw down.

“It’s going to be bad guy versus bad guy,” Koscheck said. “We haven’t seen too many of those matchups in the UFC. I feel like the Nick Diaz fight needs to happen and I’m pushing for it. I told the UFC that is the fight I want. He’s a guy who supposedly beat Carlos Condit in his eyes and he still feels he can beat Georges St-Pierre.

“He’s tweeting about it and feels he is the number one guy. Well guess what? Don’t be scared homie. I’m waiting for you. I’ve called him out and I haven’t heard him call me out yet. This isn’t personal with Nick Diaz. I see him as a tough fighter and I want to test myself. I want to put myself right back into the mix of things by beating Nick Diaz.”

As Koscheck pushes for a collision with Diaz, the road to recovery will continue. While preparing for a bout with Jake Ellenberger for the ill-fated UFC 151 card, Koscheck suffered a back injury which forced him to the sidelines. The setback not only forced his withdraw from a showdown with “The Juggernaut,” but was severe enough to put him on the shelf for the remainder of the year.

While the situation certainly slowed him down for a bit, as soon as his body began to heal, Koscheck jumped back into the rigors of training. Determination and an unbreakable work ethic set the physical wheels in motion, but the feeling of having something to prove set the motivational fires ablaze.

“I got a lot to prove,” Koscheck said. “There are a lot of people who have doubted me for a long time now. I just have to make up my mind and do it. That is the game plan. I’m coming back and 2013 is going to be my year. People are going to see a different Josh Koscheck. Things are good at my new camp in Fresno. I’m starting to get a lot of guys to come in and train with me full-time. It was a big adjustment period leaving San Jose and AKA. Having to start my own camp and then having a big fight with Johny Hendricks was a lot to deal with. I’m not making any excuses because I was damn ready for Johny Hendricks, but I have established a good base camp in Fresno and things are looking up.

“I have some good young guys in the gym who are hungry young guys. That gives me more motivation, and it drives and pushes me to become a better version of myself. That’s the big thing. I’m trying to become a better me as a fighter. My only goal right now is to become a better fighter and go out there and win. That’s what matters the most for me. I don’t care so much about making money; I care about winning fights. My managers have always told me if I do my job and win fights, they will make me money. That is what I have to do. I have to go out there and win fights.”

Over the course of his career, Koscheck has developed a reputation for being a fighter who is willing to step up in any situation. On multiple occasions during his time in the UFC, the organization has called him to step up on short notice and Koscheck has answered the call proudly.

That particular issue came under heavy fire this past summer during the debacle of UFC 151. For the first time in the Zuffa-era, the UFC was forced to cancel an event due to having the headlining bout on the card fall through. Koscheck has always embraced the “anytime/anywhere” mindset and believes fighters not focusing on what matters the most has resulted in poor decision making.

“The sport is definitely changing,” Koscheck said. “There are so many more shows with FOX, FX, and FUEL coming on board. I try to be ready to fight at all times because I know anything can happen when you have so many events. It’s our job to be in shape and be ready to fight anybody at any time on short notice.

“Opportunities don’t come in life very often and I like to jump on them when they come my way. If I can stay healthy for a whole year straight, I would fight every month if they would let me. That has always been my attitude. The only time I really make a big payday is when I fight and that is what I like to do. I like to go out there and compete, but winning is the most important thing.

“At the end of the day, the money is great, but the one thing that matters is to go out there and get wins. I feel if other fighters had that mentality then the UFC wouldn’t have to cancel a card. I think fighters still need to carry the mentality that they will fight anybody and do whatever they have to do to win. I feel like some fighters, myself included, have gotten away from that at times.

“This is about winning and one of the things Georges St-Pierre does so well is find a way to win. If it’s just wrestling he finds a way. If it’s just striking he finds a way. That is one of the reasons why he has been so successful. He has a game plan, sticks to it, and goes out there and dominates. He wins fights. I feel Georges has done a very good job. It shows because he’s been the champion for a very long time and I think he’s going to continue to be the champion for a lot longer if he continues to fight the way he does.

“I think a lot of fighters go out there thinking they have to be flashy, try for knockouts, and they end up losing. They try to put on exciting fights but at the end of the day it comes down to getting the win.”

While Koscheck has been a staple in the upper tier of the 170-pound weight class for years, the division he is set to return to has taken on a different shape. A new wave of contenders has stormed through and gained a foothold in the rankings, and the five-time fight night bonus award winner is looking forward to knocking them back down the ladder.

“I think this division has always been tough,” Koscheck said. “There is always good competition and a ton of guys who are tough in this weight class. Being one of the best welterweights in the UFC for the past seven years is a good accomplishment, but it’s not what I want. I want to be the number one guy and I’m still working towards it. I still feel like I’m in my prime and have a lot of fights left.

“My last fight with Hendricks was a close fight and now he’s right at the top. I need to make some small improvements in my game plans. I need to add a little more striking, cardio, jiu-jitsu, and get back to old-school wrestling. If I do those things I’m going to be right there in the mix.

“I’m not ready to retire any time soon. I still have a lot of fights left in me and more business things I need to do financially to make sure that some day my kids don’t have to work. My goal is to push myself and build my future right now. In 2013 it starts and hopefully it starts with me whipping Nick Diaz’s ass.”

Change is something Chad Griggs has been forced to deal with a lot as of late.

After a successful run in Strikeforce’s heavyweight division, “The Gravedigger” found himself under the UFC banner when Zuffa merged the two organizations’ weight classes. He faced a stiff test in his promotional debut against Travis Browne at UFC 145, and after suffering his first defeat in five years, Griggs knew it was time for another large adjustment.

The Tuscon, Arizona native has faced larger competition throughout his entire career, but with the current trend of heavyweights increasing in size and power, the 34-year-old made the decision to try his hand in a lighter weight class. Dropping down to compete in the light heavyweight division is an idea his camp had kicked around for years, but it took a setback to spark the process into motion.

“It’s absolutely something we have been talking about for the past four or five fights,” Griggs said in regard to his drop down to 205 pounds. “But it was just a matter of not trying to fix something that wasn’t broke. We were having a good run at heavyweight and didn’t figure we should change anything until we lost. The loss came and it was a good time to drop.

“I was slated to fight in August but ended up getting Mrsa. That knocked me out for a while, but I’m back on track. I had a great training camp and my weight is going to be right on target. This is my first fight in the light heavyweight division and I’ve been very cautious with my diet. We’ve done a couple test runs to get down to 205 pounds and get everything dialed in. I feel very good about how things have gone. I’m excited to get into this new division.

“I’m fighting in the UFC, at the top of the food chain, and heavyweights are a new breed of giants. I walk around weighing around 230 pounds and these guys are cutting to make 265. That is a pretty big weight gap. In all reality, 205 is where I probably should have been for quite some time.

When Griggs makes his light heavyweight debut it will come against French striker Cyrille Diabate at UFC 154 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It is a classic matchup of contrasting styles, and has the makings for an exciting affair. Where Diabate uses his length, kickboxing, and dangerous Muay Thai skills, Griggs is more inclined to get inside and make things ugly. “The Snake” has struggled in the past when his opposition is able to neutralize the distance, and Griggs has every intention on bringing the fight directly to him.

“I think this is a really good matchup for me,” Griggs said. “Diabate is a solid striker and he is obviously going to have a reach advantage over me. He is 6’6 and lanky. It doesn’t take a scientist to know I can’t stay at his reach because I’ll get picked apart. But that has never been my style to begin with. I’m going forward and looking to push the pace. I’m looking forward to it.

“He uses all his tools, with knees, kicks, and punches. He is a southpaw and I’ve been working a lot on that. It is a lot different than facing someone who fights conventionally. The experience has been very good and I’m excited to fight him. I’m going to be stronger than him, and while he may have the reach advantage, I’ll have the power and dirty boxing style that should take him out of his game.”

After months of adjustments and recovery, Griggs is excited to enter the waters of a new division. Over the past two years, the 205-pound weight class has experienced a return to prominence. In years past, the light heavyweight division has been the organization’s crown jewel. With a dominant champion in superstar Jon Jones, and depth along the divisional ladder, the competition there is fierce.

For Griggs, a fresh start couldn’t come at a more perfect time, and he’s prepared to give everything he has to make a statement in his new weight class.

“I don’t really have too many gears,” Griggs stated. “The only one I know is full throttle. I don’t go into a fight to win on points. I go into finish. I’m definitely going into this throwing leather and I’ll be looking to either submit him or knock him out every round I’m in there. I’m sure he knows that. It has been my style from the very beginning. It should be an exciting fight for the fans and I don’t see this one going the distance. I’ve never been to the judges’ cards and I don’t plan on starting now.

“The Gravedigger is coming back. I’m bringing the sideburns in with me and I’m coming in to throw heavy leather. I’m going to push the pace, get on him, and I’ve always been willing to take a few punches to give a few in return. I’ll trade any day. It’s going to be a fast-paced fight and exciting for the fans.”

Tests come fast and furious on the sport’s biggest stage, and for Nova Scotia native John Makdessi, every step inside the Octagon is a learning experience. Based out of the Tristar gym in Montreal, Makdessi is only four years into his young career, but he has garnered acclaim for the exciting and powerful striking style he has showcased in during his short time in the UFC.

“The Bull” came out of the gates with a head full of steam as he defeated Pat Audinwood in his organizational debut and then scored a highlight reel knockout via spinning backfist at the expense of TUF alum Kyle Watson at UFC 129.  Bolstered by his early successes, the Shotokan karate standout was gaining momentum in the lightweight division, but in his two most recent outings against Dennis Hallman and Anthony Njokuani, Makdessi experienced the flip side of the coin as he suffered the first two losses of his career.

Setbacks are something every fighter faces at one time or another and the 27 year-old is determined to use those lessons to improve in every way possible.

“For me, fighting is everything,” Makdessi said. “I’ve been doing martial arts all of my life. It’s a blessing to be able to go out there and perform or showcase your skills. I’m always evolving. I always respect all my opponents. If you never make mistakes in training or fighting then you are never challenging yourself. It’s the same way in life. Fighting is fighting and I don’t look back. I try to go out there and be the best mixed martial artist I can be. I can’t really focus on the outcome. For me it is about becoming one of the best fighters in the world.  Everyone has those setbacks and I believe without losing you can never truly know what it feels like to win.

“This is my life and I’m 100% committed to this sport. I always want to do my best. Being victorious feels great but my main goal is to focus on the process rather than the outcome.”

While Makdessi has always been able to rely on his striking, his past two performances found him unable to capitalize on his aggressive attacking style. The losses forced Makdessi and head coach Firas Zahabi to closely examine the issues which were arising on fight night. After countless hours of work inside the gym, they realized several adjustments needed to be made. Makdessi believes he has found the answer to what has been plaguing him and is confident the results will show when he steps into the Octagon against savvy veteran Sam Stout at UFC 154 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

“Training has been going very well and for this camp we changed things up a bit,” Makdessi explained. “I changed my attitude, and through all the trial and error, I feel more mature in my training. Firas is an amazing coach and mentor. He is also a very smart man. Instead of always trying to train harder, I’ve realized it’s more about training smarter. I don’t over-train now. That was one of my biggest obstacles. I want to be fresh for the fight. I want to be hungry in the cage on fight night so I can perform my best. It’s all about saving my energy for the fight.

“Sam is a very good fighter but a fight is a fight. Hopefully every person who steps into the cage brings their A game and on that night when he fight, I’m hoping we can give each other the best of our abilities and the best man will walk out victorious that night.”

As he continues to develop his skill set, Makdessi chooses to focus on the process of growth rather than the desired results. He is confident the victories will come inside of the cage if the work is done correctly in the preparation stages of training camp. Working everyday alongside pound-for-pound great Georges St-Pierre and quickly rising star Rory MacDonald helps push Makdessi to reach the levels he knows are obtainable.

Being only 11 bouts into his career, the Canadian-born fighter understands and accepts that the experience gap between himself and the opposition will most likely be vast. It is a challenge he has embraced. While opponents continue to focus on his striking, Makdessi is busy sharpening other skills, continuing his growth and development as a complete mixed martial artist.

“I’m always motivated and I train hard every day,” Makdessi said. “I don’t need a fight to become motivated. My biggest goal is that I know I still haven’t reached my full potential and that’s the scary part. I’m still learning new things every day. A lot of people don’t understand that. They know I have a Tae Kwon Do background because I have been doing that since I was five years old. I still haven’t performed up to my full potential and I still haven’t been able to showcase my wrestling or my ground game. I hope people underestimate me because I have been training very hard in all disciplines. I have all the disciplines under my belt and I’m a diverse fighter. My opponent doesn’t know what kind of kick or punch I’m going to throw. At the end of the day it is all a mental game and I’m going to make sure my mind is 100% on fight night.

“I can promise one thing: Every time I fight I always try my hardest to be one of the most exciting fighters anyone has ever watched.”

The thrill of victory is the ultimate motivator for an athlete, but there are times when an unsettling defeat can fuel the fires of determination to new levels. This is the position UFC welterweight Jake Ellenberger currently finds himself in and “The Juggernaut” is eager to return to the win column.

The Omaha native battled his way to the upper tier of his division on the strength of a six fight win streak. Following his unanimous decision victory over Diego Sanchez, Ellenberger appeared to be at the helm of the rising tide as he moved within striking distance of a title shot. But that momentum came to a halt after he suffered a loss at the hands of fellow contender Martin Kampmann in June.

The defeat to “The Hitman” threatened to reshuffle Ellenberger in the competitive deck of the 170-pound weight class, but rather than allow himself to tread in the waters of an opportunity lost, he used the experience to propel forward on the quest for self-growth.

It is a journey which has remained the foundation of his very career and Ellenberger is excited to display his reinvigorated passion and progression.

“I’m hungrier now more than ever,” Ellenberger said. “I had some early success in the UFC but this last bump in the road has only made me realize how bad I want this and just how much I want to succeed. My last fight was so unsettling and frustrating that, in a way, it made everything I did before that fight not matter. It felt as if it was erased. Now it feels as if I’m starting over.

“In a way it feels as if my back is against the wall coming off a loss, and I have to reset and refocus. You have to put that behind you and realize this is MMA and anything can happen. I’ve definitely worked on my patience and not being reckless.  I’m extremely focused, disciplined and there’s nothing I want more.”

Throughout his career, the Marine Corps veteran has learned to adapt to the changes which come with the fight game. While originally slated to face welterweight bad boy Josh Koscheck, an injury forced the former contender out of the bout and the UFC tapped veteran Jay Hieron to step in.

Then the two men were set to square off in Las Vegas at UFC 151, but the card’s cancellation pushed the matchup to Minneapolis for UFC on FX 5.  It will be a rematch from a previous meeting under the now defunct IFL banner. In that bout, Hieron emerged victorious by way of unanimous decision and handed a young Ellenberger the first loss of his professional career. It is a favor he plans on returning on Saturday night.

The co-main event bout will also mark Hieron’s first step inside the Octagon since 2007. While “The Thoroughbred” has kept busy in other promotions, Ellenberger has surged on the sport’s biggest stage against some of the world’s best. Ellenberger isn’t necessarily convinced this issue will factor into the fight, but make no mistake about it; a fight is what he intends to bring.

“I would like to think the level of competition I’ve been facing will be a factor in this fight, but at the same time I can’t really say it will,” Ellenberger said. “I’ve definitely been facing better competition in my opinion, but he’s still a dangerous guy. I can’t look past that at all. I’ve seen a lot of his fights and there were a few that were controversial decisions, but he’s still done very well. I can’t overlook that.

“It is weird how things work out. When Jay was signed on for the fight it was kind of surprising to me, but we don’t choose who we fight. At this level everyone is tough and there are no easy fights. Jay is really similar to Koscheck in a lot of ways. He is athletic, a good wrestler and has solid striking. He is pretty good everywhere, but my focus is on where I’m confident. I have to go in there with him again and prove that I’m the best. He’s just another guy I have to face.

“I’m coming into this fight a lot more focused and disciplined. I’m constantly improving and I’m looking to make this into a fight. I think it’s a good matchup for me and not a good fight for his welcome back to the UFC.”

With a strong test directly in front of him, Ellenberger’s focus is laser sharp. He understands the dividends of victory and the consequences of defeat. But despite the pressures which come from fighting at the sport’s highest level, what matters most to Ellenberger is his ability to grow as a mixed martial artist. It is what he believes will bring him to his ultimate goal of one day holding championship gold.

“My focus has never really been on my opponent,” Ellenberger said. “It has been on my progression and quest for improvement. That may sound a bit selfish, but to be successful you almost have to be. There are a lot of things I know well but at the same time there are things I have yet to learn. I’m not oblivious to that at all.

“When you are an extremely competitive athlete, the quest for self-improvement is never ending. You are always asking questions and looking to improve in every aspect possible. You can never stop learning. I’m very happy, but at the same time I’m not content. There are still a lot of unsettled feelings and things I want to get better at. I really want to make a statement.

“One thing I’ve always strived to do is be really confident in my strengths and what I’m good at. I’ve always believed if I could optimize what I’m really good at, it will keep me successful. I’m still fighting for one reason and that’s to become the world champion. That’s it. If I continue to focus on my strengths and use more discipline, I believe I can reach that goal.”