Author: By E. Spencer Kyte

Talk to a UFC newcomer and there are a couple things you’re bound to hear every time.Beyond the genuine enthusiasm for being called up the big leagues, the tales of long hours in the gym, hard work paying off, and clichéd statements about treating this fight like any other fight, the one thing most admit to is that hearing Bruce Buffer belt out their name on fight night is going to be a “need to check myself” moment.Over time, some fighters have become so comfortable with the pre-fight process that they actively engage the UFC announcer. Buffer had a back-and-forth flo … Read the Full Article Here

Somewhere down the line, Dominick Cruz could become the answer to a really unique UFC trivia question:Name the only fighter to win the same title twice without ever actually losing the belt?This weekend, nearly three years after he last crossed the threshold into the Octagon and seven months after vacating the UFC bantamweight title, Cruz is set to finally make his return, squaring off with Takeya Mizugaki in the final preliminary card contest at UFC 178.His path from the top of the division to an extended stay on the sidelines has been traced extensively during his hiatus and it got to a poin … Read the Full Article Here

 
From the time UFC 178 was starting to take shape, lightweight firestarter Donald Cerrone has been linked to the September 27 fight card in Las Vegas, but there has been a revolving door of opponents positioned opposite “Cowboy.”First it was contender Khabib Nurmagomedov. However, as soon as the bout was verbally set, it was scrapped when the unbeaten American Kickboxing Academy representative wrecked his knee during a training session the exact same day.Then it was Bobby Green, fresh off a debated split decision win over Josh Thomson at the end of the July and riding an e … Read the Full Article Here

 
Getting the call to fight in the UFC is not only the culmination of a dream for every fighter, but it also serves as an opportunity for many of the newcomers to commit themselves to their craft full-time.Ask competitors about their time climbing the ladder and gaining experience on the regional circuit, and you’re bound to hear about various jobs of necessity – flexible positions that provide supplemental income and enough free time to allow aspiring fighters the chance to keep pursuing their craft, but also put a couple dollars in their pocket at the same time.Over the y … Read the Full Article Here

By all measures, Max Holloway has already had a successful 2014 campaign.Over the first eight months of the year, the Hawaiian featherweight has amassed three stoppage victories, beginning with a Knockout of the Night-winning performance against Will Chope on the first fight card of the year and continuing with a third-round submission win against fellow prospect Andre Fili at UFC 172.Less than a month ago,  “Blessed” picked up his third victory of 2014, collecting a third-round finish of resilient newcomer Clay Collard to earn the 10th win of his professional career. Having … Read the Full Article Here

 
The experiences in your life shape your perspective on things and that holds true in fighting just as it does everywhere else.When you’re rising up the ranks, reaching the UFC stands as a career benchmark – a goal to strive for and an achievement that makes those long days in the gym and tough fights for not enough money on the regional circuit all worth it.Once you’ve reached the biggest stage in the sport, staying there and steadily climbing the ranks becomes the new focus, with reaching championship heights representing the greatest accomplishment any fighter in … Read the Full Article Here