Author: By Jordan Newmark

If after watching the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter the name John “Prince” Albert was still foreign to you, then you’re probably not alone. Over the course of 10 episodes, the young bantamweight shared little screen time in either Octagon action or house drama. But Albert’s name jumped to the tip of the fight community’s collective tongue when he bested fellow housemate Dustin Pague at the TUF finale. On December 3rd at The Palms Casino Resort, it took a mere 69 seconds for Albert to go from relative obscurity to future 135er royalty.

“I appreciate that fight with Dustin so much because it really shows people who I am and who I have become,” states Albert. “Usually, you see people transition from the show to their fights outside the show and they look better. That fight showed who I can be and will be – aggressive, strong, and in shape. The Dustin Pague fight was me full-time training, full-time effort, in-shape and healthy. I feel like it was pretty scary. I still think people don’t think I’m for real, which is understandable. I’m only 7-1 on my record, but I have plenty more fights than that, and they’ve seen the show, but I don’t want that stigma of ‘he’s that Ultimate Fighter loser.’ I didn’t win the show, but I’m in the UFC now and I want to represent that I’m a top level fighter.”

At 25 years old, Albert made a definitive statement in his first official UFC bout with his first official UFC round one TKO victory. Unless fight fans were familiar with his previous local scraps in the Pacific Northwest, Albert’s two TUF fights did little to prepare them for what they saw against Pague. In the preliminary fight against Orville Smith, Albert was criticized for not attacking enough, but he did cinch-up an opening round guillotine choke to secure a spot on the show. As for his one and only matchup in the house, Albert fought to a tough decision loss against eventual show winner John Dodson.

“In the fight to get into the show, they were saying I was too tentative, even though I dominated Orville,” remembers Albert. “In the fight on the show, they said I was too tentative against Dodson, but if you look at Dodson, he knocked out the first guy, knocked out Johnny Bedford, and he knocked out TJ Dillashaw. He went to a decision with me, and I think that could’ve gone to a third round. That was me not even training full-time. I don’t want to be reminded of TUF because that’s not who I am.”

Fast forward a few months later, the minute of action with Pague was downright combustible. The cage door closed, Pague and Albert met in the center of the Octagon and started throwing bombs like Rock ‘em Sock ‘em Robots. Albert connects with bad intentions and, suddenly, Pague is lying on his back. In an instant, he’s already passed Pague’s guard and applied what UFC commentator Joe Rogan referred to as a “gift-wrap”. Albert, using his left hand, trapped Pague’s right arm across Pague’s own face, while landing ground-and-pound with his free fist. Simply an impressive victory.

“With the full-time training, I was kind of discovering myself that I am not necessarily an elite level athlete, but I’m getting there,” asserts Albert. “I am a top level athlete. Physiologically, I’m much stronger and healthier and faster than all the 135ers out there. I just knew if I imposed my will on him that he couldn’t stand a chance. I really felt it. I am usually really reserved when I’m striking because I want to save energy, but we just went out there and met in the center and started throwing hard. He was throwing back and I may have felt him hit me, but it just didn’t feel like there was anything behind his punches. I knew I was putting stuff behind my punches. When I put him down, I felt it go through him with power. I train with Dennis Hallman who, as a grappling coach, is amazing. I feel my ground game is top level. Being on the ground and passing his guard was super easy. Being able to hold someone’s arm behind their head, made me feel real strong at that weight class and Dustin is not a small 135er. He’s supposed to be the bigger, stronger 135er and I was able to control him pretty easy.”

The key to Albert’s success is the phrase “full-time training”. Up until getting the call from UFC matchmaker Sean Shelby for the organization debut in December, Albert had been a part-time fighter balancing a day job in construction with his dream of being a professional four ounce glove wearing warrior. “I said, ‘if I win, I’m going to be able to do this full-time, and if I lose, I have to go back to work.’ I won my fight and I told my boss that this is what I’m doing and he agreed with me and supports me. I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to train full-time now.”

As for the training itself, Albert has only known one home for the past five years, and that’s Victory Athletics in Olympia, Washington. When your first coach is current UFC lightweight Dennis “Superman” Hallman and his astonishing over 80 fight professional career that includes 67 wins, then you don’t ever need to find a second one. Hallman serves as Albert’s head coach, all-around ground coach, mentor, and friend. It’s the relationship that fostered Albert’s initial love for cagefighting and it’s what has grown him into the fighter swimming in the UFC’s shark infested bantamweight waters to this day.

“I started with Dennis and I have never left Dennis,” affirms Albert. “He’s my main wrestling and grappling coach. I feel fortunate because I started with someone I think is one of the best grapplers in the world. I didn’t begin with someone else and he’s had to change me. He’s progressed me into what I am today. He understands things as a fighter and as a coach of what needs to be done. He really builds my confidence as a fighter getting ready for the fight, in the middle of the fight, and after the fight.”

This coming Wednesday in Omaha, Nebraska, Albert will need every bit of “Superman’s” extensive fighting experience to take on his next challenger: “The Pride of El Salvador,” Ivan Menjivar. In quite a step-up in competition, Albert will step into the Octagon to face a well-traveled veteran with over three times as many fights, including three times as many professional wins. Menjivar is riding a two fight winning streak from last year over Charlie Valencia and Nick Pace as well as 11 years of international scrapping against the best of several weight divisions. Many believe Albert is biting off more than he can chew.

“I do read the blogs and all of the internet, and I love being the underdog and seeing people saying he’s going to ‘smash me’ – It gives me more motivation,” says Albert. “People are saying he’s old, but he’s not old – he’s 29. He should be in his prime. I’m 23 and I’m still growing. My natural athleticism is probably better than his. My size, my explosion, and the way I’ve been training. The age difference really isn’t there, but I feel like I’ll be the better ‘athlete’. I think I’m better than him in some areas. I’m not going to say I’m better than him in all areas because that’s unrealistic. I know what he’s good at and I know what I’m good at, and I think I can exploit what he’s not good at. I feel like my strong points are better than his weak points and I think I should be able to win the fight.”

Besides training with Hallman, Albert has been honing his striking with a new coach: Saohin Srisuk. “I’ve transferred my striking over to Saohin Srisuk, who holds multiple Muay Thai world championships and has fought in over 60 pro boxing matches,” tells Albert, who knows he’s in very knowledgeable hands both standing and on the ground, which he’ll need against a battle hardened and only twice finished opponent like Menjivar. “I was expecting three rounds with Dustin Pague and it only lasted a minute. You put yourself through Hell to make the fight feel easy, but I don’t think this fight will feel easy. I don’t think it is going to be easy for him and I don’t think it is going to be easy for me.”

On February 15th, in the heart of the nation’s “bread basket”, Albert will square off against easily his toughest test to date in the Salvadorian-Canadian Menjivar. “Pague was another TUF guy and to transition me into a fight with Ivan, it feels like they’re saying, ‘let’s see what you’ve got, kid’ and it excites me,” says Albert, brimming with nervous energy to go out guns blazing in this trial-by-fire against a high profile opponent in only his second UFC fight. “I feel like I’m getting better as a fighter, so what matters is my fight right now. I really hope to show in this fight with Ivan Menjivar that people will be like, ‘John is for real.’ You’re only as good as your last fight.”

If that’s the case, then Menjivar better be ready for a 69 second wrecking crew called “Prince” who has his eyes set on the bantamweight crown.

The old saying “diamonds are a girl’s best friend and a man’s worst enemy” goes double for the UFC’s featherweight division because it’s their most dangerous competition. The shiniest and sharpest jewel of the resident 145ers cut a three fight win streak in 2011 that announced the presence of the weight class’ newest rising star. Whether they’re from Antwerp or Africa, the only allotrope of carbon fight fans need to know about is the one born, raised, and training to get meaner in Lafayette, Louisiana: Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier.

“I feel like I’m living a dream,” exudes Poirier about fighting in the UFC. “It is all happening so quick. I can feel myself getting better with every fight. It’s incredible. I could not wish or want it any other way. It all unfolded perfectly this last year. I really got to show my skills and fans have gotten to see who I am and it’s just amazing. It’s a lot of hard work that is paying off. It really feels good at night to lie down and see it paying off.”

It was only a year ago that Poirier made his Octagon debut at UFC 125 with the one-sided standup beatdown of the top ranked Josh Grispi. The decision victory, which featured a few 10-8’s in favor of “The Diamond”, shocked MMA fans because previously Poirier was a 1-1 lightweight in the WEC and Grispi was in-line for a shot at UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Poirier returned to the cage in June with another exciting decision win over British striker Jason “Shotgun” Young. To bookend 2011, Poirier was to set face a fellow burgeoning 2-0 inside the Octagon standout in Pablo Garza on the undercard of UFC on FOX in November.

“I felt like it was going to be a step up in competition from my last fight,” admits Porier. “A real test. Pablo Garza had proven himself a couple of times with some big victories. I knew he was an unorthodox guy who was unpredictable, so I knew it was going to be a fun fight. I knew it was going to be a fast pace and I was excited to take a step up on the ladder in the weight division. I train hard always, but mentally I was prepared for as soon as the bell rang to start throwing punches. In my head, it was going to be ‘Fight of the Night’. It was going to be a 15 minute war. I thought his standup was going to test mine and I thought his ground game was going to do the same. I thought it was going to be a back-and-forth great fight. I was mentally ready for 15 minutes of bleeding and battling.”

All of that sounds absolutely magical to a fight fan’s ears, but the actuality of the bout was probably Poirier’s shortest and most impressive win yet: a second round victory via D’arce choke. Make no mistake, Garza is a fearsome young fighter with standup and submissions that can beat most competitors. Regardless, Poirier controlled the action on the feet and on the ground early and showed a clear strength advantage that night. The night-ending choke came a little over a minute into round two, as Poirier showed off the grappling skills he’s honed wrestling with close friend, mentor, UFC middleweight, and BJJ black belt Tim Credeur.

“I’ve been competing in jiu-jitsu for a long time,” tells Poirier. “I’ve been a purple belt for over a year. I do a lot of gi jiu-jitsu. That’s something I have shown in other fights, but not before in the UFC. I think in this next fight, I think I’m really going to show how well-rounded I am. I have wrestling, I have jiu-jitsu. It’s just sometimes I get caught up in the battle standing. I’m a fighter and I really enjoy fighting. I enjoy getting into a slugfest sometimes. But I’m grinding those edges away and becoming more well-rounded with every fight. I’m finding the better balance between my aggression and my techniques. I think that takes a while for some guys to find that to click. I think I’m starting to come into my own there. I got lots more submissions and I know I’m capable of finishing the fight wherever it goes.”

At UFC 143, Poirier will enter the Octagon for the fourth time to face the end result of a revolving door of challengers ranging from the “who’s who” to simply “who”. Originally, Poirier was set to scrap with southpaw striker Erik Koch with his similarly stunning string of UFC scores. Koch had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by 2-0 in the UFC orthodox grappler Ricardo Lamas. In another unlucky twist of fate, Lamas was forced to withdraw due to an injury and will be relieved by the debuting orthodox kickboxer Max Holloway. Some fighters play it off like a switch in opponent is not a big deal, but Poirier is candid when he notes that they are major disruptions to him. But what never wavers going into every fight is how committed he is to succeeding.

“In my mind, it’s real huge to me when things like that change because I am thinking about it so much,” admits Poirier. “I play the fights out in my head so many times. I think about this 24 hours a day from the time I wake up until the time I wake up again. I even dream about it. This is my life. This isn’t a hobby or just a career I’m trying to be good at – this is everything. That’s the fight game though. Guys are in training and they get hurt. With all the changes that are happening, the one thing that keeps my confidence up is the one thing that is consistent the whole time and that is me busting my ass and getting ready to fight. That hasn’t changed. No matter who I fight, I’m out here every day grinding, getting ready to fight. At the end of the day, I’m a fighter and we’re going to get into that cage, close the door and we’re going to fight. That’s something that hasn’t changed.”

As for the UFC 143 bout itself, Poirier will play the role of the savvy veteran to the rookie in 20-year old Holloway. “I feel like the old guy now (laughs) and I just turned 23 last week,” jokes Poirier, who has been scouring the internet to find out as much as he can about his new opponent. “He’s 4-0 as a professional, has six or seven amateur fights I think, and I think he has some kickboxing experience. I know Jeremy Stephens flew him out to San Diego to help him get ready for Anthony Pettis. Holloway kind of resembles Pettis a little bit with his kickboxing and his length, so he’s a rangy fighter.”

Whether or not he knows much about his competition, Poirier’s rock is his coach, Credeur, and the gym, Gladiators Academy, where he polishes his diamond-like brilliant skills six days a week. Also, Poirier has been in this situation before with impromptu opponents, as his fight with Grispi was taken on short notice and Young was a substitute for previously scheduled Rani Yahya. On top of that, it was only twelve months ago that he was making his own debut as the underdog against a surging odds-on favorite. Where previous experience, abilities, and that fighter’s edge have helped him to victory, Poirier expects much of the same on this Super Bowl weekend.

“Every fight I get into 100%, it is intimate for me,” affirms Poirier. “I study the guy. I don’t care if he has one fight or 100 fights, I’m in this fight 100%. He’s a dangerous guy. He’s 4-0. I’m not underestimating this guy. I’m training like I’m fighting Anderson Silva. I’m over here and I’m not taking him lightly. I know how that happens to people. Just a year ago, I was in his shoes. I was getting into the cage fighting Josh Grispi, no one knew who I was and I was supposed to get destroyed by a top ten guy. I went in there and I destroyed him. Nobody knew that was going to happen. He’s over there training and he’s thinking he is going to do the same thing to me. Knowing that I’ve taken that same walk in those shoes empowers me to be ready. For me, I have to go in there and fight smart. I know what he’s going to do. I think what he does good, I’m better at. I have to go in there and capitalize on his mistakes. I’m 11-1 as a professional fighter, but this is my 22nd or 23rd mixed martial arts fight. I have a little bit of experience and I have to use it to capitalize on his mistakes when he makes them.”

This Saturday, “The Diamond” will meet the Hawaiian Holloway in the cage with the same seriousness reserved for a main event. “I want to show the fans that I’m coming in better with every fight and I’m growing with every fight,” states Poirier, who knows going 4-0 in the UFC by simply beating the opponents in front of him is what will get him to his ultimate goal: the UFC featherweight title. “I want to go in there and make a statement. I am for real no matter who I fight. I want to move up and take another step closer because I want to be a champion one day.”

A diamond is usually set in gold, but if this year is like Poirier’s last, then “The Diamond” might be wearing the gold.

For people who enjoy collision competition, nothing will beat this upcoming first Saturday and Sunday in February. On Sunday, it’s the final NFL game of the season: Super Bowl XLVI between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. But the night prior, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, UFC 143 will be the proving ground for two of the top heavyweights in the world: Fabricio Werdum and Roy Nelson. Before the nation crowns a new Super Bowl champion, the big boys of the UFC will clash to see who is one step closer to a title shot. For “Big Country”, nothing could be sweeter than another win in his hometown, which puts him that much closer to UFC gold.

“I feel like I can beat anyone that is in the heavyweight division,” declares Nelson. “That’s just what I feel. I feel if I fought you before, I got your game, I got it locked. I’m like Robocop or the Terminator, where I learn to be a better fighter. When it comes to the game of MMA, you want to fight whoever it takes to get to the top.”

At 35 years old, the Las Vegas native is entering his eighth year as a pro and his sixth fight inside the Octagon, and the 17-6 Nelson’s attitude is as intensely focused on his ultimate goal as it ever was: being the UFC heavyweight champion. Less than two years ago, Nelson was nearly one win away from fighting for the strap at UFC 117 against Junior Dos Santos. A win over Werdum coupled with Nelson’s win over the iconic Mirko Cro Cop at UFC 137 would immediately put Nelson back in the mix for hopefully a title eliminator match in 2012, which is exactly where he has his sights set.

“Ever since I started fighting, I’ve just always wanted to fight the best in the world,” tells Nelson. “Move up the rankings and fight the best in the world. I think that’s pretty much always my goal. You only retire when you can’t compete with the best in the world still. Look at Dan Henderson. Judging by the landscape of the heavyweight division, I could do this until I’m 50. My thing is when I was in the IFL I made sure I was champion. Since I got into the UFC, I want to make sure I am champion before I leave.”

Standing in Nelson’s way is a familiar face to the UFC faithful, Brazilian submission specialist Werdum. After going 2-2 inside the Octagon, the PRIDE veteran joined Strikeforce in 2009, where Werdum’s stock rose like a rocket. Arguably, no other fighter has had a more legend-growing and captivating year in MMA outside of the UFC than Werdum had in Strikeforce. Werdum went 3-0 with a quick finish of Mike Kyle, a decision win over Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, and, the coup of coups, a submission of Fedor Emelianenko via triangle choke in the first round on June 26th, 2010. Nelson wants to face and defeat the best, and Werdum is certainly one of them.

“Fabricio is a great fighter,” affirms Nelson. “He was the guy that dethroned Fedor. He’s definitely beaten up some great guys in the UFC too. He’s someone you can’t take lightly. He’s like #4 in the world right now. He’s definitely somebody.”

The 14-5-1 Werdum’s most recent fight was last June, a decision loss against current #1 contender Alistair Overeem. It definitely wasn’t the most entertaining heavyweight main event, but, in that loss, it clearly showed how dangerous a fighter like Overeem knows Werdum is. Overeem refused to go to the ground with Werdum and some believe, including Nelson, that Werdum outstruck Overeem, who is a former K-1 kickboxing World Grand Prix champion. Either way, it’s a loss on his record, but for those who have seen the fight it was another eye-opening experience about Werdum.

“I saw the fight with Overeem and Overeem was very tentative because Fabricio is a guy who can beat you in a lot of spots,” says Nelson. “Fabricio had already beaten Overeem, so it’s not like he wasn’t cautious because of that. The biggest thing with Fabricio is he is a well-rounded martial artist. He actually beat Overeem on the standup. You have to be definitely cautious with his ground game because of what he’s done to Fedor and what he’s done to a lot of fighters in the UFC. I’ve prepared myself to be the most well-rounded mixed martial artist.”

Nelson is busy sharpening his own vaunted all-around skills at his gym The Country Club in Las Vegas. He matches up perfectly with Werdum in all areas of a fight, including and especially the ground game, where he is a fellow BJJ black belt, having received the honor from the revered Renzo Gracie. But he isn’t entering the cage to test Werdum’s “jits”; Nelson is going in there to win. “Fabricio attacks with armbars and triangles because he has long limbs. I’m more the American-type with power and technique and I try to keep it simple on top. If I wanted to find out what it was like grappling wise with him, I would just go to his gym and grapple him, but this is MMA and I’m trying to be the best MMA fighter.”

As far as striking, Nelson gives Werdum a ton of praise, but one thing his opponent lacks is his specialty: power.

“Fabricio might have better standup than me and his standup might even be better than the K-1 champion Overeem’s, but Overeem and I definitely punch harder,” affirms Nelson, whose heavy hands KOed Brendan Schaub to win him season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter as well as earned him 10 of his 17 professional victories. “Going off of what he did to Overeem, he beat a K-1 kickboxing champion in the standup, but Overeem just punches harder. The contrast Overeem and I have is that we punch harder. Sometimes God just blesses you with power.”

On February 4th in Las Vegas, two titans will tangle in the Octagon to decide who is that much closer to the glory of being in a heavyweight title fight.

“It is definitely one of those things you want to have on your resume,” muses Nelson, who won’t be satisfied in the UFC until he gets his shot at the gold and wins it, and that starts Saturday night with Werdum. “If you play football, you want to say you went to the Super Bowl and the next thing is to say you won the Super Bowl. Everyone has goals and you just have to make sure you accomplish them. Expectation wise for this fight, it’s just to go out there and win and put on a show, so that the fans will appreciate it.”

In short, Dustin Jacoby made a bad first impression, but he’s getting a second chance to make a better one at UFC on FOX 2.

On October 29th at UFC 137, Jacoby went toe-to-toe with fellow debuting middleweight Clifford Starks in an underwhelming unanimous decision victory for Starks. The win was for the most part a 15 minute display of takedowns for the former Arizona State University wrestler, Starks. For Jacoby, the loss was absolutely his worst performance of a young career that previously featured an undefeated streak of lightning quick finishes with the majority being first round TKOs. In life there might not be second chances, but in sports there are and, on January 28th, Jacoby wants to make an inedible second impression to make everyone forget the first.

“Everyone should expect to see a guy who is going to go in there and leave it all on the line,” emphasizes Jacoby. “They should expect to see a guy who throws caution into the wind and lets it go and has fun. At the same time, I’m using my athletic ability, I’m evading, I’m being elusive, but not being tentative. I’m going to be attacking and aggressive. You can watch any one of my fights, besides that Starks fight, and you see two different people. You see me kicking, which sets up my hands, I’m catching them with my hands, the next thing you know they’re going down, and once they go down I’m on top of them with no hesitation. My coach says, ‘When the UFC sees you fight this time, they’re going to see a completely different fighter. In your last fight you fought 95% terrible and the only reason I give you 5% is because you had good movement, but you weren’t throwing off of it.’ I’m the aggressor, I’m taking it to the guy, I’m overwhelming them, and I’m setting the tone.”

Now, that sounds a lot more like the 6’4” middleweight the UFC thought they had drafted last October. In less than a year, Jacoby fought seven times with the final bout being his debut at UFC 137. Jacoby’s six previous drubbings of opponents totaled together took less time than the 15 minute decision loss to Starks. Some fighters chalk up a rough first fight in the Octagon to the “jitters”, but Jacoby’s hiccup was due in part to a hairline fracture on his leg suffered in training 19 days prior to the scrap. Break or no break, Jacoby got the call to be in the UFC and he was going to answer it.

“I had an injury we kept on the low going into Clifford Starks,” discloses Jacoby. “I knew going into the fight I wasn’t going to be myself and wasn’t going to be 100%. I had a pretty bad hairline fracture on my leg that prevented me from doing what I normally do. I wasn’t necessarily nervous about it being my first fight, I was nervous at how limited I was. It showed during the fight. If you have watched any of my fights prior to that you can see that I’m a completely different fighter. I threw zero kicks against Starks and something I do in all my fights is throw kicks to set up my hands. I’m about a hundred times more aggressive in every other fight I’ve ever had than I was against Starks. In hindsight, I should not have taken the fight, but if I had to do it again I would do it the same way. It’s just one of those things, how do you back out of a UFC debut? It was just something I was so excited for. Probably at the time, I shouldn’t have taken the fight, but I’m not making a big deal about it. I did it, it’s over with, and it’s time to move on.”

At UFC on FOX 2 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, Jacoby is getting another opportunity to wow UFC fight fans against Chris “Kamikaze” Camozzi. The Ultimate Fighter alum is 15-5 and, currently, 2-2 inside the Octagon. Camozzi also suffered a decision loss at UFC 137 and will be looking to give everything he’s got to get back on the winning track. A matchup between two young and big 185ers who have something to prove can only be a must watch and possibly dark horse candidate for “Fight of the Night”.

“Chris Camozzi is a tough guy,” says Jacoby. “I’ve watched a few of his fights, including the one where he fought on the same card I was on in Vegas. Just watching that fight over and over again, you can tell he has a lot of heart and he can take a punch. No matter what happens he is going to keep coming and keep going. I like that about him because I know he is going to bring out the best in me. I’m the same way, where if I get hit, which I haven’t been hit too much, but the more I get hit and the tougher the opponent is it brings out the best in me. It’s going to be a tough fight and he’s a really good competitor who has been in the game for quite awhile now. He’s 2-2 in the UFC, so he’s had some experience and it’s going to be a fun fight.”

The 23-year old former college quarterback for Culver-Stockton College and later Quincy University is busy preparing for his tussle with Camozzi at Fiore MMA in Springfield, Illinois. In a short time, Jacoby’s MMA training went from messing around with his twin brother in his garage to sparring with UFC veterans at Matt Hughes’ H.I.T. Squad in Granite City. Nothing like jumping from the pot into the frying pan, Jacoby’s first six amateur fights were taken on sheer guile in the football off-season and, soon enough, he found himself in a gym trading punches with “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler. Jacoby is awfully green in this sport, but he’s been learning from the best early and often.

“I started out at Matt Hughes’ The H.I.T. Squad in Granite City with Matt Veach, Kyle Watson, Robbie Lawler and Brian Foster,” tells Jacoby. “That was quite an experience. That was the first real gym I ever walked into. That was pretty overwhelming. We recently moved to Springfield, Illinois, where coach Marc Fiore opened up his gym, Fiore MMA. We have a lot of good guys. We have my twin brother here, who obviously matches up with me perfectly sizewise. We have Brian Foster. We have Jon Madsen who is a 4-1 heavyweight in the UFC. We have a lot of guys who push me on a daily basis. It’s hard to keep up, especially with those heavyweights who when they grab a hold of you they suck the life right out of you.”

Although he is only just starting his second professional year in MMA, Jacoby is a lifelong athlete who believes the work ethic instilled in him from other sports has carried over perfectly for the UFC. “My whole life has been a practice and that’s what an MMA camp is,” asserts Jacoby, who played college football plus fought in amateur fights and then turned pro in MMA with no gaps in between because he’s a born competitor. “Being a quarterback, I always had to be at practice on time and on time for me was 10 minutes early to set an example. I’ve always been that team leader or that guy people looked up to, and I catch on to things quickly. Some people have trouble getting up and getting after it, but it’s something I’m used to.”

This weekend in the Windy City, Jacoby will look to blow the doors off the United Center with a blistering attack-oriented performance against Camozzi. “I’m going to use my superior athletic ability mixed with the aggression I’ve brought to every sport I’ve ever played,” affirms Jacoby, who promises that being injury-free means an exciting fight for the fans. “I’m a crowd pleaser. I’m so anxious, I’m ready to rock n’ roll, I’m healthy and I’m so excited. When I get done with this fight, win, lose, or draw, the fans are going to be like ‘that guy can fight.’”

In short, sports and life are more about “what have you done for me lately?” For Jacoby, a thrilling battle in Chicago this week will always be more memorable than a year prior’s lackluster showing in Las Vegas.

The phrase “hometown hero” is thrown around quite a bit, and a lot of times it’s used improperly. A guy from Fort Worth, Texas takes on a guy from Denver, Colorado at an event in Houston and, suddenly, Fort Worth is a suburb of Houston even though they’re four hours apart. At UFC on FOX 2, that will not be the case with the born and bred Chicagoan, who trains in The Windy City, and, when he’s not competing, he’s literally keeping the Second City’s streets safe as a police officer. On January 28th, a real “hometown hero” will battle in the Octagon and will hopefully receive the thunderous ovation he deserves: Mike Russow.

“It’s exciting and it’s awesome,” says Russow of competing in his Illinois backyard. “I don’t have to travel, which is good. But it makes you more nervous because a lot more friends and family will be there who normally wouldn’t be there. It does add more pressure, but I look forward to it and I’m excited. Getting to fight in the United Center – it’s a great place.”

In “The House that Jordan Built”, UFC heavyweight Russow will look to keep his impressive 10 fight winning streak alive in a clash with Norwegian grappler John-Olav Einemo. Since joining the UFC in August of 2009, Russow has remained undefeated inside the Octagon with three wins: a unanimous decision over Justin McCully, a “Knockout of the Night” over Todd Duffee, and, most recently, a second round TKO (doctor stoppage) against Jon Madsen. Russow’s staggering professional record of 14-1, 1 NC is a rare commodity, especially in the ultra competitive heavyweight division, where one mistake can usually mean the end of a fight.

The 35-year old active duty Chicago police officer last stepped inside the Octagon at UFC Fight Night 24 in March 2011. “I knew it was going to be a tough fight because I knew Madsen was a tough kid with good wrestling,” tells Russow of the previously undefeated TUF alum, who had trained with Russow a couple times at Team DeathClutch in Minnesota. “I think he was 4-0 in the UFC when I fought him. I think it was a solid win and I was pretty happy with my performance. I figured it was going to be on our feet and I definitely wanted to get a knockout.”

Although he forced a doctor stoppage at the end of the second round, Russow wasn’t sold on his standup showing and believed he should have done better. “I wasn’t real happy with my standup because I was really only throwing one punch and then kind of hanging around instead of putting combinations together and moving,” admits the former NCAA Division I wrestler from Eastern Illinois University, who has been pushing himself in training to become more dynamic on the feet. “I kind of figured going into that fight it was going to be a lot of standup and I didn’t think I was going to be able to take him down as easy as I did because I knew he was a good wrestler. I definitely have been trying to make my standup to the next level. I definitely think I’m getting more confident, but I’m wrestling and jiu-jitsu first.”

With all the strides this heavyweight has made as a mixed martial artist, one thing that has held Russow back are long layoffs between UFC fights. During his three years with the organization, Russow has competed only once a year, with 2011 looking to finally break that cycle until the unexpected happened. Originally, Russow was scheduled to fight at UFC 136 in October against the 21-2 Dave Herman, but Herman was forced out of the bout. But there is a “silver lining” and it is twofold: he’s now fighting in Chicago and Russow’s had back-to-back full training camps to improve as a fighter and athlete.

“I have been able to stay in shape,” states Russow. “I took a week off after UFC 136 just because that was a long camp, but since then I’ve been pretty much going full-time. We’ve really picked up the sprints and doing more running than we did in the last camp. The intensity has been higher, the workouts have been harder, and conditioning wise, I think I was in great shape last time, but this time we started doing sprints and stuff about six weeks out instead of waiting until four weeks. We’ve done a lot of sprints and running for this camp, which is something we always do, but we’ve been having some real hard workouts and started it out earlier, so I think I’m going to be in even better shape. I always think my conditioning is pretty good. I have a belly, I’m fat and some people see that, but I’m always in good shape. I think as I’m getting older and we’re doing these camps I think we’re tweaking them and being smarter about the way we do things. I think I’m in the best shape right now. I hope that it pays off and I have a ton of energy and hopefully we put on an exciting fight.”

At UFC on FOX 2, Russow’s new challenger is world renowned Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Einemo. “The Viking” made his UFC debut last June in a second round TKO loss to Herman that was awarded “Fight of the Night” honors. It had been six years since the 6-2 Einemo had competed in an MMA bout, but “ring rust” was not too evident as “The Viking” swung heavy leather at Herman and scored a couple takedowns. Even though he lost, Einemo showed off a standup attack learned from the Dutch kickboxers of Golden Glory, which adds a new element of danger to the already well-decorated submission artist.

“I think he’s a very tough opponent,” asserts Russow. “Obviously, his grappling is something to look out for because he’s a world champion. That’s one of the main concerns we really have focused on for this camp – he’s very dangerous on the ground. Even if I take him to the ground or if he takes me down – he’s dangerous. That’s what he’s good at. But from what I’ve seen from him on the tapes, he tries to throw the hard punches too. He likes to throw hard and straight punches. He throws a good 1-2. A lot of times, he likes to lead off with his right hand. He likes to stand on the feet. In the Dave Herman fight, he only took him down like once and the rest of the time they fought on their feet. I definitely think I can get the takedowns on him. That is my goal to get the takedowns and once I get him down to stay in good position.”

In training for each of his fights especially a ground fighter like Einemo, Russow’s resident “ace in the hole” is Rodrigo “Comprido” Medeiros. “One thing I’m fortunate to have is ‘Comprido,’ who is my jiu-jitsu coach who I have had for three, four years now,” boasts Russow of the Carlson Gracie BJJ black belt, who has won multiple grappling world championships. “I love jiu-jitsu and I think I get better every year. Fortunately, I have ‘Comprido’ and he’s been able to simulate a lot of what John likes to do, like grabbing your back and stuff like that. I think anyone can be beat in any area; it just depends on the right timing and situation, so I’ll definitely try to finish him on the ground if the timing and situation are there.”

This weekend, two heavyweights are set to tangle, with Russow squaring off against Einemo. “I really think no matter where it goes, whether it goes to the ground or stays on the feet, that I’ll be fine,” affirms Russow, and even though he will face his toughest opponent to date, he has had ample time to prepare and is ready to get a win in his hometown. “I’ve had a month off of work for this fight, which is something I’ve never had. I used all my vacation days for January to February. I’ve been able to sleep and work out in the mornings and work out at night and I’m really excited, so it should be my best fight.”

Move over Derrick Rose, Brian Urlacher and Kanye West, if Russow wins Saturday night, there will be a real “hometown hero” watching the throne in Chi-Town.

Whether it takes a fighter 10 weeks, 10 months or 10 years to make their Octagon debut, that one bout is only the beginning of their new and much more challenging career as a UFC fighter. The UFC is both the end of one journey in obscurity and the start of another in the limelight against the elite. Every MMA fighter outside of the UFC is trying their hardest to get inside it, but once they do, they revel in the uphill battle to maintain and ascend their position among the sport’s best. No one is more excited for the tough sledding ahead than “Brutal” Johnny Bedford, who premiered inside the Octagon last year and plans to make his mark in it in this one.

“This is my year,” declares Bedford. “2011 was a great year, but this year is my breakout year. This is the year I get to show that I’m one of the best in the world. I plan on fighting hopefully three or four times and winning. I work with a sports psychologist and he called it in December 2010 before I fought Frank Gomez, which was the first fight we worked together on. I ran right through Frank and he said, ‘This is the beginning Johnny. 2011 is going to be your year.’ In 2011, I got onto the show, I did well on the show – I would have liked to have done better – and I had a big win on national TV at the finale. This is not going to stop. I’m training hard, I’m training smart and I’ve got great training partners here in Texas. I’m ready to get this win. I’m ready to stay active, stay healthy, to keep improving and to win.”

At 29 years old, the Ohio native was every bit his nickname in his first official UFC scrap at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale against fellow housemate Louis Gaudinot. On a card stacked with bantamweight action, Bedford’s bullying beatdown of the now 5-2 Gaudinot was arguably the most complete performance of the night. From the standup to the ground work, he was in total control of every frenzied second, leading some judges to score the two opening rounds both 10-8 in Bedford’s favor. As far as statement fights go, he showed no hesitation or jitters in dispatching his opponent and looked ready for all comers.

“It went exactly as I planned,” states Bedford. “I wanted to control all aspects of the fight. I went in there on a mission to secure my job and to secure my future for my family. I wanted to go in there and be dominant and put on a good performance. It wasn’t personal, but I wanted to beat him up. It was a lot more dominant than I thought it would be. I did expect to win the fight handily, but after watching the fight it was like he didn’t fight back. It was crazy to watch. It was definitely very one-sided. It set the stage for me moving forward in the UFC and I was blessed to be chosen to have the fight televised.”

The end of the onslaught and fight finally came via TKO (knees to the body) at 1:58 in the third round. Bedford attacked Gaudinot’s midsection throughout the bout with knees in the clinch, body punches and more knees and more punches to the body when on the ground. The final exchange was a knee to the stomach that dropped Gaudinot, which led to vicious soccer-style kicks to the belly and another smattering of knees. This devoted and sustained destruction of the torso was reminiscent of a highlight reel from boxing great Miguel Cotto.

“My boxing trainer-slash-manager, Rafael Casias, would say it is all him,” tells Bedford. “He’s going to take credit for it and I’m going to give him credit for it. He jokes around that I fight like a Mexican fighter. At the gym here, I’m known to go to the body. I’ll get your hands up with punches and as soon as you bring your elbows up I’m looking to go to the body. For people who may not understand the fight game or who haven’t been hit in those areas, it is the worst spot. I would much rather you punch me in the face than in the body – it takes the fight right out of you. I’m known in this small area in Texas for doing it and in that fight with Louis it was the first MMA fight I really got to capitalize on it. I’ve always wanted to do that and it is always the gameplan to go there when they raise their hands up a little bit, but it has never opened up like it did in that fight. I did it perfectly. I loved watching that fight because I was cutting angles and ripping shots to the body and you could see the fight just falling out of him.”

Besides being his manager, cornerman, and the man instructing him to throw knuckle sandwiches to the bread basket, Casias also owns a gym with Bedford named Fitness Fight Factory in Colleyville, Texas. “Here in Texas, I say this all the time and I truly mean it, we have one of the best and deepest most talented training camps in the country for the 145 and 135 pound fighters,” asserts the 18-10-1 Bedford, who hones his aggressive edge with Casias in the Lone Star State gym with a gang of 145 and 135 pounders including UFC and WEC veteran Will Campuzano. “I think Team Alpha Male would be considered the number one gym because Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Urijah Faber are all great and big names. But other than that, I don’t think there is a more stacked 135 or 145 pound room when we all get together and beat the crap out of each other.”

Up next for Bedford is a January 28th tussle in the Octagon with the submission savvy Mitch Gagnon at UFC on FOX 2 in Chicago, Illinois. Less than two months following his debut, Bedford is ready for more fisticuffs, not only to keep his momentum going, but he is also expecting his second child with his wife in early April. It’s good news for the Bedfords, but bad news for the 8-1 (all submission victories) Gagnon, whose first UFC fight will be against the surging Ohio native.

“Gagnon’s pretty good at hiding video, but the little I do know about him is that he’s not that fast wrestler type who is going to shoot for that double leg,” says Bedford. “He’s going to look to clinch with me and overpower me with that bear hug and all that under-over stuff. All of that completely falls into my gameplan because wrestling is my home. I wrestled my entire life and I was never that fast type of guy. I wanted to get a hold of you, get into the clinch and that’s where I’m good from. This guy trying to get a hold of me and trying to take me down, it’s going to excite me – I welcome it. Try to turn it into a wrestling match. He’s going to get boxed up coming forward and once he gets into the clinch he’s going to be surprised, feel how good I am there, be put on his back, and panic, in my opinion.”

Being a UFC fighter, even one that is so far only 1-0, affords one certain opportunities, and Bedford took advantage of a big one during the first week of this month. In preparation for his bout with Gagnon, the former Cleveland State University wrestler flew to Denver, Colorado to train with three world class level fighters and wrestlers: Scott Jorgensen, Joe Warren and Stephen Abas. Jorgensen is a household name for UFC fans, consistently holding a place at the top of the bantamweight pack. Warren is one of the most heavily decorated Greco-Roman wrestlers as well as a fighter sporting a 7-2 MMA record. As for Abas, he’s simply the three-time NCAA Division I National Champion of wrestling out of Fresno State University.

“It was just an awesome week of training with guys who are at the top like that,” says Bedford. “It was humbling for sure, but being with these guys and doing well against them made my confidence go through the roof. Those are also relationships that I built there that I hope to continue in the future and train with those guys again. It shows what the UFC does and did for me. It was a breakout year for me last year becoming a household name and developing a huge following. It’s finally coming altogether. In 2010, I don’t know if I could have seen that I was going to be 1-0 in the UFC and fighting again in January 2012 and being called out by top level guys to go train with them. I’m honored to be in the room with those guys and with that being said I think I can compete with them. I think I’ve always known that I could compete at this level and now I have these opportunities to take full advantage of them.”

This Saturday at the United Center in Chicago, Bedford will square off with Gagnon in search of his second win inside the Octagon. “I plan on boxing his ears off and cutting angles and making him hate his life out there,” affirms Bedford, who wants to be victorious in all facets of the fight and move another step forward in the bantamweight ranks. “I’m a complete mixed martial artist. If it goes to the ground it will be exciting there too. I plan on moving forward and I plan on getting another dominating win.”

If 2011 was only a preview of Bedford’s in-cage abilities, then this year will be a “Brutal” one.