Author: By Jordan Newmark

Kyle Kingsbury has some explaining to do. The former Arizona State defensive lineman turned UFC fighter has been a fan favorite ever since his stint on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. The Californian’s mix of a Will Ferrell-like wit and a Randy Couture-like physique has continually kept “KingsBu” entertaining, both in and out of the cage. But, nowadays, there’s a murky mystery surrounding the 29 year old concerning three controversial items of interest and fans the world over are demanding these answers before Kingsbury steps into the Octagon on June 4th.

The first question, what’s with the fanny pack?

“I keep everything in my fanny pack. That’s the beauty of it; there is kind of no limit of what you can store in there. I put some things in there for a rainy day, some first aid options like hand sanitizer, band aids, fingernail clippers. Basic items: cell phone, wallet, passport. The one I have now has a key chain holder clip, so there is a nice carabiner I can throw my keys on. Inside I have my coin pocket, which is easily accessible. There are many inner compartments that make everything quite convenient.”

The 10-2, 1 no contest light heavyweight is serious about his fanny packs. Besides choosing hilarious 80’s entrance music like Duran Duran and Kenny Loggins, he is fond of showing off his favorite flamboyant waistline accessory to the UFC faithful at weigh-ins. For his training camp preparing for the Brazilian bomber Fabio Maldonado, Kingsbury has been rocking a “cool pastel pink fanny pack”. But when it comes times to hit the scales for The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, Kingsbury says he is taking the fanny pack to a whole new level, “Think Elton John meets Ric Flair as a fanny pack – it sparkles.”

The “Fight of the Night” winner’s recent obsession with fanny packs can be attributed to two wholly different topics, but equally as enigmatic: the wars in the Middle East and UFC middleweight Chris Leben. On a UFC tour of American military bases in the Middle East, Kingsbury was joined with Mike Swick, Ed Herman and the aforementioned Leben, who sported a fanny pack on the trip. Naturally, Kingsbury ragged on the heavy-handed Leben for the unusual fashion choice, but fate would soon strike him back tenfold.

“One of the bases we went to about three days in, we didn’t have time to change, so I just got on the mat and rolled in my cargo shorts, which had my wallet, passport and phone in there. Sure enough, I ripped my shorts in half. Now, every base we went to and every country we went to I was holding everything in my hands. I had too much pride to ask Ed Herman to put the stuff in his backpack. I couldn’t ask Leben for any real estate in the fanny pack because I had been clowning on him about it the whole time. After a few more days, I thoroughly broke down and realized the convenience of the fanny pack outweighs how bad it looks.”

Now, a humble man in terms of the fanny pack and riding a successful three fight win streak in the UFC, Kingsbury even has ideas for his own custom fanny pack line. “I was watching that Alaskan taxidermy show and I had an idea of having animal heads on your fanny pack,” explains Kingsbury about the possible future of high-end premium fanny packs. “I could wear a ram skull around my waist. The head could screw off and I could store my stuff in there. I could have a different animal head clasped around my junk before each fight.”

As both joking and sincere as he is on this topic, Kingsbury is no fun and games when the cage door shuts. All 6 foot 4 inches and 205 pounds of him came roaring across the Octagon and demolished the previously unbeaten Ricardo Romero at UFC 126. It took only 21 seconds for Kingsbury to land several punishing knees that were followed up by fight ending punches.

The quick TKO victory comes off the heels of the three round war Kingsbury won over Jared Hamman last September. It’s a supremely focused fighter who appears to be getting better with every fight camp. Kingsbury splits his time training with Ryan Bader and CB Dollaway at Power MMA in Arizona as well as the renowned American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose with Cain Velazquez and Jon Fitch. The other person Kingsbury has been training with leads to the next question fans want to know the answer to.

The second question, Why Victor Conte?

Anyone who has followed sports in the past decade knows of Conte and the BALCO scandal. Conte and his former clients like Barry Bonds became the face of performance enhancing drugs in sports. But for Conte and his current list of clients like Kingsbury, that is simply the past. Conte only served four months in a “club fed” prison, but what he did learn was that he can never stray again if he wants to continue to provide for his children. Conte is back to being the cutting-edge nutritionist/trainer, something which he started doing almost 20 years ago.

“I really focus on building myself up as a whole and getting better in every aspect of the game, which includes being a better athlete. Plyometrics, working on my explosiveness, pushing myself cardiovascularly. That doesn’t mean going out and pounding the pavement like some 1920’s boxer. That means busting my ass with a machine with a mask covering my face hooked up to a $4000 generator pushing out half the oxygen it should be. Things like that are what help me stay ahead of the curve. That’s why I got together with Victor because he is always looking for these new technologies to enhance physical performance.”

Whether it is rolling in the gym with BJJ ace Dave Camarillo, wrestling with a TUF winner (Bader), sparring with the UFC heavyweight champion (Velasquez) or running through Conte’s next wave of circuit training, Kingsbury is pushing himself to be the best. Heading into a possible slugfest with Team Nogueira knockout artist Maldonaldo, “KingsBu” has surrounded himself with the winning team to come out on top.

Lastly, the third and the most pertinent question going into this June 4th showdown, is Kyle Kingsbury for real?

“My gameplan is to show off everything I’ve been working on. My standup, my ground game, my wrestling and everything in between. When I go into this fight I picture the Jared Hamman fight, but I picture an improved version of me and an improved opponent. This guy’s got tremendous hands and an incredible chin. I really want to be crisp and show that kind of desire I did in the Hamman fight. I want to beat him everywhere. I want to beat him standing. I want to beat him on the ground. I want to out wrestle him. I want to outwork him.”

At the TUF 13 Finale in Las Vegas, Nevada, Kingsbury squares off with his toughest test to date in Maldonaldo, and he will have the chance to answer his critics not as a guy with a funny tweet, but as a deadly serious rising star in the Octagon.

Do not be mistaken, this is Scott Jorgensen’s second UFC fight. On December 16, 2010, he fought Dominick Cruz in the co-main event of WEC 53 to decide who was the last WEC bantamweight champion and who would be the first ever UFC bantamweight champion. It was a five round decision that was fought inside the blue cage of the WEC, but it was for UFC gold.

Technically, “Young Guns” is making his UFC debut on June 4th at The Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale, but Jorgensen has already been to the top of this division’s mountain and he is looking to make Ken Stone his first step back there.

“Everybody keeps asking about my Octagon debut, but I’ve already fought for a UFC championship and it doesn’t get much bigger than that,” said the 28 year old, explaining the unique circumstances surrounding his UFC debut. “Whether people say it was in the WEC or not – I fought for the UFC belt. It is something that everyone fighting longs for and I’m getting back on track to get that belt. I’ve already fought for the belt, so the pressure is not on me.”

Most debuting fighters worry about having the infamous UFC “jitters”. For Jorgensen, it is simply a new name on the cage, but not a new company. “I fought 10 times under Zuffa and that is more than most guys have ever fought for them,” he says of a 7-3 Zuffa stint that included a five fight win streak that led to his title shot. “This is not my first rodeo, I’ve been to the big show, and I’ve fought for the most important thing I could ever fight for. I grew up in the WEC, I grew up fighting for Zuffa, I grew up fighting the best guys in the world – it is no different on June 4th. I’m fighting one of the top guys in the world and I’m back to being the good old Scott Jorgensen that everyone loved.”

The “old Scott Jorgensen” is a two-time WEC “Fight of the Night” winner in his decision victories over Brad Pickett and Takeya Mizugaki. WEC fans know him as a violent flash of vibrant tattoos and a colorful mohawk who has consistently put on some of the most entertaining fights. The bantamweights have been heralded as arguably the most exciting weight class out there. This is due in large part to Jorgensen and his quintessential wars, like the two he had with Antonio Banuelos.

“The old mentality of mine was to go in there and go 110 mph and make something happen. If I can’t strike with him, then take him down; if I can’t take him down, then I’m going to strike with him. I’ll find a way to win. The biggest thing that helps me put on these exciting fights is that I don’t go into the cage just to win. I want to get the guy tired. I want to drag this guy through hell. I want to make him wish he had took an easier opponent.”

Jorgensen fostered this mentality in the wrestling room at Boise State University, where he was a three-time Pac-10 champion. Also, this is the same mentality that he fully admits was abandoned in the title fight against Cruz. No one is or could be more critical of that performance than Jorgensen himself. Also, no one is more committed and focused in proving to the fans and himself that it was a fluke failure than Jorgensen.

“I still am kind of baffled by the way I chose to fight. I let my emotions get the better of me in that fight. During that fight, I was banking on landing a big hard right hand and knocking Dominick out in grand fashion and walking out with a UFC belt, instead of setting it into my mind that as soon as I step into that cage it is going to take a lot of work. I never applied it in the cage, my performance showed it, and it was the most embarrassing thing I’ve ever been through. To go out there and fight the way I did and knowing what I’m actually capable of and what kind of fighter I actually am, I’ve learned from it. And I’m coming back stronger.”

The loss to Cruz is in the past and Jorgensen’s future is a matchup with American Top Team’s Stone on June 4th. He is preparing for the fight at his own gym in Boise, “Combat Fitness,” and this training camp has been a re-dedication of sorts, as he is getting back in touch with his roots as a wrestler. To do so, Jorgensen has brought in a fellow Boise State Bronco, Andrew Hochstrasser, and he believes the All-American has played a huge role in him returning to his grinding style.

“I’m a wrestler at heart. For me, it’s a mentality that I have to earn everything in the cage just like I would in a wrestling match, just like I would in a practice room. If I want something I’ve got to earn it. Nothing is given, nothing is expected and there is no such thing as luck. I went through some of the most grueling training and fights in a college wrestling room. It’s about getting the mentality back to putting my body through that inside and outside of the cage and not worrying about a pretty fight, but just get the job done no matter how I can get the victory.”

At The Ultimate Fighter Finale, Ken Stone better be ready to be transported back in time to his college wrestling room days at Bridgewater State University. “Young Guns” would like nothing better than to turn this into a “who breaks first” type of fight. “In a college wrestling match, pins don’t come very often. We call them grind matches. I try to turn every fight into a grind match.”

After waiting on the sidelines for six months, waiting to put his worst performance behind him, waiting to make his official UFC debut and waiting to get back into the title picture – Scott Jorgensen is itching to fight. “I’m ready to fight and ready to knock this ring rust off of me. I’m back to being me, so get ready for war.”

Hamill –
Matt Hamill
Matt Hamill’s story of
triumphing in collegiate wrestling and then MMA despite being deaf has
inspired fans worldwide and, now, a film adaptation of his life. The
Ultimate Fighter season 3 alum’s amazing journey is chronicled in this
coming of age drama and Hamill is played masterfully by young actor
Russell Harvard.

Co-starring in the film, which hits theaters this fall after racking up an armful of festival awards: Hamill’s friend and former opponent, Rich “Ace” Franklin. Watch trailer

Fightville – Dustin Poirier and Tim Credeur
It’s the new American dream: professional MMA fighter. An engaging and gritty documentary about what it means to fight in the cage and what it takes to succeed at it, the film follows now-UFC featherweight Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier as he starts in local Louisiana shows. It also showcases TUF’s “Crazy Tim” in his real-life role as coach and mentor.

Recently bought by Showtime, this doc picked up major buzz when it was accepted earlier this year into the South by Southwest film festival and screened at the Hot Docs festival in Toronto last month. Watch trailer

Once I Was a Champion – Evan Tanner
This beautiful retrospective of the former UFC middleweight champion also offers an unflinching look at his life. Evan Tanner was a fan favorite with his gutsy in-ring performances. Outside the cage, Tanner was a deeply emotional person who remained a constant mystery to even his closest friends. This documentary presents an evolving image of the famed fighter through myriad interviews after his untimely death. Watch trailer

Like Water – Anderson Silva
This documentary follows the reigning UFC Middleweight Champion and P4P great in preparation for his highly-publicized title defense against Chael Sonnen at UFC 117. It’s a peek into “The Spider’s” training, friendships, family, and fighting philosophy.

It also features some rare insights into what went into the victory over Sonnen, such as his rib injury and his specific plan to win via submission. Watch trailer

Legacy – Renzo Gracie
From Renzo Gracie’s bare-knuckle fights in Brazil to his historic MMA matches in front of 40,000+ in Japan, an incomprehensible 10 years of filming went into this documentary, showing the drastic changes the world of MMA has gone through all while following easily one of its greatest personalities.

“Legacy” is truly a testament to a highly respected fighter, teacher and ambassador of MMA. The movie also features much of Gracie’s much loved candor, which will certainly make you a huge fan if you aren’t already (which you should be). Watch trailer

The Striking Truth – Georges St-Pierre and David Loiseau
The most famous name in MMA today is UFC Welterweight Champion Georges “Rush” St-Pierre. This behind-the-scenes documentary charts four years of both St-Pierre’s career, and that of former UFC fighter and teammate/friend David “The Crow” Loiseau.

It is a rare look into the personal and professional lives of two UFC fighters for an extended period of time. The two stories are told through an unfiltered lens, showing both their victories and their defeat in its rawest form. Watch trailer

Choke – Rickson Gracie
A truly must see for MMA diehards is the classic documentary of the ever-enigmatic and near mythical Rickson Gracie. “Choke” reveals the human side of the long considered greatest Gracie Jiu-Jitsu practitioner.

The movie focuses on Gracie’s training leading up to the 1995 Vale Tudo tournament in Tokyo, Japan as well as the three fights themselves. As engrossing as Rickson Gracie is, the quiet star of the film is the charismatic Royler Gracie. Watch the famous workout scene

Nothing is more dangerous than a man with a plan who has the means to accomplish it. That man is UFC welterweight Rick “The Horror” Story. That plan is becoming the undisputed 170 pound champion. The means is winning every which way he can, as Story is riding a five fight win streak that features a TKO, a “Submission of the Night” and a few hard fought decisions. The next step on Story’s path towards a title shot is defeating a top 10 opponent: Thiago Alves.

“I’m making a name for myself. I’m taking the steps in the right direction by winning five straight. Simply, I hate losing and I like winning. Fighting in this organization is everything for me. It is everything that I’ve been working for. I set a goal for myself to be a world champion and I’m doing what I need to do to get there. I’m a goal oriented person. I made a list of things I need to do to accomplish that goal. Alves is on that list and in my way.”

On May 28th at UFC 130 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Story and the “Pitbull” will do battle in the Octagon to get that much closer to a fight for the gold belt. For Story, defeating a famous former number one contender would do wonders for his burgeoning career. Meanwhile, if Alves wants a second title shot he needs to build off his decision victory over John Howard at UFC 124, which was his first win in two years, by beating this surging newcomer.

This matchup of two big, aggressive welterweights who like to control the center of the cage appears to be Heaven sent, but it was one specifically asked for by Story. “My coach and myself were just talking about who would be a good fight for me and he brought up Thiago Alves,” states the 26 year old without any hint of sarcasm about an opponent often referred to as the “Muay Thai wrecking machine”. “I was like ‘okay, that sounds good, let’s go for it’ and we just asked for him. There was no second guessing about it or any hesitation. I’ll train my ass off for it and train with the same camp that helped me win in the past, so let’s keep it going.”

The Southern Oregon University graduate stands a mighty 5-10, is chiseled out of granite and is a wrestling powerhouse with a 12-3 record. But, the scariest part of “The Horror” is him being genuinely excited that the UFC accepted his proposal to fight such a revered knockout artist. “I thought it was awesome. I was like ‘shoot, we can just call guys out like that and get it?’ I thought it was pretty cool.”

One answer to why Alves was called out, Story says, “he’s got a big name and he’s ranked top 10 in the world.” But the follow-up answer of Story’s is more telling about his confidence in this fight, “stylistically we thought it would be a perfect matchup for me.” It’s the cage-fighting classic confrontation of opposing styles: the standup versus the ground. “He’s a kickboxer and I’m a wrestler. Let’s be realistic, he has, against top wrestlers, faded in later rounds and he’s done it a few times and that was something we wanted to go after.”

Story’s gameplan in this fight is the same as with all his fights: pressure. As soon as the cage door shuts, he will come across the cage like a freight train, making Alves work. Whether it is defending takedowns, getting back to standing, jockeying for position in the clinch or turning this into a brawl, “The Horror” wants to push the pace just like a certain two-time winner over Alves has. “The proof is in his fights against Jon Fitch. A top wrestler with really good Jiu-Jitsu as well and a better gas tank. I don’t think there is anything more to say.”

Taking the fight to his opponent and keeping it there has been a trademark for Story in the Octagon. His five fight win streak started with an impressive “Submission of the Night” arm triangle choke on Brian Foster at UFC 103 that was also awarded “Fight of the Night”. In 2010, he fought and won four fights, beginning with a pair of split decisions over Jesse Lennox and Nick Osipczak. At UFC 117, Story hit submission specialist Dustin Hazelett with punishing body blows for a second round TKO. Most recently, he ground out a unanimous decision over Johny Hendricks, making Story the first man to beat the collegiate wrestling superstar.

As for Alves in the cage, the critics have been raving that the “Pitbull” is back because of his dominant standup duel victory over Howard in December. “It was by far the best he looked in a while, but anyone can stand around and throw a few punches and kicks and stuff and not get tired,” asserts Story, declaring that the Howard fight is not a good representation of what Alves will be in for at UFC 130. “The pace wasn’t pushed on Alves. Howard kind of let Alves pick his game. I just think with someone constantly in his face, it’s going to be a different story.”

Story is preparing for this fight where he always has: Team Brave Legion in Vancouver, Washington. “The training each day is regimented to a way where it is very intense and I focus on whatever I need to do for my game plan,” Story explains of this practical approach from his coaches Pat White, Ray Armstrong and Patrick Briceno. “Also, I’m constantly reminded of what the repercussions would be if I don’t show up and fight well. It’s motivation, hard training, and hard work – that’s what we’re all about.”

Another source of motivation for Story, the pseudo trash talking by the “Pitbull”. In several interviews, Alves has stated he is looking to make quick work of Story – submission or knockout – and stay injury free, so he will be eligible to fight at UFC 134, which is in Alves’ native Brazil. What does Story think of Alves underestimating him? “Let him. He’s going to be in for a rude awakening. He better hope he knocks me out quick because, if not, he’s going to be in a war that he wasn’t at all expecting.”

At UFC 130, two bruising welterweights are going to lock horns to decide the layout of their weight class. For years, Alves’ powerful striking held opponents at bay and kept him high on the divisional ladder. Now, a young challenger with a brutal wrestling style wants nothing more than to match brawn with brawn in the center of the Octagon.

“Everyone I go against always comments on my strength. I think my power to weight ratio is very good. I’ve wrestled really big yoked guys before and manhandled them. The size doesn’t do anything to me, I couldn’t care less. I don’t shy away from anything or anyone. I like always pushing forward and meeting in the middle and butting heads.”

If all goes according to his plan, “The Horror” will come out on top and be one step closer to his goal: a championship. “You’re not anything until you’re a champion and if you’re not a champion then no one is going to remember you.” And no fighter would be more deserving of a title shot than one with the name ‘Thiago Alves’ crossed off their list.

Nothing is more dangerous than a man with a plan who has the means to accomplish it. That man is UFC welterweight Rick “The Horror” Story. That plan is becoming the undisputed 170 pound champion. The means is winning every which way he can, as Story is riding a five fight win streak that features a TKO, a “Submission of the Night” and a few hard fought decisions. The next step on Story’s path towards a title shot is defeating a top 10 opponent: Thiago Alves.

“I’m making a name for myself. I’m taking the steps in the right direction by winning five straight. Simply, I hate losing and I like winning. Fighting in this organization is everything for me. It is everything that I’ve been working for. I set a goal for myself to be a world champion and I’m doing what I need to do to get there. I’m a goal oriented person. I made a list of things I need to do to accomplish that goal. Alves is on that list and in my way.”

On May 28th at UFC 130 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Story and the “Pitbull” will do battle in the Octagon to get that much closer to a fight for the gold belt. For Story, defeating a famous former number one contender would do wonders for his burgeoning career. Meanwhile, if Alves wants a second title shot he needs to build off his decision victory over John Howard at UFC 124, which was his first win in two years, by beating this surging newcomer.

This matchup of two big, aggressive welterweights who like to control the center of the cage appears to be Heaven sent, but it was one specifically asked for by Story. “My coach and myself were just talking about who would be a good fight for me and he brought up Thiago Alves,” states the 26 year old without any hint of sarcasm about an opponent often referred to as the “Muay Thai wrecking machine”. “I was like ‘okay, that sounds good, let’s go for it’ and we just asked for him. There was no second guessing about it or any hesitation. I’ll train my ass off for it and train with the same camp that helped me win in the past, so let’s keep it going.”

The Southern Oregon University graduate stands a mighty 5-10, is chiseled out of granite and is a wrestling powerhouse with a 12-3 record. But, the scariest part of “The Horror” is him being genuinely excited that the UFC accepted his proposal to fight such a revered knockout artist. “I thought it was awesome. I was like ‘shoot, we can just call guys out like that and get it?’ I thought it was pretty cool.”

One answer to why Alves was called out, Story says, “he’s got a big name and he’s ranked top 10 in the world.” But the follow-up answer of Story’s is more telling about his confidence in this fight, “stylistically we thought it would be a perfect matchup for me.” It’s the cage-fighting classic confrontation of opposing styles: the standup versus the ground. “He’s a kickboxer and I’m a wrestler. Let’s be realistic, he has, against top wrestlers, faded in later rounds and he’s done it a few times and that was something we wanted to go after.”

Story’s gameplan in this fight is the same as with all his fights: pressure. As soon as the cage door shuts, he will come across the cage like a freight train, making Alves work. Whether it is defending takedowns, getting back to standing, jockeying for position in the clinch or turning this into a brawl, “The Horror” wants to push the pace just like a certain two-time winner over Alves has. “The proof is in his fights against Jon Fitch. A top wrestler with really good Jiu-Jitsu as well and a better gas tank. I don’t think there is anything more to say.”

Taking the fight to his opponent and keeping it there has been a trademark for Story in the Octagon. His five fight win streak started with an impressive “Submission of the Night” arm triangle choke on Brian Foster at UFC 103 that was also awarded “Fight of the Night”. In 2010, he fought and won four fights, beginning with a pair of split decisions over Jesse Lennox and Nick Osipczak. At UFC 117, Story hit submission specialist Dustin Hazelett with punishing body blows for a second round TKO. Most recently, he ground out a unanimous decision over Johny Hendricks, making Story the first man to beat the collegiate wrestling superstar.

As for Alves in the cage, the critics have been raving that the “Pitbull” is back because of his dominant standup duel victory over Howard in December. “It was by far the best he looked in a while, but anyone can stand around and throw a few punches and kicks and stuff and not get tired,” asserts Story, declaring that the Howard fight is not a good representation of what Alves will be in for at UFC 130. “The pace wasn’t pushed on Alves. Howard kind of let Alves pick his game. I just think with someone constantly in his face, it’s going to be a different story.”

Story is preparing for this fight where he always has: Team Brave Legion in Vancouver, Washington. “The training each day is regimented to a way where it is very intense and I focus on whatever I need to do for my game plan,” Story explains of this practical approach from his coaches Pat White, Ray Armstrong and Patrick Briceno. “Also, I’m constantly reminded of what the repercussions would be if I don’t show up and fight well. It’s motivation, hard training, and hard work – that’s what we’re all about.”

Another source of motivation for Story, the pseudo trash talking by the “Pitbull”. In several interviews, Alves has stated he is looking to make quick work of Story – submission or knockout – and stay injury free, so he will be eligible to fight at UFC 134, which is in Alves’ native Brazil. What does Story think of Alves underestimating him? “Let him. He’s going to be in for a rude awakening. He better hope he knocks me out quick because, if not, he’s going to be in a war that he wasn’t at all expecting.”

At UFC 130, two bruising welterweights are going to lock horns to decide the layout of their weight class. For years, Alves’ powerful striking held opponents at bay and kept him high on the divisional ladder. Now, a young challenger with a brutal wrestling style wants nothing more than to match brawn with brawn in the center of the Octagon.

“Everyone I go against always comments on my strength. I think my power to weight ratio is very good. I’ve wrestled really big yoked guys before and manhandled them. The size doesn’t do anything to me, I couldn’t care less. I don’t shy away from anything or anyone. I like always pushing forward and meeting in the middle and butting heads.”

If all goes according to his plan, “The Horror” will come out on top and be one step closer to his goal: a championship. “You’re not anything until you’re a champion and if you’re not a champion then no one is going to remember you.” And no fighter would be more deserving of a title shot than one with the name ‘Thiago Alves’ crossed off their list.

The UFC is in the honeymoon stage with its bantamweights. Last year’s marriage between the UFC and the WEC ushered in a vast talent pool of lighter fighters, and the sprightliest of the weight classes has quickly become one of the most compelling in the company.

There are almost too many great 135ers to name and each one more exciting than the next. Brian Bowles, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez, Michael McDonald, Takeya Mizugaki, and the list goes on and on. Not to mention, the champion Dominick Cruz and his number one contender Urijah Faber.

It’s a matchmaker’s dream come true, as it’s impossible to make a bad matchup for the fans. Even if a fighter is forced to withdraw due to injury, there is a litany of high level fighters waiting in the wings ready to step-in and, possibly, make an even more entertaining fight than the original. Case in point: Demetrious Johnson vs. Miguel Angel Torres at UFC 130.

Originally, Torres, the former WEC bantamweight champion, was scheduled to fight British brawler Brad “One Punch” Pickett. That would’ve been a fun fight. On the same card, Johnson was set to face Brazilian submission machine Renan Barao. That would’ve been a wonderful fight. But, Pickett gets injured and the UFC calls Johnson in to replace him. Meanwhile, Barao will now fight WEC veteran Cole Escovedo. There is simply no wrong move to be made with these bantamweights.

“When (matchmaker) Sean Shelby called, Matt [Hume] said ‘are you asking him or telling him to fight Miguel Torres because DJ will do what you tell him to do.’ This is my job. This is what they pay me to do. They don’t pay me to go out there to look pretty. They pay me to go out there and fight and I like to fight. Whether it is Renan Barao or Miguel Torres, I feel exactly the same about the fight. My coaches put together a solid gameplan and then I’m ready to fight.”

That’s the short and sweet of it for the 5-foot-3 Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. The opponents are interchangeable. They’re all tough and Johnson is ready, willing, and able to take them on to get to the top. Being a professional fighter is about training, fighting and winning, regardless of who the competition is.

Even with the switch of opponents, there were no hiccups in the 24 year old’s fight preparation at AMC Pankration in Kirkland, Washington. “When I was training for Renan Barao I was already training really hard for him,” Johnson continues. “When they switched it to Miguel Torres, I just kept on track, preparing myself to be the best ‘Mighty Mouse’ I can be on May 28th. I added a little bit more to spice up my cardio, so my gas tank is longer and my explosion is stronger. I’m excited to get in there and mix it up with Miguel Torres.”

On paper, this is a bigger fight for Johnson, considering Torres is easily one of the most famous and respected names in the bantamweight division. “It’s nice to fight Miguel Torres because there’s a lot more in it for me if I win, but I approach all the fights the same,” notes Johnson. But beating a well-known fighter has its perks, which he knows all about after his UFC 126 win over Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto. “I’m just looking to go in there and execute my gameplan. Make sure to go in there and give 110% and make it an exciting fight for the fans. At the end of the day if my bosses Sean Shelby, Joe Silva and Dana White are happy with the fight, then that’s it.”

The keys to Johnson’s gameplan are speed and movement and lots of both. “I’m not going to let you hit me, but I’m going to put pressure on you until you make mistakes, like I did with ‘Kid’ Yamamoto,” says Johnson about his flawless unanimous decision performance against the revered Japanese superstar. “I’ll capitalize on those mistakes and make you pay for it. I plan on going out and doing my usual, putting pressure on him and using my footwork.”

An aggressive fight with a frenetic pace is exactly what the fans have to come to expect from him. There’s a certain buzz about this fight, which is a mixture of Johnson’s style and Torres’ last fight. There are high expectations for Torres in the UFC, but his debut bout against Antonio Banuelos was the least exciting of Torres’ Zuffa career. It was a three round conservative striking match, where neither fighter appeared to take a risk or to get inside on the other.

“His last fight with Antonio Banuelos, everyone got to see what he wants to do with shorter fighters. Antonio was scared to engage him and I don’t blame Antonio Banuelos. Miguel Torres didn’t want to engage Banuelos either. He played the tall man’s game, but in the UFC you want to see attacking fights where guys go all out.”

Johnson will need to break through the taller Torres’ game, where recently other fighters Johnson’s size have failed. “He’s been knocking off the 5-3 wrestlers, Charlie Valencia, Antonio Banuelos,” jokes Johnson about Torres’ back-to-back wins against pint-sized opponents, but prior to that, Torres did lose to Joseph Benavidez due to a second round guillotine choke. “It crosses my mind that he’s 5-9 with a reach of 76 inches. He’s real tall, lanky and boney for the weight class. But I’m short and compact, so if he wants to him me in my head he has to bend down to hit me, when all I have to do is raise my arm up to hit him.”

“Mighty Mouse” has been battling and overcoming size advantages his whole career, earning him his 13-1 record, a three fight win streak and his nickname from teammate Steve Skidds. “I walk around at like 140, so I’m the smallest guy and I’m 5-3, so I’m also the shortest,” Johnson continues, noting that his big ears explain the “mouse” part, but as far as the “mighty”, it has to do with who he trains with. “I’ve sparred with guys like Tim Boetsch, Rich Franklin, Matt Brown, and I’ll hang with them too. Back in the day when I was an amateur, I weighed 126 and I was still training with bigger guys like Matt Brown, so that’s how that nickname landed on me.”

On May 28th in Las Vegas, Nevada, the question of speed versus size will be answered as Johnson takes on Torres. “I always move, I always make sure my opponent never gets a lock on me,” says the rising star, who will push the fight every second against the former WEC bantamweight champion. “It’s going to be a good fight for the fans and a good fight for the UFC to see where the bantamweight division lies.” And with the 135-pound division in the hands of contenders like “Mighty Mouse”, this marriage of the UFC and lighter fighters will never lose its spark.