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Rising Tide: Dustin Poirier Ready to Prove He Is a Top Featherweight in UFC

Over the course of their career, adversity becomes a constant for a mixed martial artist. They must learn to adapt, adjust, and persevere through every circumstance and obstacle. The most common of which comes from the opposition standing across from them in the cage as another talented, highly-skilled combatant prepares to halt their progress in any way imaginable.

For 23-year-old Dustin Poirier, every fight is a lesson learned. While he may not always have the answer at the ready, he’ll do whatever it takes to ensure mistakes made once in the fire of competition will never happen again.

Following the merger of the WEC roster into the UFC, “The Diamond” strung together four impressive victories. On the strength of those performances, Poirier quickly climbed the ladder of a featherweight division still taking shape.

With momentum at his back, he squared off with Chan Sung Jung in the main event at UFC on Fuel TV 3. After an action packed, four-round scrap which earned both men Fight of the Night honors, Poirier was submitted and suffered his first loss in nearly two years.

Eager to get back on track, the Louisiana native set about finding the answers to what went wrong. In order to make this happen, Poirier realized he needed to change his training environment and put himself in a place where he would be challenged in every aspect of the fight game. While this meant leaving his long-time trainer Tim Creduer and his team in Louisiana, once he landed at American Top Team in Coconut Creek FL., Poirier knew he had found a new home.

“I’ve been with Tim Creduer for along time,” Poirier told Bleacher Report. “When I met Tim Creduer I had maybe five or six amateur fights, then I fought a couple more under Tim and went pro. Even in the documentary (Fightville) a lot of those were amateur fights.

“I’ve fought 14 professional fights with Tim Creduer in my corner, and training with the same guys in Louisiana. I just started to realize a few things and it’s not because of my loss to Korean Zombie. I realized I needed to be around other top level fighters, getting beat up and pushed.

“I’ve said this in other interviews but I felt I was a big fish in a small pond. I needed to get beaten up, taken down and put on my back. I needed to get knocked down a couple of times and that’s what happened here in Florida at American Top Team.

“I came here for three weeks, the coaches were all great and everybody was fun to work with. On top of that, it’s south Florida and I love it here. I just felt it was the right move. After three weeks of being here I really clicked with the guys and the coaches were top notch. It was the right move.”

For a young fighter like Poirier, the change of scenery comes at a crucial time in his development. In three years as a professional fighter he has gone from dominating the regional circuit in Louisiana to being a prospect on the verge of title contention in the sport’s most successful organization.

In addition to natural talent, Poirier brings a well-rounded skill set, complete with a slick submission game and proven knockout power. All the pieces to the puzzle are there for him to become one of the world’s best featherweights.

He has never doubted his abilities, but it took a victory inside the Octagon for him to feel he belonged in competition with the sport’s top fighters.

“When I won my first fight in the WEC, then we switched over to the UFC and I beat Josh Grispi, I really felt like I belonged competing with the top guys in the world,” Poirier said. “I knew I was good—I never lacked confidence, but that made me realize I belonged fighting with the best guys. When I realized that, things finally started to come together for me and I felt really comfortable.”

As the momentum began to build, Poirier began to feel as if everything was finally starting to click. He earned victories in his next three outings, but dominant performances against Pablo Garza and Max Holloway solidified Poirier as one the best in the 145-pound weight class.

“In the Pablo Garza fight, I felt like I could have done anything I wanted to him,” Poirier said. “I felt like I could have hit him with anything and I was a step ahead of him. The same thing in the fight with Max Holloway.

“He was throwing a lot of crazy stuff. He was trying to be too explosive in the first round, trying to be crazy, and making a highlight reel out of the fight. I think that caught up with him and I felt I had a huge advantage on the ground so I took it there. Being able to see that in a fight and make it happen is where you want to be. I definitely was a step ahead in that fight as well.”

Following his first-round victory submission victory over Holloway at UFC 143, Poirier‘s name began to appear in title contention talk. He was slated to face Chan Sung Jung in Fairfax VA., and from the opening bell, the two men set a frenetic pace. Each looked to impose their respective wills as the action spilled to all corners of the Octagon.

As the fight carried on, “The Korean Zombie” swung the momentum in his favor, and in the fourth round, locked in a fight-ending d’arce choke. The loss took Poirier out of contention for the time being but it’s a negative experience he has since found positives within.

“That was a battle,” Poirier said about his fight with Chan Sung Jung. “I learn from every loss and I learn from every win. That was four tough rounds we fought. I was in a lot of bad positions and I got out to put myself in good positions. I just didn’t do what I was supposed to do in that fight.

“When I had him hurt I needed to finish him and I felt as if I didn’t pull the trigger. I don’t know what it was. I just didn’t feel like myself in that fight and I’m definitely going to make it up in my next one.

“It was a battle and I was prepared for a 25-minute fight. Now a 15-minute fight looks different. Of course a 15-minute fight against the top guys in the world is going to be hard but after preparing for a five-round fight, I feel I’m ready for any 15-minute fight that comes my way.”

Poirier will not have to wait long for his chance to get back on track as he faces Jonathan Brookins at the The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale on Dec. 15th in Las Vegas. In the bout with the former TUF alum, Poirier will face a tough opponent who will be looking to bring the fight directly to him. It is a challenge he’s looking forward to and plans on making a statement when the cage door closes.

“[Brookins] is a grinder man,” Poirier said. “He has a great chin and hard to break. You don’t break that guy. He’s in there for the long run. You have to go in there and finish him. He does a great job of wearing guys down, making guys carry his weight, beating them up against the fence, and fighting his type of fight. I’m excited about this fight and feel I can really shine in a matchup like this against another southpaw.

“My killer instinct is going to be on full blast. I’m going in there to finish Jonathan Brookins. I’m not trying to have a kickboxing or wrestling match with him. I want to make it a nasty fight and finish him. I want to show fans that I’m still here and I belong with the top guys in the division.”

While he may only be in the early stages of a promising career, Poirier has learned plenty of lessons along the way. In a growing sport filled with rising stars and personalities, he is fully aware of the importance of making the most out of every opportunity.

The talent in the featherweight division is on the rise and the time to establish himself as one of the division’s elite has arrived. There is urgency in the matter, but in Poirier‘s mind, it has been there since the moment he decided to forge a career in mixed martial arts.

Simply being a name in the sport isn’t enough. He wants to be the best. He knows every step is crucial on his way up the ladder and keeping his foot on the gas pedal is the only way to get to the top.

“I’m always looking to do that,” Poirier explained about staying on the fast track. “I’ve been trying to do that since the first time I put a pair of mixed martial arts gloves on. That’s the name of the game. You lose a couple of fights you’re gone.

“That’s the truth of mixed martial arts and fighting in the UFC. You are trying to stay relevant and every fight matters. If you are on a 10-fight win streak or lost two in a row; every fight matters. I’m just trying to put wins together, keep evolving my skills, and remain relevant in this sport.”

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Retirement in MMA: Walking Away from the Cage Can Be a Difficult Choice to Make

Let’s turn our imaginations on for a moment and picture the scenario.You are a professional mixed martial artist. You have made a career out of trading punches, knees, kicks, and elbows with other human beings in contests to discover who has more skill…

Let’s turn our imaginations on for a moment and picture the scenario.

You are a professional mixed martial artist. You have made a career out of trading punches, knees, kicks, and elbows with other human beings in contests to discover who has more skill, determination and heart.

Where others find validation inside an office or on a work site, you define yourself on preparation and execution in combat. There is no time clock at the gym but you embrace the fact that after six weeks of putting your body and mind through hell, you have everything you need to step into the cage and give it your all. It is a process that has been repeated countless times and becomes just another sacrifice to ensure you make that walk.

When fight night finally arrives, you attempt to find calm head space while “Stitch” Duran wraps your hands and gives you the talk. It’s a place you’ve been plenty of times before, but this time it is different. There is more hanging in the balance than ever before and the urgency only adds to the nerves. After warming up backstage it is time to make your way to the cage and once the door closes behind you, everything you have spent years attempting to perfect is put to the test.

The lights are bright, fans are screaming, and the person standing across the cage is moments away from unleashing his worst intentions upon you. This is the life you’ve chosen and nothing has ever made more sense than it does once the referee steps aside.

Whether the action lasted one minute or 15, this time was different. It was your last fight and the rest of your life has arrived as the arena lights go out. Walking away from the sport can’t be an easy choice, and often times many other factors affect the decision.

Earlier this week UFC president Dana White announced the official retirement of Stephan Bonnar. For more than a decade “The American Psycho” gave MMA fans a reason to get excited any time his name was on the card. The Indiana native experienced varying degrees of success and failure inside the cage, but his contribution as a catalyst to the UFC’s boom is difficult to dispute. While his curtain-call performance against Anderson Silva didn’t have a Hollywood ending, Bonnar‘s decision to walk away from the sport brings to light an interesting aspect to examine. It is a place every fighter will eventually stand but the method of arrival is rarely the same.

You are only as good as your last fight…well sort of

The topic header may be an infamous MMA cliche but holds a fair amount of truth in the realm of fan perspective. What happens during that final performance is often the memory that remains. Eventually enough time will pass where, depending on the amount of success obtained, fans will begin to revise the peaks and valleys of a fighter’s career.

There may be no better example of a fighter leaving on a high note than Chris Lytle. The “fight night” bonus machine’s career spanned 12 years, 49 professional fights, and small but successful stints in the world of boxing. Going into his bout with Dan Hardy in August of 2011, Lytle made the decision his throwdown with “The Outlaw” would be his last. Due to the styles both men brought to the cage, it was sure to be a fan friendly affair, and the two men did not disappoint.

After two full rounds of exchanging leather and Lytle being rocked on two occasions, “Lights Out” performed a fight-ending guillotine in the final frame. His performance against Hardy was a perfect display of the the level of grit and determination Lytle had spent a career showcasing. In addition to the victory he also walked away winning “Fight of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” bonuses. While he never held a title in the UFC, Lytle capped an impressive career with a storybook ending.

On the flip side of that coin is Chuck Liddell. Where the UFC had stars in the pre-Zuffa era, “The Iceman” became the first superstar of a new generation. With his signature mohawk and brick-heavy hands, Liddell dropped bodies to the canvas at every turn. He became a sensation for his ability to separate his opponents from their consciousness and for a large part of the past decade, he held the torch for the light heavyweight division.

But as great as Liddell may have been in that run, once things took a turn the wrong way, the momentum was too much to stop. After losing his title to Quinton “Rampage” Jackson in 2007, the Hall of Fame fighter went on to drop three of his next four outings.

In the midst of the backslide he showed flashes of his maestro of violence abilities by defeating Wanderlei Silva in a “Fight of the Year” performance, but getting knocked out in brutal fashion over his next three fights was enough to have close friend Dana White make the call for Liddell‘s retirement.

While the end of his career wasn’t anywhere near ideal for Liddell, the success he experienced in winning world titles and successfully defending his throne were enough to make him a legend.

Tough news prompts a new direction

Where fighters like Liddell and Lytle are heralded, there are far more who come to the retirement crossroads without ever reaching the upper-levels of the sport. These decisions are often based on a series of losses or setbacks, both inside and outside of the cage, which ultimately dictate a change of direction.

Following his loss to Jacob Volkmann at UFC on FX 5 in October, Shane Roller announced he was retiring from MMA. The three-time All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State University had dropped four of his past five bouts inside the Octagon.

With a release from the UFC looming in the near future, Roller decided to take it upon himself to retire. He made the announcement public through his Twitter account stating it was time to begin the next chapter of his life.

The former NCAA Division I standout found success inside the WEC but failed to gain footing inside the Octagon. Prior to his UFC debut Roller had notable wins over Danny Castillo, Anthony Njokuani, and former champion Jamie Varner. His only two losses during his him time in the blue cage came against champions Benson Henderson and Anthony Pettis.

He made a solid statement with a “Knockout of the Night” against Thiago Tavares in his first UFC showing. Following the victory over Tavares, Rolller dropped three straight and was never able to build momentum.

Jason “Mayhem” Miller had a similar experience during his time in the UFC. While there is no doubt Miller holds a higher profile in the sport of mixed martial arts, his highly anticipated return to the UFC fell short of delivering the fireworks most expected.

The “Bully Beatdown” host was among a small group fighters who were able to build their name outside of the UFC. Where others had been able to raise their stock fighting in the Pride organization, Miller skipped around the sport for the majority of his career.

When the news hit Miller was signing with the sport’s biggest promotion, things finally appeared to be settling down for the veteran. But his stint in the UFC would only last a year as “Mayhem” came out on the business end of fights with Michael Bisping and C.B. Dollaway. After his loss to “The Doberman” at UFC 146 in May, White announced Miller had been released from the organization.

The retirement dance

The history of mainstream sports is filled with athletes who have retired, un-retired and retired again. In fact, it is such a common situation in the world of sports, fans now look at retirement announcements as being a temporary situation. Most believe it will only be a matter of time before their favorite athlete returns. This sets a skewed expectation and the world of MMA is no different.

The announcement to walk away is one thing, but the ability to stay away is another. Hall of Fame fighter Randy Couture and future Hall of Famer B.J. Penn have both jumped back and forth over the retirement line during their storied careers.

“The Natural” announced his retirement in 2006 only to return a year later and win the UFC heavyweight title. Later that year he resigned from the UFC due to a contract dispute but ultimately returned for another successful run to finish his career.

During the final stages of his time in MMA, “Captain America” was able to build a successful base in the world of acting, and this has provided a life outside of fighting for the former two-divisional champion.

Following his loss to Nick Diaz at UFC 137, Penn announced he was retiring from MMA. A short while after telling Joe Rogan he was done with the sport, “The Prodigy” made a post on his website stating his retirement wasn’t official, but a hiatus certainly was.

Penn’s time away didn’t last long as he accepted a fight with rising welterweight star Rory MacDonald earlier this year. The matchup was originally slated for UFC 152 in September but a cut suffered by MacDonald pushed the bout back. It has since been rescheduled for UFC on Fox 5 on Dec. 8 in Seattle.

The skipping back and forth between fighting and retirement creates a strange anticipation in MMA fans, and the two best examples of the retirement phenomenon in mixed martial arts are Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar. “The Last Emperor” will go down as one of the greatest heavyweight fighters of all time while Lesnar became a UFC champion and a pay-per-view juggernaut in the process. Their accomplishments inside the cage can’t be compared, but the loyalty of their fanbases are unmatched.

Each man retired from the sport for different reasons, but have moved on to different aspects of their lives. This doesn’t stop MMA fans from not only wanting, but anticipating their return, and this keeps the weight to their name value thriving. Any time there is mention of Fedor or Brock, or even better Fedor vs. Brock, a passionate fanbase comes alive with vigor.

While Fedor and Brock are unlikely to return to action, other stars jump in and out of the retirement ship. Most recently the talk has been fixed on Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and his impending retirement. The welterweight legend told Ariel Helwani during a stop by “The MMA Hour” that while he is not retired yet, it looks like that is where he is heading.

It has been over a year since he last appeared inside the Octagon and the 39-year-old has found peace outside of the cage spending time with his family. This doesn’t mean there isn’t an interesting fight somewhere out in the MMA universe for Hughes, but at the same time, he doesn’t appear to have an issue with his great career coming to a close.

Time for the next step

It has been several weeks since the decision was made to bring your career to an end. Now you look around in an effort to find the things you connected with before you journeyed down the path to a fighting career.

For some, the options are plenty. A successful career in mixed martial arts has allowed you to branch off into other forms of entertainment and business. For others those particular possibilities don’t exist. It is onto the next adventure in their lives and when it is all said done, fighting may be nothing more than an afterthought.

Once the lights go out for the final time and the thing which defined you for years is gone, it is a difficult thing to stay away from. There will always be a lure to return (money, fans, competition) but whether the pull of the mind matches the ability of the body is a different story.

It is a place every fighter must come to, and the decision to cross that line is one every fighter has to make on his own.

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Rich Franklin: Standing the Test of Time

Rich Franklin has given a lot to mixed martial arts.Over his 13-year career, the former UFC middleweight champion has amassed a diverse resume, stepping up to trade leather with a list of the world’s best time and time again. His journey across the spo…

Rich Franklin has given a lot to mixed martial arts.

Over his 13-year career, the former UFC middleweight champion has amassed a diverse resume, stepping up to trade leather with a list of the world’s best time and time again. His journey across the sport’s ever-changing landscape has featured numerous highs and a handful of lows, but through it all, the 38-year-old Franklin outlasted many of his contemporaries and has accomplished the difficult task of remaining relevant in sport where time is unforgiving.

Not to say there hasn’t been rough patches for the Cincinnati native. The 185-pound title he once proudly held has drifted out of reach over the past five years, but Franklin’s willingness to alter courses has kept him on the short list of “go-to-guys” when issues arise under the UFC banner.

No matter the situation, Franklin always shows up to scrap and his reputation as a class act is etched into the organization’s history.

While his career may be moving into the latter stages, “Ace” isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. After spending the past four years bouncing between light heavyweight and catchweight bouts, Franklin will return to the division he once ruled when he faces former Strikeforce champion Cung Le in the main event of UFC on Fuel 6 in Macao, China. Whether this chapter of his career is the next or the final, the former math teacher-turned-UFC champion has definitely made a lasting impression.

A Rising Star in Zuffa’s UFC

As the days of Royce Gracie and Dan Severn faded and the Zuffa takeover got underway, the organization was in desperate need of marketable stars. In order to accomplish this feat, the UFC was banking on a wave of rising talent, mixed with a batch of proven veterans, to get the brand to the next level.

In a group which included the likes of Hall of Fame fighters Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes and Randy Couture, Franklin helped to elevate the visibility of the organization. Much like his peers, Franklin quickly developed a reputation for putting on action-packed throwdowns as he claimed victory in seven consecutive outings, with all but one coming by way of finish.

Over this run Franklin also became the middleweight champion by defeating Evan Tanner, following it up with a brutal knockout victory at the expense of Nate Quarry at UFC 56. A straight left hand down the pipe, a dead-on connection as Quarry went stiff, and an eternal loop into the UFC’s highlight reel was made.

As the post-TUF surge hit the MMA world, Liddell, Franklin and Hughes ushered in a reign of dominant champions for the UFC. The organization’s visibility was rising at a rapid rate and the three fighters became stars in the process. In 2005 “The Iceman” was settling the opposition in style, Hughes looked untouchable and Franklin’s output overwhelmed everyone the UFC put in front of him.

Their collective successes came at a crucial time during the UFC’s growth, but unfortunately for all three champions, a new wave of superstars were hungry to get their turns. Over the next year and a half Franklin, Liddell and Hughes were dethroned and Anderson Silva, Quinton Jackson and Georges St-Pierre were crowned.

Looking For Answers

Following his loss to Silva at UFC 64, Franklin was eager to get back on track. He worked hard to earn acclaim as one of the best middleweights in the world and quickly set about regaining his momentum.

In his first outing since losing the title, Franklin battered veteran Jason MacDonald for two rounds causing “The Athlete’s” corner to stop the fight before the start of the third. The win reinvigorated the former champion and earned Franklin a slot in a title eliminator bout with Yushin Okami.

He would also find success against Okami as he brought “Thunder’s” six fight win streak to a halt at UFC 72. Following back-to-back victories, the UFC gave Franklin the opportunity he had been asking for, as a rematch with Silva was scheduled for UFC 77 in his hometown of Cincinnati.

In the first fight, Silva mauled Franklin in the clinch, as he landed devastating knees at will. For the second go-round, Franklin knew it was a situation he had to avoid, but once the action got underway, “The Spider’s” muay Thai was simply too much. Franklin once again found himself on the business end of another brilliant Silva performance and, following a second loss to the current champion, suddenly found himself on the outside looking in at a division he once ruled.

Franklin would compete once more at 185 pounds in a fight where he bested Travis Lutter at UFC 83. Despite the victory, Franklin realized the sea change of the division had already taken place, and having already competed numerous times at light heavyweight, decided to try his hand in a new weight class.

At the expense of training partner and friend Matt Hamill, Franklin made a strong statement in his new division when he slammed a body kick into the TUF alum’s liver, resulting in a fight-ending TKO.

Legends Collide and the Birth of the “Fun Fight”

The victory over Hamill was a solid notch in the win column but an increase in divisional depth meant Franklin was going to have to knock off a few more contenders before getting a title shot. At this time the light heavyweight title was on a merry-go-round as “Rampage” Jackson, Forrest Griffin and Rashad Evans all took turns holding the strap, with only Jackson successfully defending the belt on at least one occasion.

In his next outing, Franklin was matched up with former Pride two-divisional champion Dan Henderson at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland. The bout was an interesting pairing, as both men had risen to prominence at similar times but in separate organizations. Henderson’s arrival in the UFC following Zuffa’s purchase of the Pride organization was highly touted, but after coming up short in two out of three outings under the UFC banner, the buzz around the former Olympian Henderson began to slide.

That being the case, Franklin versus Henderson still had all the makings for fireworks, as both brought proven power into the Octagon. Despite being rocked early and out-wrestled for the most of the first two rounds, Franklin’s cardio came through in the third as he poured it on as the fight came to a close. But the late effort wasn’t enough to change the tide on the judges’ cards and Franklin came out on the losing end of a split-decision.

The bout with Henderson kicked off a four-fight run where Franklin would face fellow legends of the sport. With none of the fights having title or even contender implications, Franklin suddenly found himself as the go-to-guy for fan-friendly matchups.

With each of his next three fights headlining a pay-per-view card, Franklin’s place as one of the organization’s cornerstones became crystal clear. He found victory in two out of three showings, earning a unanimous decision nod in a war with Wanderlei Silva, getting stopped via TKO against Vitor Belfort, and knocking out former champion Chuck Liddell at UFC 115. The bout with the former 205-pound king was another example of Franklin’s willingness to come to the rescue.

When Ortiz was forced to withdraw from the trilogy bout with Liddell due to a neck injury, the UFC called on Franklin to step in. It was an important bout for both fighters as Liddell was desperate to prove he still belonged in the UFC and Franklin was looking to bounce back from the loss to Belfort.

While Liddell looked strong throughout the opening round, he was caught in an over-aggressive charge late in the frame and Franklin scored the knockout victory. The defeat would mark the final appearance for Liddell inside the Octagon as he suffered losses in five of his last six outings. It was an end of an era for the future UFC Hall of Famer, and despite being injured in victory, Franklin marched on.

The Next Chapter

The bout with Liddell would be his only appearance in 2010 and a throwdown with another former champion, Forrest Griffin, his only fight in 2011. Several surgeries kept Franklin on the shelf for a lengthy stretch but when the main event collapsed at UFC 147 in Brazil, the promotion once again came to call. Franklin would return for another dust-up with Wanderlei Silva. Much like the first fight it was a back-and-forth scrap, with “Ace” claiming the unanimous decision victory in the end.

Over the past few years he has voiced his intentions to make one more run toward title contention. Whether this will come to pass remains uncertain, but the one guarantee will be Franklin’s unique drive and preparation that put him in the position to give his best. He is a notorious gym rat a legendary training regiment, and an impressive body of work that has entertained MMA fans for over a decade.

The sport he helped build will continue to evolve, and Franklin will give his all to stay stride for stride with the process. When the time comes where he can’t keep up with the opposition, then it will be a decision he has to make. Until then, he is a man who never fails to deliver an exciting fight, and no matter the time or circumstance, Franklin is always a fighter that can be counted on.

It is what he does and he’s done it well for a long time.

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Next Chapter Could Be the Most Definitive of St. Pierre’s Career

The most decorated welterweight fighter in the history of the UFC will make his long-awaited return to the Octagon in three weeks at UFC 154. After being out of action for nearly 17 months, Georges St. Pierre will square off with current interim champi…

As one of the sport’s pound-for-pound best, the expectation surrounding GSP’s comeback is high. Over the past four years, he has been one of the organization’s most dominant champions. During that time, the Tri-Star product successfully defended his title on six occasions as he claimed victory over the best his division had to offer. But as he prepares to face what is possibly his most dangerous opponent to date in Condit, the weight class he once reigned over has taken on a different look, and a pack of fresh contenders are eager to get their shot.

A Year on the Mend

Following his victory over Jake Shields at UFC 129 in April 2011, St. Pierre appeared to have finally cleaned out the 170-pound division. Short of recycling another previously defeated opponent, there did not appear to be a fresh challenge on the horizon. But when the UFC announced Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz would be making a permanent move into the organization, suddenly St. Pierre had everything he had been looking for.

The fight with Diaz was a matchup several years in the making and came with the buzz and aura only big fights can provide. Fans were set to see the unbreakable and methodical approach of St. Pierre versus the fiery scrap of Stockton, California’s bad boy. They were scheduled to handle business at UFC 137, but unfortunately, it became a battle the MMA world would fail to see as a chaotic series of events forced the UFC to remove Diaz from the fight.

The situation would be an omen of things to come. Shortly after replacing Diaz with Condit, St. Pierre’s camp announced the champion had injured his knee and was forced to withdraw from the fight. “The Natural Born Killer” decided to hold on to his title shot and wait for St. Pierre’s return, but following Diaz‘s impressive victory over former two-divisional champion B.J. Penn at UFC 137, the UFC decided to rebook St.Pierre vs. Diaz for UFC 143 in February.

As 2011 came to a close, the injury bug would bite once again. St. Pierre suffered damage to the ACL in his right knee. The severity of the injury would require surgery in addition to a lengthy recovery and rehabilitation period. This put the champion out of the bout with Diaz, and he moved to the sidelines where he was forced to watch the division he had dominated suddenly catch fire.

The Long Road Back & Questions to Be Answered

While the 31-year-old superstar is one of the most athletically gifted fighters on the planet, coming back from reconstructive surgery is a grueling process. Time, dedication, and patience all factor into the recovery period, and St. Pierre appears to have taken the right approach to the process. One setback or hurried decision can have disastrous results, but with his rehabilitation and return coming on the schedule he projected post-surgery, a measured and calculated recovery appears to have paid off.

St. Pierre appears confident his knee is back to 100 percent, but that will remain to be seen until he steps into the Octagon next month against Condit. His ability to change levels and close distance, then use speed and power wrestling to put his opponents on their backs have been key in his dominant reign as champion and will be crucial as his career goes forward.

St. Pierre can put his opponent wherever he chooses, and this has made some of the top welterweight fighters in the world appear to have zero business in the cage with him. GSP’s ability to impose his will is obvious, but his subtle mastery of taking away his opponent’s biggest strength has been key to his success. For strikers like Thiago Alves and Dan Hardy who rely on heavy hands, St. Pierre attacked their legs and consistently dumped them on their backs. After a few trips to the canvas, both were questioning every strike they threw, and when that became a factor, the notch was already sitting in the win column for the Montreal-based fighter.

In matchups where he’s faced an equally strong wrestler, St. Pierre has used striking to get the job done. He picked apart notorious grinders Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck in the stand-up department by utilizing timing and speed, and both cases resulted in lopsided victories.

His ability to meticulously execute a game plan and make adjustments on the fly have been the keys to his success inside the Octagon. This will be particularly important when facing a fighter such as Condit, who comes equipped with a diverse skill set and has the uncanny ability to remain dangerous at every point of the fight. Coming off a long layoff and facing a high-caliber opponent in Condit will certainly be a huge test.

During his time away from the Octagon, St. Pierre also revealed his motivation had been lacking in recent years. After garnering high praise and acclaim for steamrolling everyone the UFC could place across from him, St. Pierre’s love for the sport admittedly waned in the process.

For a fighter who prides himself on preparation and performance, a lapse in passion presents a difficult problem. In order to remedy this, St. Pierre has reignited his drive by putting his focus on reclaiming the belt he has coveted for years. In his mind, Condit‘s title rules the division and he wants nothing more than to regain his position atop the weight class.

The Next Chapter Begins

After 10 years in the sport, winning the welterweight strap multiple times and a record number of title defenses in the 170-pound weight class; it seems crazy to think the most definitive portion of St. Pierre’s career is set to get underway. Over his career. he has been one of the most dominant fighters to ever strap on the 4 oz. gloves, but the road ahead has the potential to produce the caliber of challenges that could define his legacy as a mixed martial artist.

While St. Pierre has been nearly flawless with every showing under the UFC banner, the level of competition he is preparing to face has changed. The sport continues to evolve and the upper tier of the welterweight division is filled with versatile opposition. Fighters like Condit, Diaz, Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks, all present multi-faceted skill sets and have proven knockout ability. Where he once cleaned out the top contenders in the weight class, now there are dangerous matchups lined up at the gates.

When you add a potential bout with pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva into the mix, the challenges awaiting St. Pierre are deeper than ever before. For a fighter who has stepped into the spotlight time after time, dispatched every threat to his title and etched himself into the history books, what comes next has the potential to decide where St. Pierre stands on the list of all-time greats when his storied career is said and done.

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The Tough Luck Continues for Anthony Pettis

The issues continue to pile up for UFC lightweight Anthony Pettis. “Showtime” has been sidelined most of the year recovering from a shoulder injury and recently found himself hospitalized with a staph infection in his elbow.The news first broke on Insi…

The news first broke on Inside MMA and was confirmed by MMA Weekly shortly thereafter. Pettis‘s struggle to stay healthy has pushed a near-certain matchup with Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone into limbo for the time being.

It has been a tough road for one of the sport’s most touted young stars as he went from a proposed immediate title shot to the uncertain position where he currently stands.

Two years ago, Anthony Pettis was one of the most buzz-worthy fighters in the sport. He helped close out the final chapter of the WEC with a brilliantly-placed “Showtime Kick” and defeated Benson Henderson to win the lightweight title.

With the merger to the UFC complete, Pettis was lined up to face the winner of the bout between Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard at UFC 125. Everything appeared to be going in the right direction for the Duke Roufus-trained fighter, as he waited for the next step in his career to take shape.

Unfortunately for Pettis, things took a strange turn following the main event at UFC 125. The fight between Edgar and Maynard turned out to be one of the year’s best but ended in a draw. Based on the excitement factor of the fight, UFC President Dana White decided the two lightweights needed another opportunity to settle the score. In this chaos, Pettis saw his immediate title shot fall by the wayside.

The trilogy bout between Edgar and Maynard was originally scheduled for UFC 130, but after both fighters sustained injuries and were forced to withdraw, the fight was pushed to UFC 136 in October. Pettis decided he was tired of waiting and took a fight against Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter Season 13 Finale.

By stepping in with Guida, Pettis knew he was putting his title shot at risk and following a three-round wrestling clinic by “The Carpenter,” his UFC debut and title hopes were dashed for the time being. The Milwaukee native would bounce back strong in his next two outings as he defeated veteran Jeremy Stephens via unanimous decision and scored a first-round knockout over Joe Lauzon at UFC 144 in Japan.

Back-to-back victories helped Pettis regain some of the previous ground he lost following the fight with Guida, but in the competitive waters of the lightweight division, it wasn’t enough to secure him a title shot.

Most indicators would place Pettis a fight or two away from an opportunity for UFC gold, and the proposed matchup against Cerrone would be the exact caliber of fight he needs to get there. With the rest of the organization’s top lightweights all locked into upcoming fights, Pettis and Cerrone‘s career paths have seemingly intersected.

It is a fight Cerrone has been vocal about for some time. Both have taken to social media to exchange barbs at one another, but the health issues which have arisen for Pettis continue to push the fight further away. Cerrone is a fighter who loves to stay active, but with Pettis being the only opponent that makes sense at this time, the options for Cerrone are limited.

As for Pettis, his time in the UFC certainly hasn’t gone exactly as planned. He has won two out of three showings, but his time off has allowed the division to move on without him. The 25-year-old certainly has an extreme amount of talent and a diverse skill set, but he has been besieged by injury anytime he begins to build momentum.

It is a situation you hate to see happen to a young fighter, and the true measure will be in how he handles the adversity of it all. Pettis has been a champion in the past, and is one of the only men to defeat current champion Henderson. He has the potential to once again become a world champion but will have to adapt to obstacles that arise along the way.

As things stand at this moment, it is back to the shelf to recover for Pettis. My personal hopes for him are a speedy recovery and a return to the Octagon in early 2013. For that to happen, he is going to need things to start breaking in his favor.

This year has been a trying time, filled with injury and frustration. A healthy Anthony Pettis is one of the most dangerous 155-pound fighters on the planet, but until he can get on top of the injury situation, the climb to the top of the division will be stalled.

For just how long remains to be seen, but if Pettis can regain his footing and get back to firing on all cylinders inside the Octagon, he can make 2013 the type of year that makes the troubles of 2012 nothing more than a memory.

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The Fighting Life: No Regrets for Cub Swanson as He Battles for Respect in UFC

The lives of professional fighters are filled with uncertainty; their successes and failures play out in the public eye for all to see. When the cage door closes and the battle of wills begin, it becomes a matter of opportunity. One walks away victorio…

The lives of professional fighters are filled with uncertainty; their successes and failures play out in the public eye for all to see.

When the cage door closes and the battle of wills begin, it becomes a matter of opportunity. One walks away victorious, the other defeated, the outcome sometimes determined by only the slightest of margins.

What happens under the bright lights is what the fans are left to debate, but rarely are they given a glimpse into what it takes to make the walk to the cage in the first place.

This is what the climb looks like. This is The Fighting Life.

There is a stark contrast between the golden shores of Palm Springs, Calif., and the rust-colored, sun-scorched Earth of Albuquerque, N.M. In “SoCal” the chilled, laid-back vibe rolls like the waves spilling onto the beach, while New Mexico’s jagged presentation evokes thoughts of survival. It is a place where luxury is seemingly nonexistent, and the fighters who train there prefer it that way.

While UFC featherweight Cub Swanson calls both places home, they represent two different aspects of the man himself. Most people would struggle to find a balance, but if there is one thing Swanson has come to grasp, it is how to find comfort in the chaos.

He knows what it feels like to be written off and pushed aside. It wasn’t all too long ago that Swanson was considered one of the WEC’s top featherweights as he found victory in three out of his initial four outings. The momentum earned him a spot in a title-eliminator bout against rising star Jose Aldo. But after an early mistake and a lightning-flash display of skill, Swanson suddenly found himself pushed to the back of the featherweight division.

Over the next year and a half, Swanson would bounce back to earn victories in two of his next three bouts. He had what it took to get the job done against John Franchi and Mackens Semerzier, but the killer instinct which had propelled his career up to that point appeared to have down-shifted.

Swanson knew the will to fight was still very much intact but was unable to pinpoint exactly what was missing.

Shortly after his Fight of the Night-earning performance against Semerzier, the little blue cage of the WEC completed its merger with the UFC. As the longest-standing member of the featherweight division, Swanson was hoping to start his Octagon career off with a bang against rising prospect Erik Koch.

But after Swanson suffered a series of injuries, his bout with the Duke Roufus-trained fighter went to the scrap heap, and he was forced to look within himself to find answers to the questions that were lingering.

Swanson would be on the shelf for just over a year, but in that time he found the keys to unlock the riddles which were plaguing him. While his return against Ricardo Lamas didn’t yield the results he was seeking, Swanson knew he had found balance in his life and was eager to prove himself.

Over the course of his next three bouts, he did exactly that.

In impressive fashion he scored stoppage victories over George Roop, Ross Pearson and Charles Oliveira. Suddenly Swanson’s name was once again in the mix for title contention at 145 pounds.

“I credit the change to a combination of things,” Swanson said. “Having that bad injury was almost life or death to me career wise. It completely changed my perspective, and now I attack every fight like it may be my last. I know I’m not indestructible, and I know at any point this could all end for me. This is such a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It is something so many people would love to do, and I make sure I enjoy it.

“I’ve learned how to relax during the training portion and not being so high strung. I’ve learned how to save it for the fight. I tossed around the idea of seeing a sports psychologist for years, but I feel as though I’m very intelligent and it was something I could figure out on my own. I believe I’ve been successful in that aspect. Now I run through a lot of mental drills before I fight, and I feel it has made a big difference.

“A year ago I was laying in bed out of commission. I have a lot of belief in myself, stuck with it, and it feels good. I knew I could do it, and that is a very gratifying feeling.”

On the heels of a three-fight winning streak, Swanson’s confidence is at an all-time high. All of the hard work he has invested over the years is paying off as he comes into his own as a mixed martial artist.

However, whereas now he is a man with unwavering belief in the talents he possesses, this was not always the case. For the longest time, Swanson did not feel at home inside of the cage, and it has been a repeated theme throughout his entire life.

“It’s been a long journey,” Swanson said. “I really have lived on both sides of the tracks. I grew up as a kid in church and very sheltered. I was home schooled most of my life and only ever hung around with other church kids. Then things changed in my life, and I bounced around a little bit. When I got to high school, in the public-school setting, I just didn’t quite know how to fit in, and that became a fear of mine.

“I began to run with the tough crowd, and that got me into a lot of trouble. I was really afraid of not being able to fit in with anybody because I was weird. I’ll admit right now I’m still weird, but back then I was afraid people wouldn’t like me, so I wanted to be tough and ran with the tough crowd. I’m the type of person where if I’m going to run with the tough crowd, then I’m going to be the toughest. That got me into lots of trouble.”

The change of environment turned Swanson’s world upside down. The once-quiet “church kid” was now having frequent brushes with law enforcement and would eventually find himself residing in juvenile hall. After experiencing the early stages of the correctional system, Swanson came to the realization that without a change in direction, the road he was traveling came with a one-way ticket to the penitentiary.

Once it became clear that the ability to alter the course rested directly on his own shoulders, Swanson set about finding his way out. His ability to scrap had been proven, but Swanson wanted to test himself inside the fire of professional combat.

At just 20 years old, he dove in head first.

“I got into fighting professionally because I missed competition and I needed something to work towards,” Swanson explained. “Lots of people get into trouble because they are just bored at that age, and I was no different. I had nothing to do but get into trouble and finally saw that wasn’t the way to go. I had already ended up in juvenile hall, and I knew eventually I was going to wind up in jail.

“I began to focus my time on martial arts, and I stumbled onto jiu-jitsu. From there I was invited to a king-of-the-cage event. I saw my first cage fight, and it blew my mind. I knew athletically I could do it, but I was scared to death. I still didn’t like to fight. I avoided a lot of fights because people thought I could fight. I didn’t have to fight a lot because of that.

“Getting in the cage and facing my fear against a professional fighter was just about the craziest thing I could think of. I knew I wanted to do it and went after it. That aspect has completely changed for me now. Every fight I ever had all the way up to my final WEC fight against Mackens, it always seemed like a dream. People talk about fighting in their dreams, being slow and not doing too well—that was how it felt.

“I came back from all my injuries; stepped in the cage against Lamas; and ever since then, I feel like I’m mentally there. I’m in complete control, and I’m not worried like I used to be. I get nerves, but they are not the same. I feel like it’s my cage and my opponent doesn’t belong there.”

The results certainly speak for themselves, as Swanson has been a nightmare in the featherweight division in 2012.

Not only has he defeated the opposition, but he’s also made it appears as though his opponents have no business fighting him to begin with. Working behind elusive footwork and pin-point power strikes, Swanson’s killer instinct has returned as he’s folded three consecutive opponents.

In his most recent victory, over Oliveira at UFC 152, Swanson knew his game plan was perfect. In the past, his aggressive nature had a tendency to throw things off, but that was the Swanson of old. Now he goes into fights with complete trust in his preparation and has discovered patience to be a critical aspect of his success.

“I felt great going into the fight with Oliveira,” Swanson said. “I was very confident in my game plan and just trusting my ability. I was probably the most on point I’ve ever been backstage, but when I went out there, I felt like I needed to adjust. He’s an awkward fighter but it only took me a second to find it.

“Windows of opportunity don’t always show right away, and my coaches are always telling me to be patient. They tell me I’m going to get it and not to rush it. I know if I land my clean shot, I can put my opponent down. For Oliveira in particular, I threw some heat early on. I didn’t even throw it to land, but I wanted to get the reaction from him I had seen on the tapes I had studied.

“As soon as I got that reaction out of him that I wanted, I started attacking his body. I knew once I started in on his body he would leave his face open. When I hit him, I knew he was going to feel it. He is a taller, slender guy, and in the beginning of the fight, I didn’t care where I landed. I just wanted him to feel my presence and what I brought to the table—especially with him dropping from 155 to 145 pounds, because I’m sure they were thinking the guys at featherweight aren’t going to hit as hard. I wanted to mentally freak him out a little bit. It all played out how I wanted it to.”

With the calendar taking it’s final turn toward the end of the year, Swanson is proud of what he has accomplished in 2012. By putting on exciting performances and earning victories impressively, a future title shot has once again appeared on the horizon.

But even with the momentum he has gained, Swanson is fully aware there are other fighters higher on the divisional ladder.

That being said, he is fully prepared to unseat anyone in his way a long-awaited shot at championship gold.

“With the way the UFC is, when you win and win big, it catapults you,” Swanson said. “The problem is I’m still behind a couple of people. I can see why that is the case, but I feel like I’m right there. I believe I’m in the title picture, but because of my loss to Lamas and Koch’s injury forcing him out of his title shot, I feel I’m behind those two guys.

“I definitely don’t believe the Korean Zombie [Chan Sung Jung] should be ahead of me. He may be right there, and if he comes off the injured list, that fight makes a lot of sense. Those are the fights I’m looking for. Those names I mentioned are all exciting fights for me. There are also guys like Frankie Edgar and Jose Aldo. Those are the guys you get excited to train for.

“I’m very happy with my performances this year. The only thing I get pissed off about is when I come into fights as the underdog. For this last fight, I heard I was, but I also heard I wasn’t. The two fights before, against Roop and Pearson, I definitely know I was. It kind of annoys me that people think these guys are going to whoop me. I smile, train hard and win. Then people say the guys I beat were never that good to begin with. It feels like I’m being discredited for getting solid wins. I just want the credibility I feel I deserve and to get big fights.

“I’m ready for anything. If they offered me a title shot, I would be more than willing, but I hope I’m not more than one fight away from getting one. I’m excited for whoever they put in front of me, but I want the big fights. I want somebody who is going to put on an exciting fight with me, and I want it to be a big draw.”

As he waits for the UFC to call with his next challenge, Swanson will focus on continuing his progression.

While his team of coaches works to sharpen his skills and push him to become a better fighter, his growth outside of the cage is fueled by his willingness to give back to others who are traveling down the same roads he mistakenly navigated in his past.

In between his training, Swanson makes time to revisit the same juvenile hall where he spent time as a wayward youth. It has become a passion in his life. In the process of helping to provide a role model, Swanson is bringing the chaotic days of his childhood full circle and further strengthening the determination of the man he has become.

“When I go back to work with the kids in juvenile hall, it’s great,” Swanson said. “I talk to them and explain to them that I was right where they are standing. I was literally in the same uniform they are wearing. To me it is a moral obligation, I feel, to give back to those kids, because I’m not some random person telling them they can make it out of there. I used to be there, and I believe I can be a good example for them.

“The big thing is I get their respect. In a lot of situations, the kids don’t respect their teachers in general. Coming in as a UFC fighter, it immediately gets their attention. Doing what I do and coming from where I come from, I felt kids would respect me more than the average person. When I begin to tell them about the mistakes I’ve made, it starts to become something they can relate to. I don’t know if I’ve made a difference yet, but I hope I have in some way.

“It is something I cherish above other things because those kids are in need and most of them are just misguided. That’s how I was. I wasn’t a bad kid. I was just an idiot at the time. I’ve turned my life around, and I’m one of the calmest, mellowest guys out there. I get it all out in the cage, and the rest of the time I’m all smiles. I hang out with my chick and eat cookies if I’m not in training. I have no ill will. I get it all out inside the cage.”

For Swanson, spending his time looking backwards is not an option. He locks his focus on the here and now with only the things he can control receiving his attention. As a veteran of the sport, he understands the importance of what makes a fighter’s stock rise and fall and has no intention of back-sliding.

But a lengthy career in MMA has allowed the 28-year-old to experience the sport from all sides. Swanson wholeheartedly believes his greatest achievements are yet to come and accepts the missteps of the past as the stepping stones to a bright future.

“I feel I’ve just now opened the door into my prime,” Swanson said. “I’m open minded and I have great coaches around me. I have five striking coaches that I work with. I have all these coaches to learn from. They are all awesome, and Greg Jackson is very open minded and teaches me to be that way as well.

“I’ve put in my hard work. I’ve done everything I’ve said I was going to do from the get-go. Winning and losing is on me. I’m going to take that home, but at the end of the day, I want the fans to see a good fight. That’s what I do, and that is what I’m here for. I just want the fans to appreciate that, and when people want to watch my fights, it makes me happy.

“I believe you shouldn’t have regrets. I think things happen for a reason, and I feel like everything good or bad that has happened in my life has made me who I am right now. I accept the things in my life, and I’m happy with who I am today. I’m trying to be better everyday. I’m going to keep growing in my life. I’m going to keep evolving and keep working to become the best possible version of the person I am.”

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