Author: UFC Press Releases

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – Before he was Bones Jones, NBT (Next Big Thing), Jon Jones was a 21-year old armed with talent, desire, and the dreams of every young fighter in mixed martial arts – to be in the UFC.
And despite a spotless 6-0 record, when he set foot inside the Octagon for the first time to face Andre Gusmao at UFC 87 in August of 2008, it was more than just another fight.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – Here’s a for instance – let’s say you show up to work as scheduled, the boss pulls you to the side and says you don’t have to work today, but here’s your check. Go enjoy yourself in the greatest city in the world, which is only 30 minutes away, come back, and then watch some fights on Saturday night.
Pretty cool, eh?

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – It’s been a long time since Vladimir Matyushenko’s last UFC headlining gig back in September of 2001 – nearly nine years, 16 fights, and a short layoff ago.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – “You gotta start growing up and taking things serious.”
The words directed at Jacob Volkmann two years ago didn’t come from his wife, his parents, or a close friend, but from the owner of a bank in his hometown of Fergus Falls, Minnesota who apparently believed that being a professional fighter wasn’t the right path for a family man who was also a practicing chiropractor.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – The fight is the same every day for Brian Stann. It’s a battle that doesn’t take place in a gym or in an Octagon, but wherever the UFC middleweight may open an email or catch a television news program. For a decorated war hero and Captain in the United States Marine Corps like Stann, it could take just one phone call and he will go from being a professional athlete to a leader back on the battlefields in Afghanistan or Iraq.