Author: UFC Press Releases

Michael DiSanto, UFC – For the last several months, the UFC heavyweight division was in very real limbo as its ruler, Brock Lesnar, battled a mysterious illness that momentarily threatened his career. The illness was later revealed to be diverticulitis, and the champ recently received a clean bill of health and is champing at the bit to lay the two cinder blocks he calls fists into someone’s dome. Things are therefore back to normal in the Land of the Giants.
Well, almost. The 2010 version of the sport’s ruling class is a vast improvement over what it was just a year ago.

Frank Curreri, WEC – A fighter’s essence can often be summarized in one word. For Karen Darabedyan, “chill” seems most fitting.
No mental switch needs flipping when this maven of mellow steps into the cage. The Californian’s flat-line demeanor stands out because he wears it equally both inside and outside of competition. Unlike many of his peers, the 155-pound WEC fighter can steamroll an opponent with the same nonchalance that he displays while grocery shopping or talking on the phone with a reporter.

Mike Russell, UFC – In 2003, after more than six and a half years in mixed martial arts, Vladimir Matyushenko walked away from the sport and figured that his days as a fighter were behind him.

Thomas Gerbasi, UFC – Given the intensity and scope of MMA, every event is sure to have some unbelievable occurrences (like the forehead cuts at UFC 110) and characters (think Bisping and Wandy). So we’ve decided to take a look back in the organization’s history to bring you its 15 wildest moments ever — presented in typically haphazard order.

Chuck Mindenhall, UFC – Being thrown into the Octagon with Jon Fitch in only your second UFC fight can be career suicide, and as such, somewhat unnerving. That is, unless you’re Mike Pierce, one of the welterweight division’s toughest son-of-a-guns to come into the UFC over the past year. Dude is built like a stevedore. And talk about even-keeled: When Pierce got the call to fight a month earlier than his scheduled bout with the equally-harrowing AKA product, Josh Koscheck, he never hesitated.

Armando Alvarez, UFC – He didn’t want to tap. He was unbeaten, a winner of “The Ultimate Fighter”, and one of the Octagon’s brightest rising stars. The armbar applied by Evan Dunham was strong; it was locked in tight, but Efrain Escudero was not about to surrender.