Cung Le was on Joe Silva’s radar years before he finally made the jump to the UFC. The former Strikeforce middleweight champion was dazzling fans with flashy kicks that left opponents either sleeping or broken.
When he finally made his way to the UFC, he was splitting his time between training and an incredibly busy movie schedule. That time away from the gym caused Le to lose a bit of a step which is what he believes was the reason for the loss to Wanderlei Silva.
Even after that loss, his heart is still in fighting.
“I never look ahead. I’m one of those guys, I’m in the moment. Every day I wake up is a blessing,” Le told Bleacher Report at the UFC 148 open workouts. “I have this day, and I’m going to live in this day. I can’t look toward tomorrow because tomorrow’s not promised.”
Ever the emotional fighter, Le wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s been competing in combat sports for most of his life and a win over Patrick Coté will be the biggest of his career.
“If I cry…Im going to try not to. That’s how big it would be.”
Though he’s a man with a fighter’s heart, he’s not just competing for the sake of competition. For him, a win isn’t just a win. He always goes out to impress fans with his San Shou style.
“I don’t need to impress, but I don’t know how to just win. I strike like lightning and I follow by thunder. May the storm hit hard. That’s me. Go big or go home, baby.”
Le closed with some words directed at his opponent Patrick Coté. The French-Canadian carries himself with a fighter’s swagger, confident that he will put Le away with his heavy hands. Le sees that confidence as his biggest advantage against Coté.
“I enjoy fighting. That’s why I’m doing it,” Le said. “But I’m not here just because I enjoy fighting. I’m here to win, and I expect to win this fight against Patrick Cote. He’s a very confident guy, almost cocky. And that’s good. But you get overconfident, you might end up with a shinbone to your head, or to your arm like Frank Shamrock. So watch out.”
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com