Renan Barao, the bantamweight contender from Nova Uniao who faces former title challenger Scott Jorgensen at UFC 143, has a strong opinion about things that are new to him. And we are not just talking about fights, as Barao has already shown that he can stand and bang or grapple with splendor and, in the process, deal with matters such as his international debut in the WEC back in 2010, his move to the UFC, and his most recent bout in his opponent’s backyard when he subbed local hero Brad “One Punch” Pickett in England.

For Barao, it’s all just a case of adaptation, training, and will that make these new ventures become second nature, not only in the sport, but in life too.

“I never felt that responsibility that people are used to putting on me,” he says. “They say I am a Nova Uniao black belt, so I need to sub everybody to prove a point, but I don’t see it this way. Guys forget that I have also been training boxing for so long, so my game is to finish the fights, not exclusively trying to take people down and work the ground game. Perhaps the two fights I had in the WEC and in my UFC debut cemented the mindset that I am a grappler, and because of it they got shocked when I was better at trading blows with a guy nicknamed ‘One Punch.’”

The performance against Pickett back in November at UFC 138 was really impressive, and Barao fought like he was competing in an empty arena as he ignored the audience’s boos in order to put on an absolute showcase of his talent. In pre-fight comments, he said the British fans’ cheers wouldn’t affect him, and he naturally adapted himself to the situation with ease.

Yet while he deals with the pressure of his sport with no problem, saying it’s all about adjustment, we can’t say the same thing when the topic is his samba dancing. Before UFC 142 in Rio de Janeiro in January, Barao, along with Junior dos Santos, Ronny Markes and Johnny Eduardo, made an appearance at Samba School to test their skills with the rhythm and proved that the first two men are much better fighters than dancers.

“I shocked everybody with my rhythm (or lack of it), did you see?” he laughs. “If it was forro (a traditional rhythm from the Northeast of Brazil), you would see my talent, but samba… You know, give me a couple of weeks to train and I’ll adjust better (laughs).”

All kidding aside, the 25-year old Rio Grande do Norte native did do his homework in the last 60 days of preparation, and after getting an in-depth look at his adversary’s footage, Barao took the first step toward extending his superb unbeaten streak to 30. Once again he speaks about adapting, adding that there are a combination of factors needed for him to overcome Jorgensen this weekend.

“I don’t agree with those who talk about not studying your opponent’s game; it’s very important to be aware of what the tendencies of Jorgensen are. That is part of a great strategy to trap the opponent or to capitalize on the holes in his game.” Barao said. “On the other hand, these two fights I had in WEC and two in UFC were kind of a maturation for me. I felt the vibration, I could let my game go, and I could see what happens when you have the crowd on your side and you can’t impose your will – being the favorite becomes a heavy boulder on your shoulder. You know, I believe this was what happened to Pickett; all the responsibility was on him, and the moment my punches and knees started to connect, he saw that the crowd couldn’t help and that it was only me and him inside the cage.”

Topping with Jorgensen, Barao (29-1 1 NC) might not been counting with the “Young Guns” using the public to discourage him.

In Jorgensen, Barao will be facing a fighter who is in the top five in the bantamweight division, and who has wrestling credentials linked to the punching power that separated Ken Stone from his senses at the TUF 13 Finale and neutralized Brazilian jiu-jitsu wizard and former WEC featherweight title challenger Jeff Curran. These “Young Guns” are the real deal to combat the Brazilian’s game, but Barao hopes to fire back with his own arsenal.

“What I can tell you is that the fight will be huge,” said Barao. “We are finishers, we are agile and we want the gold. I want to show more of my game on the feet, where I have the reach advantage over my recent opponents, and I know that to have a long reach is not a guarantee that you will box better, but I know how to use it. I know what the fight’s positive outcome can generate for me and the key factor is to not get your mind lost into it. Just impose your game.”

This pivotal meeting will probably mark the rise of a contender for the winner of Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber III. And though the Brazilian is aware of this aftermath, the current moment is the more important goal now as he has only one responsibility.

“My unique and exclusive responsibility is to go forward in all my fights, try to control the opponent and show my game and my work. This is the goal I carry, and it isn’t heavy when I step in the cage.”

When it came to marketing, Scott Jorgensen wasn’t just good; he was damn good. A graduate of Boise State University who earned three Pac-10 wrestling titles in addition to his psychology degree, the Utah native was at a familiar crossroads for successful college athletes who don’t have a logical professional career (like the NFL or NBA) waiting for them in their sport as soon as school ends.

“I originally wanted to try it (fighting) out, but I had the option to go move to the Olympic Training Center, and in my mind, it was either wrestle and work a job and try to make the Olympics, or just become a regular guy, just working hard every day like my dad and build a life for myself,” said Jorgensen. “I took to fighting.”

And to working. Soon, his work ethic and talent sent him flying up the corporate ladder.

“When I graduated college, I was working in non-medical home care,” he said. “I was a marketing director, and my buddy kinda set me up with the job and I got going, and I was actually really good at it. I worked my way into ownership of a non-medical home care company, and I earned my ownership through building offices. I was a really good marketer, I went in there and doubled business for a company called Vida home care.”

Jorgensen wasn’t a bad fighter either, and less than two years into a pro career that began in 2006, he was invited to compete in the WEC, stamping him as one of the best bantamweights in the world. In the cage, Jorgensen was raw, aggressive, and able to make any opponent’s night miserable. His rise was steady in the organization, but after a 3-2 start, a Fight of the Night win over Takeya Mizugaki in December of 2009 started his road to the title. Three more wins (against Chad George, Antonio Banuelos, and Brad Pickett) garnered him a December 2010 fight with Dominick Cruz for not just the WEC, but the first UFC 135-pound title as well, and it was at this point he decided that splitting himself between his marketing job, fighting, gym ownership, and fatherhood wasn’t going to cut it anymore. Something had to go.

“Right before my fight with Dominick, I was like this has to happen,” he said. “I’m gonna call it quits with the day job stuff and this is what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna live my dream and ride it as long as I can.”

Jorgensen would lose to Cruz via unanimous decision, putting his dream on hold, but not crushing it. Remember, this is the same hard-nosed wrestler who put up with an ungodly schedule for years and still made it to the upper echelon of the division. One setback wasn’t going to deter him, and in 2011, he made his intentions known to a new fanbase in the UFC as he knocked out Ken Stone and decisioned Jeff Curran. This Saturday night, he faces streaking Brazilian Renan Barao in an intriguing pairing that may just be an unofficial title eliminator.

“I think it’s definitely gotta be up there right now,” said Jorgensen. “There’s only a few guys on a tear that I think could be considered number one contender. And I’m fresh off two straight wins, Barao’s on a heater, and to me it makes sense. I fully plan on beating Barao and facing the winner out of Dominick and Urijah.”

This March, Cruz and Faber continue their rivalry as coaches on the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter before settling their score in a rubber match later this year. Should he emerge victorious against Barao and earn a title shot, Jorgensen will be in an interesting place. He wants redemption against Cruz, but after the first fight, the rematch is a tougher sell at the moment. And while Faber would be a more marketable fight, he is also friends with “The California Kid,” a dynamic that wouldn’t stop Jorgensen from taking the bout if a title is on the line. Regardless, Jorgensen already knows who he’s rooting for.

“Urijah’s my friend and I want him to win, regardless of whether I’m gonna fight him or not,” said Jorgensen. “He’s been a friend of mine for a long time, and he’s big factor in why I’m fighting today. We share the same managers, we’ve been sponsored by Form, and I want my friend to do well. Eventually I want to fight Dominick though, whether he’s got a belt or not. I didn’t perform the best against Dominick, but between those two in their title fight, I want Faber to win. And that’s not because of anything against Dominick for beating me. I will fight Dominick again down the road, I know that, and I’m not too worried about getting my revenge there.”

That’s a ways down the road though, and “Young Guns” knows it. Barao is a dynamic competitor fresh off a spectacular finish of Brad Pickett last November, and even if he wasn’t one of the most dangerous fighters in the division, Jorgensen would have his eyes solely on Saturday night, because the last time he let his focus stray, it ended up in the loss to Cruz.

“I’ve got one job ahead of me first and foremost, and that’s to go in there and take care of Barao,” he said. “And whatever happens between Dominick and Urijah, it doesn’t matter. As long as I take care of business February 4th, everything else falls in line. And that’s always been my mentality, and the one time I got away from that was before I fought Dominick. I started thinking ahead and started thinking that things were gonna be easy and handed to me.”

The lesson was a costly one, but a lesson nonetheless, and it reminded him that in this sport or in life, nothing comes easy. And as soon as the 29-year old Jorgensen remembered that blue collar work ethic instilled in him by his father, it was like riding a bike. Now his job is to make Barao miserable for 15 minutes or less.

“Barao’s a tough guy, he’s very well-rounded, and he’s on a streak, so he’s got a lot of confidence and he’s riding high,” he said. “But there are a lot of firsts in this fight for him, and he’s gonna get his eyes opened on what it’s like to be tangling with the guys at the top of the division. And I’m going in there with the same mentality I’ve had in my last two fights against Curran and Stone, and that’s to outwork him, put the pressure on him, and be first in everything. I’m gonna be the guy that makes him rethink whether he wants to sit through another couple rounds of this guy grinding on him, pushing him, breaking him, beating him, choking him. And that’s my gameplan. I’m gonna go in there and I’m gonna hit him, kick him, choke him, take him down, slam him, and I’m gonna do everything to make him uncomfortable. And I’m good at it.”

That he is, and as his six-year old son Braeten follows in his father’s footsteps (he’s already earned his orange belt, is entering his second season of freestyle wrestling, and can run half a mile and pull off 20 pushups, 30 situps, and four unassisted pull-ups), Jorgensen is showing him that in this family, you can have all the talent in the world, but the one who can outlast everyone is the one who succeeds.

“That’s 20-plus years of wrestling,” said Jorgensen when asked about mental toughness. “I made it my first three months of college with maybe one takedown. And that’s no joke. That’s perseverance and the heart of a champion. I’m somebody who’s not gonna break because the going gets tough. My grandpa always told me ‘cowboy up.’ And I’m not much of a cowboy – I’m tatted up and I got a red Mohawk (Laughs) – but there’s a little bit of country in me and a little bit of cowboy, and I’m not just gonna roll over because things get tough. If it’s gonna get tough, I’m gonna push back. And if he’s gonna push back, I’m gonna push back harder. I’m gonna grit my teeth and lower my chin and come forward.”

The names are familiar to UFC fans: Cain Velasquez, Ryan Bader, Aaron Simpson, CB Dollaway. So it’s really no surprise that Clifford Starks is the latest Arizona State University wrestling alum to make it to the UFC.

Is it something in the water?

“I think it might be the barbecue,” laughed Starks, a teammate of Velasquez who, despite being the second to graduate (behind Simpson) from the aforementioned group, was the last to turn pro.

“I wasn’t really thinking about it (fighting) at the time,” said Starks, who earned his Kinesiology degree in 2005. “I got into personal training right when I finished wrestling, but I missed being competitive.”

And flag football on the weekend just wasn’t going to cut it, right?

“The funny thing is, that’s what I was doing,” he laughs. “But I always knew that I was gonna compete in something. What I was going to compete in I just didn’t know at the time.”

Eventually though, watching his former teammate and the rest of the ASU crew begin to make their mark in mixed martial arts piqued his interest.

“I started seeing them moving up and making names for themselves, and I was always staying in training shape,” he recalled. “I did a couple bodybuilding shows, but seeing the success that they had definitely made me consider giving it a try. It was a great step towards maintaining something that’s similar to what I already knew.”

In December of 2009, Starks dipped his toe in the MMA pool for the first time, submitting Chad Menneke in the second round. Now hooked on the sport, Tempe’s Starks continued fighting and winning, showing off that ASU pedigree that fans were beginning to get accustomed to from those wearing the maroon and gold.

“I really think it’s the mental toughness aspect and the workouts that we would go through,” said Starks when asked the biggest aspect of ASU training that he brings into MMA with him. “They would really work us to where nine out of 10 guys would be throwing up afterwards. So when you go through something like that, you just kinda think that fighting’s no big deal. It is, and it’s very intense, but to go through the things we went through makes the transition that much easier.”

That’s not to say his October 2011 call to the UFC was an expected one. 7-0 as a pro, Starks had just finished up a three round decision win over Artenas Young on October 15th when his phone rang on October 21st. Did he want to replace the injured Brad Tavares and fight Dustin Jacoby at UFC 137 in eight days?

Absolutely.

“You made it to the big show, let’s see what you’ve got,” thought Starks, who admits that the short notice call helped him stay focused on what was important – the fight – and not about the idea of making it to the big show.

“It made it a little bit easier mentally because you really didn’t have time to think about it. You just had to jump on the opportunity and go from there.”

On that fall night in Vegas, Starks took the opportunity and ran with it, winning a shutout three round decision over the previously unbeaten Jacoby to improve to 8-0, and he did so without showing off any first time UFC jitters. Unless he was hiding them well.

“I was hiding it a little bit (Laughs), but once you get into the Octagon and the ref asks if you’re ready to go, you’re into fight mode, and that probably comes from my wrestling background a little bit too. It (winning on short notice) built up my self-esteem in that area, knowing that I can take something like that and make a good situation out of it.”

His reward for the big win? A main card slot on this Saturday’s UFC 143 card against veteran Ed Herman. It’s a big step up in competition for the 30-year old, but that’s nothing he’s concerned about.

“I feel it’s something that I’m ready for and I trained for very diligently, and we’ll just see what happens from there when the bell rings,” said Starks. “He’s a competitor like myself, I see us having a really great fight, and let the best man win.”

Clifford Starks plans on making sure that best man is the one from Arizona State University.

“I’m just gonna go out there and give it my all, fight my gameplan, and then see who comes out on top,” he said. “The way I feel about it, win, lose, or draw, this is such a large opportunity for me that I think I’m gonna learn from this experience regardless. Obviously I want to come away with the victory, and then I’ll revamp my gameplan from there. I always want to improve, I always want to be the best.”

The squeaky wheel gets oiled. Mike Pierce knows that now, and he kinda likes the whole idea.

“It was kinda nice when you ask for something and you get it,” said Pierce, who took to Twitter in December to ask UFC President Dana White and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta for a February 4th matchup with Josh Koscheck. Well, he got his wish.

“It was great, I should have done it years ago.”

For Pierce, it’s been a long road to Las Vegas and the main card for Saturday’s bout with the former world title challenger. 5-2 in the Octagon, with his only losses coming via decision to Jon Fitch and Johny Hendricks, the Portland native was that ‘middle of the road’ contender who had some spotty outings early in his UFC career but who was starting to hit his stride with his 2011 wins over Kenny Robertson and Paul Bradley.

“I’ve been with the company three years now, I hope I picked up something along the way,” he laughs. “But I think I’ve found my place and my niche and I’ve been developing a style that’s not only effective, but exciting to watch.”

Yet without a spectacular victory over a big name foe, he was probably stuck in the preliminary portion of the card until a long win streak would give him his shot. Or he could just take his chances and call out the biggest available name. So that’s what he did, choosing Koscheck as the object of his tweets.

“He (Koscheck) would give me a little more credibility, he’d put me in a good spot if I beat him, and the other thing is that he’s just one of those guys that I think the fans just don’t like, and they would really love to see someone kick the s**t out of him, and I want to be that guy.”

Pierce got the fight, but Koscheck hasn’t been his usual loquacious self this time around, something that surprises his opponent.

“He’s been unusually quiet this time around,” said Pierce. “I don’t know why he hasn’t been his normal Josh Koscheck self. A lot of people have been asking me ‘why do you think he’s like that.’ I don’t know, ask him. (Laughs) I just saw an opportunity there to fight one of the top guys, he’s been around a long time, he’s someone I wanted to fight, I asked for it, and I got it.”

It is a tough fight for Pierce on paper, but he’s had plenty of experience taking on wrestlers in his UFC stint thus far, with Fitch, Hendricks, Bradley, and Robertston all coming from Division I programs. So getting in there with a former D-I national champion in Koscheck isn’t an issue.

“I would love to do nothing but beat up on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guys and smash them all day long, but the guys that are at the top are typically the wrestlers,” said Pierce. “You can look division through division, and whether they’re wearing belts or not, a lot of the top guys have strong wrestling backgrounds. It’s just one of those inevitable things where you’re gonna fight a lot of wrestlers, so it comes with the sport.”

And Pierce is no wrestling neophyte, having briefly competed for Portland State University’s mat squad.

“It always gives a little extra incentive to try to one up someone in a fight where we both have strong wrestling backgrounds,” he admits. “Of course, he won a national title and he was an All-American four years in a row. I didn’t really stick with wrestling for as long as I could have. I got bored with it, and it was time for me to move on and do different things, and I chose a different path. Had I stayed with it, I’m sure I would have been an All-American at least once or twice, but I’m in the sport where I want to be now, and my background and titles that I did have or could have had don’t really mean anything to me, and neither do his.”

What Pierce will definitely be looking for is Koscheck’s right hand, a lethal weapon that has ended many nights for opponents, but also one that he believes is easily detected.

“He loves throwing that right hand,” he said. “The only problem is that you can see it coming from yesterday. (Laughs) But it always helps to have a little bit of luck. I had a wrestling coach ask me a question, what would you rather be, a consistent wrestler or a lucky wrestler. I said I’d love to be the consistent wrestler. He kinda laughed and said ‘I’d rather be a lucky wrestler, because the lucky wrestlers beat consistent wrestlers. And it’s the same thing in the fights. He (Koscheck) has got a skill set and it’s been working for him, but I don’t plan on being caught by an overhand right I see coming a mile away.”

And at 31, Pierce knows that the time is now if he wants to make a move on the ever elusive world title, so a win over Koscheck is imperative.

“I’m not getting any younger,” he said. “I’m in this sport to be the best and to have a title and that’s always been my goal at the end of the day. And if that’s what it takes, another fight or another two fights to get there, then so be it. I’m just gonna keep coming until I’m there.”

So who’s next on the call out list?

“I haven’t been putting any thought past Josh Koscheck,” he laughs. “I’ve been focusing primarily on him, and when it comes to that, I’m sure I’ll be able to come up with someone. Hopefully, I’ll get it again. It worked this time, maybe it will work again.”

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® presents its seventh UFC Fan Expo® event on Friday, July 6 and Saturday, July 7 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas. UFC® President Dana White made the announcement today during a press conference to promote UFC® 143, which takes place this Saturday from the Mandalay Bay Events Center.

“We love giving UFC fans ultimate access to our sport and athletes,” UFC President Dana White said. “This July, we’re putting together our best UFC Fan Expo yet. We’re going to have dozens of our fighters in attendance to sign autographs and meet fans, and we’re going to have some of the world’s top vendors and exhibitors. This is an absolute can’t-miss event for UFC fans around the world!”

Tickets for the UFC Fan Expo® are on sale NOW at www.ufcfanexpo.com. Tickets for Friday, July 6 are priced at $40, while tickets for Saturday, July 7 are priced at $45. A two-day pass is also available and is priced at $60. Fans are encouraged to buy their tickets now and save, as ticket pricing will increase at the door. VIP packages for the UFC Fan Expo® are also available at www.ufcfanexpo.com.

The UFC Fan Expo® in July will feature more than 300,000 gross square feet of activities for UFC fans, including meet and greets and autograph sessions with top UFC and STRIKEFORCE® fighters, Q&A sessions with top UFC personalities, as well as grappling tournaments and other special events. More than 150 exhibitors will also be on hand, giving fans the opportunity to purchase and experience some of the best sports and lifestyle products on the market today. This marks the third UFC Fan Expo® held in Las Vegas since its inception in 2009, with additional UFC Fan Expos being held in Boston, London, Toronto and Houston.

On top of all the great fan activities, the UFC Fan Expo® will be held in conjunction with a major UFC Pay-Per-View event scheduled for July 7 in Las Vegas. Information on the venue and fight card will be announced in the weeks to come.

For more information on UFC Fan Expo® and to purchase tickets, visit www.ufcfanexpo.com. To subscribe to the official UFC Fan Expo® newsletter visit www.ufcfanexpo.com/newsletter. For companies interested in reserving space at this premier event, contact Brian Bernstein, Sales Executive at 203-840-5474 or email bbernstein@ufcfanexpo.com. Don’t wait, space is limited and will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
 

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