DANIEL CORMIER vs ANTHONY JOHNSON
This is it – the big one for all the marbles at 205 pounds. Usually, rematches following a decisive result in the first bout don’t hold much intrigue, but this is the exception to that rule. Anthony Johnson has been wrecking people since he was submitted by Cormier in 2015, and many feel he will continue that streak as soon as he touches the champ. But “DC” survived that first blast from “Rumble” last time, and as someone who spent many years getting hit by heavyweights, his chin is made of steel. So the question remains, if DC survives Johnson’s power, does AJ have other ways to win in a five-round fight? We’ll find out Saturday.

More first-round finishes than his opponent has pro fights, @Mousasi_MMA looks to have the experience advantage on Saturday. #UFC210 pic.twitter.com/Fgp5ygOYb4

— UFC (@ufc) April 5, 2017

CYNTHIA CALVILLO vs PEARL GONZALEZ
If you notice a theme throughout this card, it’s that UFC matchmakers Sean Shelby and Mick Maynard are being fearless in terms of matching up hot prospects against each other. I’ve said it a million times, but these are the fights that boxing just doesn’t do anymore. But I digress. Cynthia Calvillo blasted out of the gate in her UFC debut last month, submitting Amanda Cooper in less than a round. Now she’s back to face debuting regional standout Pearl Gonzalez. This is a great showcase for both ladies and the women’s strawweight division, and odds are that you’ll be talking about both of them come Monday morning.

On UFC Unfiltered: Cynthia on being offered her UFC debut fight

THIAGO ALVES vs PATRICK COTE
From hot prospects to seasoned vets, this welterweight bout between Thiago Alves and Patrick Cote may not have an impact on the title picture at 170 pounds, but it is going to be fun to watch. Both fighters are sluggers who go for it when the Octagon door closes, and you can expect to see some high-level back and forth action from start to finish.

MYLES JURY vs MIKE DE LA TORRE
Myles Jury was on the fast track to stardom before losses to Donald Cerrone and Charles Oliveira in 2015 marred his perfect record. Add in a nearly 16-month layoff, and it will be interesting to see where the 28-year-old is when he faces Mike De La Torre this weekend. De La Torre is an aggressive competitor who will push Jury from the start, so we will know immediately if Jury is back to the form he showed in the first two years of his Octagon run.

KAMARU USMAN vs SEAN STRICKLAND
Kamaru Usman and Sean Strickland may be the top two prospects at 170 pounds, and after Saturday night, one of them will have graduated to fighting top 10 opponents from here on out. Usman, who hasn’t lost in his UFC career, is the favorite here, simply because his swarming wrestling attack and ability to make opponents fight his fight hasn’t been questioned yet. But Strickland can sneak up anyone, and that makes him dangerous in every fight.

Get ready for UFC 210: Check out the full fight card | Reasons to watch | Cheat Sheet | Ouch! Feel Rumble’s power | DC-Rumble, Weidman-Mousasi ready to fight | Listen: Cynthia Calvillo joins UFC Unfiltered, Katlyn Chookagian | Watch: UFC 210 Countdown | Snoop Dogg breaks down DC … and Rumble | How to order the PPV

SHANE BURGOS vs CHARLES ROSA
Shane Burgos was impressive in his UFC debut win over Tiago Trator, and he gets another New York home game against Charles Rosa. Rosa has been on the sidelines since January of 2016, so a fast start will be key to get the rust off and keep Burgos from gaining an early lead, and if that happens, this may the most furious opening five minutes of action we will see on Saturday.

PATRICK CUMMINS vs JAN BLACHOWICZ
Veteran light heavyweights Patrick Cummins and Jan Blachowicz are coming off losses heading into their bout, but in a wide open 205-pound division, a win here could put them right back in the mix and they know it. So expect that neither fighter will play it safe on a card headlined by a bout for the title they both want to get in the coming years.

JOSH EMMETT vs DESMOND GREEN
Upstate New York native Desmond Green has paid his dues on the way to the Octagon, and he’s not about to let this opportunity to fight and win in his home state get away from him. Of course, Josh Emmett has no intention of sitting idly by, and if anything has been shown by the Team Alpha Male product, it’s that he’s willing to do whatever it takes to get his hand raised at the end of the night.

GREGOR GILLESPIE vs ANDREW HOLBROOK
Gregor Gillespie was one of those urban legends of the New York MMA scene, with fans in the area wondering when he was going to get the call to the UFC. He got it last year, won his debut, and here he is, fighting close to his hometown against Andrew Holbrook. Holbrook is not easy mark though, and he’s proved in his last win over Jake Matthews that he has no problem with spoiling homecomings.

KATLYN CHOOKAGIAN vs IRENE ALDANA
I’ve said it since the bout was announced, and I’m not backing down from my assertion that Katlyn Chookagian and Irene Aldana have the potential to steal Fight of the Night honors. They’re both strikers who are busy and willing to exchange, and they have their sights on that bonus, so expect them to chase it hard.

On UFC UNFILTERED: Chookagian talks Aldana

JENEL LAUSA vs MAGOMED BIBULATOV
Many people believe Magomed Bibulatov can defeat Jenel Lausa on Saturday night and immediately throw his name in the hat for a shot at flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. That’s high praise for the talented newcomer, but the hard-hitting Lausa has lights out power and he’s got his own championship ambitions to achieve, and those start with an upset of Bibulatov.

Gonzalez, long considered a top prospect and owner of a 2013 victory over UFC vet Cortney Casey, can’t get a better showcase for that dream than on the UFC 210 main card, where she will face off with fellow up and comer Calvillo, who made an impressive splash in her debut last month, submitting Amanda Cooper in less than four minutes.

“I am a big fan of hers,” Gonzalez said of her foe. “I loved her walkout – she was so confident and comfortable and it looked like she was having a great time – and then she came out and put on a great performance. It was very exciting and quick, so I’m a big fan of hers. I think she’s very tough, she’s adding a lot of flavor to the division, and I’m really excited for this fight.”

It’s a far cry from the trash talking battles often seen before a fight, but Gonzalez, who sees no need to act tough since she has already proven herself, doesn’t get caught up in such matters.

“She’s just the next opponent, the next challenge,” she said. “It’s not personal. All that matters is what happens in those 15 minutes that I’m in the cage with her.”

“There were a lot of dysfunctional people that were drawn to the sport and I was one of them,” she said. “I found much success and an outlet for that dysfunction through fighting and, today, it’s so different. I’m disciplined, and when it comes to being out in the streets I’m not looking for a fight. I’m the exact opposite of what I was and it was because of MMA. It made me who I am today. There’s a stereotype (of fighters), but as the sport evolves, we’re showing that we’re professionals.”

And as such, Gonzalez has made the sacrifices necessary to succeed. That includes giving up time with her husband and family in order to chase a dream. Those sacrifices won’t stop now. In fact, as a UFC fighter, they’re only beginning. But she’s willing to pay that price.

“Unfortunately, this career is very selfish,” she said. “I’ve been away from home, my husband, my family for the past three and a half months and I’m a hundred percent focused on what I need to do to prepare for my debut. It has been this way for many years, and in fact I’ll be more selfish these next few years than I’ll ever be. This is a very selfish sport and I am one hundred percent dedicated and committed and I have an amazing partner that understands that this is what’s required. So my family understands and they’re so supportive of this. I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was 21 years old and I’m here today. It’s a dream come true that I’m living and I’m just enjoying every single moment.”

PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals – Sakuraba outlasts Gracie in 90 minute epic
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
It was an epic battle never seen before in the modern era of mixed martial arts and will probably never be seen again. For 90 minutes, Kazushi Sakuraba and Royce Gracie matched wits, and eventually, the tenacious Sakuraba was able to pull ahead in the bout, and with Gracie exhausted and punished by a series of leg kicks, cornerman and brother Rorion Gracie threw in the towel, rendering Sakuraba the winner.

PRIDE 17 – Wanderlei Silva begins 205-pound title reign
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Brazil’s Wanderlei Silva made his reputation on the brutal vale tudo circuit in his home country, but the style that earned him the nickname “The Axe Murderer” didn’t truly get honed until his tenure in PRIDE. On November 3, 2001, Silva stopped Japanese hero Kazushi Sakuraba for the second of three times, becoming the first PRIDE middleweight (205-pounds) champion and beginning a reign that wouldn’t end until 2007.

PRIDE Grand Prix 2000 Finals – Mark Coleman resurrects career, wins 2000 Grand Prix
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Neil Young said it’s better to burn out than fade away, and that looked to be the case with Mark Coleman, who pounded out six UFC victories before going on a three-fight skid and getting his walking papers. But ‘The Hammer’ wasn’t about to fade away, and in PRIDE’s 2000 Grand Prix he showed it, finishing off Igor Vovchanchyn in the finals and then putting on one of the sport’s most memorable post-fight celebrations.

PRIDE 1 – Rickson Gracie kicks off the PRIDE era
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Considered by many to be the greatest fighter of the Gracie clan, Rickson Gracie kicked off the PRIDE era in Japan just like his brother Royce began the reign of the UFC in the United States – with a submission victory. Gracie forced Nobuhiko Takada to tap via armbar 4:47 into the first round, and with the launch of PRIDE, MMA would never be the same again.

PRIDE 21 – Frye vs Takayama – And then a hockey game broke out
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
“Subtlety will not be apparent in this fight,” said commentator Stephen Quadros before the Don Frye vs Yoshihiro Takayama fight, and he couldn’t have been more spot on, as the fighters met and immediately threw bombs, with the sequence of the two holding on while delivering right hand after right hand in hockey fight fashion remaining one of the most memorable moments of the PRIDE era. Oh yeah, and Frye won via first round TKO.

2003-04 – The Wanderlei Silva-“Rampage” Jackson Rivalry
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Though UFC fans with short memories may just remember “Rampage” Jackson’s UFC 92 win over Wanderlei Silva, back in PRIDE, it was “The Axe Murderer” who left two savage bouts against Jackson with his hand raised. These two standouts didn’t like each other, and they let everyone know about it, adding an intensity to their bouts that captivated fight fans. And the Silva who took out Jackson was the best Wanderlei we’ve ever seen.

PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005 – Rua and Lil’ Nog engage in a battle for the ages
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
When rising stars “Shogun” Rua and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira met, stakes were higher than usual. It was the quarterfinal round of the 2005 Grand Prix, and it was also a clash between the warring Chute Boxe (Rua) and Brazilian Top Team (Nogueira) factions. But all that was forgotten during a three round battle that showed off all the best aspects of MMA, and though Rua was declared the victor, the fans were the real winners.

PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 – Nogueira rises again to finish Cro Cop
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
In a career of amazing comebacks, this may be the one you have to put in Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira’s time capsule. Beaten and battered by the game’s most ferocious striker, Mirko Cro Cop, Nogueira’s resolve was tested like never before during a horrific first round. But in the second, “Minotauro” took Cro Cop down and finished him off with an armbar, completing a miraculous come from behind victory.

PRIDE 15 – Rampage debuts against Sakuraba
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Few were aware of who Quinton Jackson was when he was recruited to face Kazushi Sakuraba at PRIDE 15 in July of 2001. But with a heavy-duty chain around his neck, a haunting howl, and thudding slams that would become his trademark, the man now known as “Rampage” introduced himself to the world in memorable fashion despite losing to the Japanese superstar via first round submission.

PRIDE Total Elimination 2005 – Shogun makes statement with destruction of Rampage
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Brazil’s Mauricio “Shogun” Rua was rightfully seen as one of MMA’s top prospects when he entered the 2005 Middleweight (205-pound) Grand Prix. But when he took on perennial contender “Rampage” Jackson in the first round of the competition and delivered a frightening first round beatdown that ended with soccer kicks, Rua went from tournament hopeful to favorite in the matter of four minutes and 47 seconds.

PRIDE Critical Countdown 2004 – “Rampage” almost puts Arona through the ring
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Its part of every “Rampage” Jackson highlight reel, and rightfully so. Two fights removed from his first loss to Wanderlei Silva, Jackson needed a win over Ricardo Arona to get a rematch, but when the Brazilian ground ace locked in a triangle choke, things didn’t look good. Then the American picked Arona up over his head and slammed him to the mat, knocking him out instantly in a blistering display of power.

PRIDE Shockwave 2004 – Gomi gets a Lil’ Evil on Jens Pulver
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
With the UFC’s lightweight division on hiatus from 2004 to 2006, it was the perfect time for Japan’s Takanori Gomi to stake his claim as the top 155-pound fighter in the game, and what better statement to make than to beat the last (and then only) man to hold the UFC crown in Jens Pulver? And ‘The Fireball Kid’ did just that, knocking Pulver out in the first round of an exciting standup scrap.

PRIDE 19 – Bad Blood: Don Frye vs Ken Shamrock
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
It was a fight that probably should have happened in the Octagon in the mid-90’s, but better late than never, as early UFC pioneers Don Frye and Ken Shamrock finally met in PRIDE in 2002. And the fight lived up to the hype, as Frye won a hard-fought decision in a bout that may have been the first to put PRIDE on the mainstream radar in the United States.

PRIDE Final Conflict 2003 – Liddell iced in Tokyo
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
With UFC President Dana White sending Chuck Liddell to PRIDE to represent the UFC in the 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix, the idea was that “The Iceman” would eventually meet PRIDE standout Wanderlei Silva in the finals. But fellow American Quinton “Rampage” Jackson was going to have something to say about that, and he did, stopping Liddell in the second round of their semifinal bout in the Tokyo Dome.

PRIDE Total Elimination 2003 – Cro Cop Crushes Vovchanchyn
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
It may be safe to say that hard-nosed Ukrainian heavyweight Igor Vovchanchyn was before his time, as his prime came before the worldwide MMA explosion. Mirko Cro Cop was right on time though, and armed with the phrase “right leg hospital, left leg cemetery,” he made his bones in PRIDE with a single devastating head kick that knocked Vovchanchyn unconscious at 1:29 of the first round.

PRIDE Final Conflict 2005 – Fedor defeats Cro Cop
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
When Fedor Emelianenko won the PRIDE heavyweight title, he was on a collision course with Mirko Cro Cop, and after the Croatian put together a seven fight winning streak that included a knockout of Fedor’s brother Aleksander, he was finally granted his shot in what was one of the most highly-anticipated bouts of all-time. Emelianenko took the drama out of it early though, dominating from start to finish en route to a decision victory.

PRIDE Shockwave – “Minotauro” slays “The Beast”
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
For a split second, many watching the Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs Bob “The Beast” Sapp bout wondered whether it was even possible for “Minotauro” to survive the repeated pro wrestling style piledrivers he absorbed from the 6-4, 300-pounder. But like a horror movie character, Nogueira rose from the dead, exhausting Sapp with his resolve before submitting him with an armbar in the second round.

PRIDE 17 – “Minotauro” Nogueira becomes PRIDE’s first heavyweight champion
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
When the history of mixed martial arts is written, the heavyweight chapter will undoubtedly feature the name of Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. A little more than two years into his pro career, his legend truly began when he pounded out an impressive unanimous decision win over Heath Herring on November 3, 2001, becoming PRIDE’s first ever heavyweight champion in the process.

2000 / 2007 – The Dan Henderson – Wanderlei Silva series
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch the first battle at PRIDE 12 | Watch the PRIDE 33 battle here
Two-time United States Olympic wrestler Dan Henderson got rude welcome to the PRIDE organization in 2000 when he was met by the furious assault of “The Axe Murderer”, Wanderlei Silva, who decisioned him at PRIDE 12. Nearly seven years would pass before Henderson would get his shot at redemption, and he made the most of it, knocking Silva out to become the first man in history to hold PRIDE titles in two weight classes simultaneously.

PRIDE 16 – Don Frye in the first event after 9/11
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
With the tragic events of 9/11 still on the minds of millions around the world, Don Frye entered the PRIDE ring on September 24th to face Gilbert Yvel, and for the first time, the end result (a Frye win via disqualification) really didn’t matter. What did matter was that Frye, the quintessential American, showed the country’s fighting spirit, particularly during an unforgettable ring entrance that tugged on even the toughest heartstrings.

2003-2004 – Fedor is human – well, at least a little
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch the PRIDE 26 battle | Watch the PRIDE Critical Countdown clash
With his long reign over the heavyweight division, mechanical precision and unassuming manner, it’s easy to forget that Fedor Emelianenko is also human, something shown when he got rocked badly by Kazuyuki Fujita at PRIDE 26 and suplexed by Kevin Randleman at PRIDE Critical Countdown. Those fights were in 2003-04, and he came back to win both by submission. No one in PRIDE came close to beating him after that.

PRIDE 32 – The US Invasion
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
After years of success in Japan, PRIDE was going to test its brand in the fight capital of the world – Las Vegas, Nevada, and though the rules were altered to adhere to the unified ones used in the United States, fans were pleased to find out that PRIDE was still PRIDE, complete with stars “Shogun” Rua, Kevin Randleman, Dan Henderson, Vitor Belfort, and a main event that saw Fedor Emelianenko submit Mark Coleman.

PRIDE 33 – Bad boy Diaz stuns Gomi
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
After a spotty UFC campaign that saw him lose three of his last five fights in the organization, Nick Diaz looked to get himself back on track in PRIDE’s second United States show, and he did more than that against lightweight champion Takanori Gomi, as he pounded “The Fireball Kid” before a gogoplata ended matters in the second round, a result overturned when Diaz tested positive for marijuana after the bout.

PRIDE Shockwave 2004 – Chonan submits “The Spider”
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
Although the record of current pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva shows a 2006 defeat to Yushin Okami via disqualification, the UFC middleweight boss’ last “real” loss came to another Japanese standout, Ryo Chonan, who stunned the Brazilian with one of the rarest of submissions – a flying scissor heel hook that ended the bout at the 3:08 mark of the third round.

PRIDE 31 – Coleman vs Rua I – the Aftermath
UFC FIGHT PASS subscribers: Click here to watch this memorable moment
The fight itself was nothing to brag about, but after Mark Coleman was awarded a victory after “Shogun” Rua broke his arm while getting taken down by “The Hammer”, all hell broke loose, and when you’ve got a brawl in the ring involving Coleman, Rua’s brother “Ninja”, Wanderlei Silva, and Phil Baroni, it tends to stick in your mind. Cooler heads eventually prevailed, and Rua got even by stopping Coleman at UFC 93 in 2009.

2005 – Chute Boxe vs Takanori Gomi
During the PRIDE years, Chute Boxe had their issues with Brazilian Top Team and Mark Coleman’s Hammer House squad, but in 2005, the standouts from Brazil got into it with one man – PRIDE lightweight boss Takanori Gomi, who beat Jadson Costa and Luiz Azeredo, the latter provoking an in the ring altercation over Gomi’s late shots on Azeredo. Gomi apologized, but still got the last word with two more wins over his rivals that year.

PRIDE Shockwave 2004 – Olympians meet in Saitama
It was a marketer’s dream, two Olympic gold medalists meeting in the PRIDE ring for all the world to see. And while the bout between judo gold winner Hidehiko Yoshida and wrestling’s Rulon Gardner wasn’t a barnburner, it does deserve a footnote in history, especially considering that Gardner’s unanimous decision win came in his first and only mixed martial arts match.

Economical, but effective, his words – like his punches – are delivered without any apparent exertion, yet they crack home with the power to stop you dead in your tracks.

While the style in the cage doesn’t come with any flourishes or flare that sets it apart from his colleagues and contemporaries, the direct, genuine responses he gives at all times when stationed on the other end of a microphone or telephone are dramatically different than the standard fare. In the process, it has turned the talented contender into even more of a cult favorite than he was before he eschewed the “nice guy says nice things” approach in favor of just spitting the truth.

Just a handful of days away from one of the biggest fights of his career, Mousasi’s confidence is at an all-time high. Where others would offer up a string of compliments about their opponent before adding a thought or two about why things will fall their way on fight night, Mousasi opts instead to omit any praise for Weidman and cut to the quick when it comes to his thoughts on this weekend’s penultimate tilt.

“I’m in my prime,” he says in his trademark laconic flow. “He has to be lucky to be able to win or may the best man win, but I doubt if he can beat me April 8.”

The brashness of the statement is muted by the fact that he says it without any change in pitch or passion.

A handful of days away from stepping into the cage with a highly motivated former champion, Mousasi has set Weidman’s odds of winning at “slim to none” and declared them as such with about as much energy and passion as you can muster when thanking your great aunt Trudy for buying you an ugly pair of socks for the sixth consecutive birthday.

People read the obituaries aloud with more gusto than the former Dream and Strikeforce standout managed while assessing Weidman’s chances, but the matter of fact delivery underscores that Mousasi isn’t saying these things to garner attention or give journalists an easy headline.

He believes it fully and completely and has zero hesitation sharing his views with anyone who asks for them.

After struggling with injuries and rushing back to action quicker than he admits he should have, the Netherlands-based veteran has found his rhythm. Since making a collection of changes to his coaching staff and training regimen following his September 2014 loss to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Mousasi has been on a roll, showcasing his smooth, technical boxing while building a ton of momentum in the dangerous middleweight division.

Long viewed as a potential title threat in the treacherous 185-pound ranks, everything seems to be coming together at the right time for Mousasi and it’s that combination of factors that provides him with the confidence to admit he has doubts about Weidman’s ability to beat him Saturday night at KeyBank Center.

“I think being injury-free, having the right people around me, being physically strong, mentally strong, experienced, a couple wins in a row, you get motivation,” he said, running through the elements that have coalesced in advance of this weekend’s contest to fill him with certainty about its outcome. “I’m confident. I’m very confident going into this fight.

“No one is taking me down in training and I don’t feel like he’s gonna. I train with heavyweights. He’s in my weight class, so I have no doubt I can beat him.”

While he’s been quick to share his thoughts on the state of the division in advance of this weekend’s return to “The Queen City,” don’t let Mousasi’s willingness to discuss current events lead you to believe that he is distracted or his focus is divided.

The fact that Saturday’s bout with be the 50th of his career hadn’t crossed his mind, nor was he interested in investing a moment of thought in the milestone. Instead, he thinks about the six losses and two draws on his record and how – with the right training and proper preparation – he could have avoided those setbacks.

So while he may be willing to share his opinions on the title picture, Mousasi knows everything hinges on beating Weidman and that exactly what he intends to do.

How?

“I don’t know,” he said, the perfect honest starting point for his assessment of how the bout will play out. “I think I will keep it standup – punish him for every mistake – and I will look for the takedowns also. I’m going to shoot on him if he’s not careful. Other than that, let him make mistakes.

“If I hit him and he goes down, he goes down. If not, I’m fine with a decision. I’m here to put on a solid performance, not a finish. If it comes, it comes; I’m just here to win.”

Desmond Green has had a recurring dream the past six years. In it he gets a call from the school he broke records for as a Division-1 wrestler.

“The Predator” was the first University at Buffalo wrestler in history to record 100 wins before his senior season and needed just 36 more to break the all-time mark.

But Green, who is set to make his UFC debut at UFC 210 on April 8 at Keybank Center, never got his chance at history. He was dismissed from the team after a second positive test for marijuana.

In his dream, Green said UB officials offered him his last year of eligibility back so he could go for the record.

“So many times I look back at that situation and – I love UB but I feel ashamed,” Green said. “It wasn’t even the NCAA, it was the school. I feel like I was targeted. But everything happens for a reason though. When that happened it sprung me into MMA.”

Green (19-5) has been knocking on the door of the UFC for years. The lightweight prospect, who takes on Josh Emmett (10-0) on the UFC FIGHT PASS prelims at UFC 210, feels like he’s just now blossoming into a complete fighter.

After leaving UB, Green’s journey took him on a trek across the U.S. and even abroad. He has spent time in New York, Colorado, Montreal and now calls Florida home as a member of the transitioning Blackzilians team.

While training and studying other fighters during his travels, Green said he’s tried to implement Bruce Lee’s famous instruction: “Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, and add what is uniquely your own.”

“I’ve been blessed to be able to train at some of the top gyms in the world,” he said. “I’ve trained with top fighters from Georges St-Pierre to Anthony Johnson. I’ve been able to see all these fighters go through different regimens and what works for them. I’ve been able to take a little bit from everybody.”

He checked IDs and ejected unruly drunks as a bouncer at the Black Rose, an egg toss away from Quincy Market. He had a gig as a bellhop in a Boston hotel. He had five years of hard labor while working for a paving company. A former amateur boxer, his side job to side jobs was giving lessons to prospective fighters.

It was the early 1990s in South Boston, hardly the environment tourists experienced while strolling through rich history along the Boston Harbor. The visitors’ bureau didn’t distribute pamphlets for Southie, which had become an exercise in survival during notorious gangster Whitey Bulger’s reign of terror.

„I was in Southie,“ White said, „when Southie was still Southie.“

Read entire article now at buffalonews.com…

Comedian Doug Benson joins in studio to talk about his new Comedy Central show, „The High Court“, superhero movies, hosts a contest between Jim and Matt, and more. Later, UFC Hall of Famer Don Frye calls in to talk PRIDE Never Die! week on UFC Fight Pass, overcoming his recent health issues, and gaining perspective from his near-death experience. Plus, Jim talks about getting tricked on April Fool’s Day, and the guys discuss Michael Chiesa vs. Kevin Lee, Tim Boetsch vs. Johny Hendricks, and much more.

Some of the highlights from Episode 83 of UFC Unfiltered include:

Don talks about his back surgery and going into a coma for three weeks

Don talks about waking up in the ICU

Don on his changed outlook after his near-death experience

The UFC Fight Night bout will air live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang.

Winner of five of his last seven bouts, Brazil’s Dos Anjos held the 155-pound crown from March 2015 to July 2016. But after a Fight of the Night battle with Tony Ferguson last November, RDA has decided to test the waters of the welterweight division, beginning with Belgium’s Saffiedine, a seasoned veteran who has scored UFC victories over Hyun Gyu Lim and Jake Ellenberger.