TRAINING: I wake up and go to my morning practice, where I work on technique and gameplan. Then I eat lunch, go to strength and conditioning, and go back to the gym for my evening practice to spar and put into action what I have been practicing.

When and why did you start training for fighting?  In high school because I had an attitude and a cowboy hat. After that I messed around with some amateur kickboxing and did pretty well. Then I went pro in the RING OF FIRE show and moved on to MMA. It has just been a progression.

What ranks and titles have you held?  I was S-1 Muay Thai United States Champion

Do you have any heroes?  I look up to Duane BANG Ludwig a lot

What is your favorite technique?  Straight right down the pipe.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC?  It’s a dream come true, but my work’s not done yet. I want to be a World Champion, and winning this fight is the next step.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? School of hard knocks, degree in attitude adjusting.

What was your job before you started fighting?  I was a bull rider.

•    6-3, 1 NC in WEC – only losses came in championship bouts against Ben Henderson (twice) and Jamie Varner. Scored WEC wins over Chris Horodecki, Varner, Ed Ratcliff, James Krause, Rob McCullough, Danny Castillo.

•    13 wins by submission – six by triangle choke; one by KO

•    Pro since 2006.

•    Won WEC Fight of the Night awards in bouts against McCullough, Varner (twice), Henderson, Ratcliff

•    Won UFC Fight of the Night award for win over Kelly and loss against Diaz. Won KO of the Night award for win over Oliveira and Submission of the Night award for win over Siver