“I want to be a fighter.” With that sentence, uttered by David Mitchell as he stepped into David Terrell’s Nor Cal Fighting Alliance gym in Santa Rosa, California for the first time in 2005, we could just say “and the rest is history,” considering that “Daudi” is making his UFC debut on Wednesday in Austin, Texas. But nothing is ever that cut and dried, and from the time of those first fighting words, Mitchell has gone through a lifetime’s worth of experiences to prepare him not only to become a fighter, but a UFC fighter. And as far as the 30-year old Berkeley native is concerned, his Octagon debut is coming right on time. “I feel like it’s just right,” he said. “There were times early in my career when I thought I was ready to go, but I think having more experience is better and I’m not getting any younger, so later wouldn’t be an advantage either. I feel like this is the perfect time.” Getting here wasn’t going to be easy though, and Mitchell, who was first inspired by Chuck Liddell’s knockout of Tito Ortiz in 2004, found …

Acetoberfest ”Ok, i just did a photo shoot w a pastry, 2 beer steins & 2 blonds w pig tails in traditional bavarian dress for a cincinnati magazine” – Rich Franklin Expert Advice ”Foot is cool, doc said to give more beatings then receiving next time. Ill sure try i said” – Duane Ludwig Sadollah Discount “I accidentally put my stuff in someone else’s grocery cart. The lady got all upset, like I was gonna make her buy it for me. So I did. – Amir Sadollah Get Well Soon, Alan “We are waiting to see the dr now. Fb friends follow @alanbelcherufc & @ashleebelcher on twitter. Tweets show up on fb status also” – Alan Belcher Paging Chan Sung Jung “I love Zombieland. Life would be so much fun if it were real.” – Dan Hardy Chisled Good Looks? “Why does everyone mistake me for Chael sonnen?” – Kyle Noke Pretty Pretty! “There is still a month left to pick up the @UFC mag with me!!! http://plixi.com/p/44153848 there’s a spread on me in there 2!” – Kenda Perez Romantic Side “i love my wife” – Phil …

Acetoberfest ”Ok, i just did a photo shoot w a pastry, 2 beer steins & 2 blonds w pig tails in traditional bavarian dress for a cincinnati magazine” – Rich Franklin Expert Advice ”Foot is cool, doc said to give more beatings then receiving next time. Ill sure try i said” – Duane Ludwig Sadollah Discount “I accidentally put my stuff in someone else’s grocery cart. The lady got all upset, like I was gonna make her buy it for me. So I did. – Amir Sadollah Get Well Soon, Alan “We are waiting to see the dr now. Fb friends follow @alanbelcherufc & @ashleebelcher on twitter. Tweets show up on fb status also” – Alan Belcher Paging Chan Sung Jung “I love Zombieland. Life would be so much fun if it were real.” – Dan Hardy Chisled Good Looks? “Why does everyone mistake me for Chael sonnen?” – Kyle Noke Pretty Pretty! “There is still a month left to pick up the @UFC mag with me!!! http://plixi.com/p/44153848 there’s a spread on me in there 2!” – Kenda Perez Romantic Side “i love my wife” – Phil Baroni “The Wedding was like my new wife…

Austin, are you ready for the UFC? On Wednesday, September 15th Nate Marquardt and Rousimar Palhares will headline a great card. There’s less than a week to go, so get your Tickets today – bit.ly

The latest episode of Ultimate Insider is now available on UFC.com – bit.ly Go behind the scenes with Vitor Belfort as he watches Anderson Silva take on Chael Sonnen. Also, Jon Fitch schools you in ground and pound with, and Joe Rogan goes one-on-one with former champ Tito Ortiz.

A very comfortable Frank Mire believes he has an advantage in most areas of this fight. Watch Frank Mir vs Mirko Cro Cop in the main event at UFC 119 on Saturday, September 25th at 7pm PT/ 10pm ET on Pay-Per-View.

“More enduringly than any other sport, wrestling teaches self-control and pride. Some have wrestled without great skill – none have wrestled without pride.” – Dan Gable It was his pride that initially stopped him from tapping. Under two minutes into the third round, he was caught in a deep armbar by fellow UFC lightweight Evan Dunham. As his opponent wrenched back on his prone right arm, he hesitated to tap. He was not ready to admit this defeat. After a few excruciating looking seconds, he finally relented and the fight was over, but he saved himself from a needless injury to fight another day. That is the lowest point of Efrain Escudero’s mixed martial arts career; the rest of it is a highlight reel of victories of a wrestler turned fighter from the past four years, including a win five months after his loss to Dunham.

Fights to Watch This Week Back in my day, no UFC for the week meant no MMA on television period.

New Yorker Nick Pace: Sleep In Strange Places, Fight Well Sep-7-2010 By Frank Curreri Fighters constantly jockey for the slightest edge over their competitors. Even in their sleep. BJ Penn and Rich Franklin have been known to recharge nightly in hyperbaric chambers during training. Miguel Torres often hunkers down in his gym for weeks on end, separating himself from distractions and steeling his spirit for battle. Donald Cerrone used to catch his shuteye in a room atop Greg Jackson’s martial arts school in New Mexico. But the precise spot where Nick Pace lays his head trumps them all. “I’ve got my air mattress here,” said the unbeaten 23-year-old, who trains three times a day at Tiger Schulmann’s MMA school in Elmwood Park, N.J. “I’m sleeping in the cage with my air mattress.” The up and coming New Yorker offers this tidbit with great nonchalance, as if it were an entirely rational act. I politely refrain from…

When Evan Dunham first stepped into the Octagon at UFC 95 against Per Eklund, it would have come off as a fool’s notion to think that just a year-and-a-half later the up-and-comer would be talking about Sean Sherk as a worthy opponent for him. It’s nothing cocky, it’s just the nature of mixed martial arts—put together a four-fight winning streak in the UFC en-route to an overall 11-0 professional record and suddenly former champions are turned into challengers in this sport. It doesn’t help that Sherk hasn’t fought since a loss to Frankie Edgar in May of 2009—a length of time that stretches back further than Dunham’s entire time as a lightweight in the UFC—but still. It’s funny how quick a one-time cable guy from the Northwest can gain status over a battle-tested star in the game.