Thoughts on opponent, Nate Quarry? I’m very excited. In my opinion, he’s a top caliber middleweight fighter, and he’s shown a lot of durability over the years since he was on The Ultimate Fighter I. He’s a guy I always looked up to as someone who always brings the fight. He never runs from his opponent, and he never tries to find a way to get a decision, he always fights for a finish, and he fights hard. I try to do that as well, and maybe some of that is from being a fan of Nate Quarry. So I’m excited, and I definitely know that this is gonna be one of those fights where we’re gonna stand there and fight.

When and why did you start training for fighting? I watched my karate instructor, the legendary Joe Ancona, fight in a venue in New Orleans when I was about 7 years old. I told my dad that I wanted to be a fighter one day and I trained in martial arts here and there during my childhood. I saw the UFC when I was 14 years old and I was fascinated. I have been training and working on my game ever since with the hopes of making to the big show. I guess you could say it is a life long dream of mine to fight for a living.

What titles have you held? I have held numerous BJJ titles over the years. In MMA I was a Rage in the Cage Champion, Eruption MMA Middleweight Champion and the Universal Gladiators Middleweight Champion.

Do you have any heroes? My master Rodrigo Medeiros and definitely all of the old school Carlson Gracie masters from my lineage like Ricardo Liborio, Murilo Bustamante, The Nogueira Brothers, Mario Sperry, Ricardo Arona, Amaury Bitetti, Bebeo Duarte, Ricardo De La Riva, Julio Fernandez, Marcello Alonso, Rey Diego, Wallid Ismail. These guys taught me what being a true warrior was all about back in the day when I was a no one in their gym, and I will forever be indebted to all of them and also the Grand Master Carlson Gracie. Also my heroes are Yves Edwards, Rich Clementi, Marcus Garvey, Martin Luther King, Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt, Che Guevara and Nelson Mandela.

What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC?  It means everything to me. I just want to fight the best guys in the world. I want to be the best and I want to fight the best and the only place to do that is the UFC. I am honored and privileged to get the opportunity, but at the same time I plan on making the most of it and staying in the UFC and one day becoming champion.

Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn? I went to five different colleges after I got out of the military. I eventually got my bachelors degree in business administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

What was your job before you started fighting? I was a manager of a retail store in the cellular phone business. Then I got a job in management for geophysical exploration company out of Houston. I put my geophysical exploration dreams on hold to be a full time fighter, but I am probably going back to school in the fall to finish my MBA and I hope to one day get my doctorate and be a college professor.

If any list ranks in any martial arts styles: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Rodrigo Medeiros, Judo Blackbelt, Thug-Jitsu Master under Yves Edwards

Favorite Grappling Technique: Armbar

Favorite Striking Technique: Anything to the body