WSOF

Even through an orchestra of slot machine jangles and a Taylor Swift mashup blasting from one of the casino bars, Brian Foster's voice is impossible to miss.

"It's been too long, man," he shouted with his deep southern drawl that is immediately inviting, but at a volume that made a few groups of bystanders turn their heads in curiosity. "Good thing you can write, because you definitely aren't getting any better-looking."

While the contact between us had remained frequent since I met him back in the spring of 2011, two solid years had passed since we last stood face-to-face. And where there had been plenty of ups and downs of various severity in his career over that stretch, on that Thursday afternoon the scrappy welterweight from Sallisaw, Oklahoma, was absolutely beaming with positive energy.

The smile on his face was seemingly as big as his profile on the huge digital sign that hung above the entrance to the Axis Theater—the place where he would finally make his return to the spotlight. We stood there looking up at the promotional ad for World Series of Fighting 17: Jake Shields vs. Brian Foster, and it was impossible to ignore the look of satisfaction he wore standing in the red hues the sign cast.

After four years of trials and tribulations where his hopes of reigniting his fighting career were sparked, dashed, then lit again, the former UFC fighter-turned-resurgent-veteran had finally reached a place where his past had begun to fade out and his future was illuminated.

A few hours later, after getting in a hard workout with teammate Chris Camozzi, the 29-year-old powerhouse expanded on the emotions of finally landing a high-profile fight. In three days he would step in against former Strikeforce champion and former UFC title challenger Jake Shields in the main event of a promotion that had been making solid strides since its launch back in 2012.

"It feels like one chapter is closing and another one is fitting to begin," Foster said as he relaxed for a second in his hotel room. "All the suffering is finally coming to an end, and all the sacrifices I've made and all of the times I've had to pick myself up off the ground and start again are all worthwhile. It's been a long road back, brother, and even though I'm nowhere near achieving my goals, this is a pretty damn good start."

While the struggles that have plagued Foster's fighting career have been well-documented (by this writer especially), articles and interviews hardly do the reality of his situation justice.

Just north of four years ago, he suffered an injury during a sparring session in his preparation to face Sean Pierson at UFC 129, an incident that would begin a chain of events that put his livelihood in jeopardy. The UFC refused to give him clearance due to an issue that arose on his MRI in his pre-fight medicals, and his bout in Toronto was scrapped.

Shortly after receiving that news, things continued to travel on a downward turn as he was released from his contract with the UFC. Suddenly, the surging 170-pound striker went from finishing future contender Matt Brown and picking up his second consecutive victory inside the Octagon to being just another addition to a long list of fighters who used to compete under the Zuffa banner.

Nevertheless, while losing his place on the UFC roster was an unfortunate setback, it would hardly be the end of his troubles, as the next three years brought a storm of chaos into his life.

He would sign with Bellator and be hyped to compete in the promotion's Season 6 welterweight tournament, but those plans would also fall by the wayside when his past injury came back to haunt him—only this time it would lead to his name being added to the list of fighters who are nationally suspended and therefore prohibited from competing in the United States.

Yet, while his resolve, patience and resilience would be tested over that period, the door was finally closing on one of the toughest stretches of his life.

And when considering how much Foster has had taken away from him (his father was murdered when he was 13, and his brother Brandon was killed in a hiking accident back in 2006), the magnitude of the situation as a whole would begin to take shape for anyone who had been paying attention.

"I've been through so much just to get here, and people will never understand," Foster explained later that night as we strolled through the seemingly endless maze of the Planet Hollywood casino.

"I've spent my entire life trying to get my feet back under me after having my heart ripped out of my chest, and I've been through s**t that would make most people crumble. But I'm still standing, man, and I can feel the time coming where I get to show the world what I'm all about."

The energy that was so obvious upon our meeting would only continue to amplify as that Thursday night grew longer on the Las Vegas Strip. As people from all over the world were watching their fortunes rise and fall on craps tables and roulette wheels in Sin City, Foster was sharing the amazement of just how much training at altitude in Denver had strengthened his cardio.

Alongside The Ultimate Fighter alum Camozzi, fellow teammate Chase Hackett was there to show support and help Foster chip away at the remaining few pounds that remained on his weight cut before hitting the scale on Friday afternoon.

As I made a quiet exit that night, the last thing I saw was Foster shadowboxing at the end of a long hallway on the eighth floor of the hotel, and the weight and realization of just how far this man had come to reach the place he now stood finally set in.

***

There once was a time where getting back to the UFC was all Brian Foster thought about. Phone call after phone call during the darkest days of his suspension was nothing but a constant string of questions as to why he was being held back from fulfilling his dream and bolstering the self-confidence to convince himself that fighting inside the Octagon and competing with the best fighters in the world was where he belonged.

That said, as he milled about backstage at the Axis Theater on Friday afternoon, waiting to step on the scale and make his bout with Shields official, the most successful promotion in the sport was the furthest thing from his mind.

Time and circumstance had created a wedge between Foster and the place he once held so highly, but the business at hand was drawing near, and there was a new organization which showed its belief in his skills.

"I'm a happy man fighting for WSOF," Foster blasted as he walked down the hall to distance himself from a group of fighters who were suffering on their way to the scale. "These guys signed me and gave me a main event fight against one of the best welterweights in the world. How could I not be happy with that? Plus, the money is good, and I'm working with good people here. It's a great situation, and I'm fired up to be fighting for them."

As the official weigh-ins got underway and the rest of the fighters on the card began to drag themselves up to the stage, Foster was pulsing with energy behind the divider. Where he had been only five pounds off the 171-pound limit the night prior, he awoke that morning even lighter and with less weight to cut.

Those circumstances would raise the spirits of anyone who is familiar with the weight-cutting process, and as Foster waited for his name to be called, he continued to shake out his arms and legs in an effort to keep his composure in check.

On the other side of the crowd, his opponent, Jake Shields, was the model of relaxed cool. The San Francisco native's history of rough weight cuts are well-known throughout the MMA community, but in the lead-up to his official weigh-in for the bout with Foster, the Team Cesar Gracie representative appeared to be in firm control of the process.

While Shield's appearance surprised several fighters and coaches waiting for their turns on the scale, it only seemed to increase Foster's anticipation for the fight.

"He looks good, and I'm glad," Foster said as he continued to shoot eyes over in Shields' direction. "Looks like he's in great shape, and that's the Jake I want to fight. I want to step in there with him at his best, and anything less than that would be unacceptable in my mind."

While his bravado and confidence continued to ratchet up in the few minutes that remained before taking the stage, there was also something else—something yet unseen—that seemed to be motivating him in those moments before walking out to weigh in. Foster is very much a salt-of-the-earth, heart-on-his-sleeve type of guy, but there was a little something extra providing a boost backstage.

Several moments later, after both fighters made weight and the main event for WSOF 17 became official, Foster returned backstage, where he finally elaborated on the added bit of fuel that had boosted an already raging fire.

"The first fight is officially over, and I won," he said with a huge smile on his face.

Where fighters often refer to their battle with the scale being the fight before the fight, having to cut only a handful of pounds on weigh-in day didn't carry enough pop to explain his level of excitement.

"That's one huge hurdle behind us," Hackett added as he slapped Foster on the back. "The fight is officially set, and you're going to compete tomorrow night in Las Vegas. This is one of the best commissions in the world, and you are never going to have to deal with those issues again. The door is closed on the past, and now it's time to start your future."

As Hackett, Foster and Camozzi moved with their conversation and began to discuss dinner plans, the full scope of the moment began to become clear: Where Foster had spent the past four years fighting governing bodies in MMA to prove he was healthy enough to compete, his bout's becoming official represented a shift into a new era for the hard-charging welterweight.

The Nevada State Athletic Commission is the standard-bearer for other commissions around the country, and with Foster receiving his license, being medically cleared and making weight for his bout in Las Vegas, old ghosts would finally be put to rest.

For the first time in as long as he could remember, the only thing Foster had to focus on was defeating the man standing across from him inside the cage. And despite how enormous a task besting a fighter with one of the best resumes on the current landscape of MMA was going to be, it was one he was elated to get after.

Foster's ear-to-ear grin was shining brightly as he'd put away one major challenge, and he was only 24 hours from coming face-to-face with his next tough obstacle. Nevertheless, in that moment Foster was happy—truly happy in the realization of how far he'd come—and the time to shift gears and summon the internal fire that had made him a feared finisher in the welterweight ranks had finally arrived.

***

"Turn that up," Foster growled as he resumed stalking the mat in the backstage locker room.

Upon hearing his request, fellow teammate and current Bellator fighter Dustin Jacoby cranked up the volume on the speaker, and country music filled the small space.

In an hour he would sit while his head coach at Factory X, Marc Montoya, would sit to wrap his hands, and then commission would come in, sign off and put the blue tape on his gloves. Once this was completed, Hackett would hit the mat to roll through several grappling exchanges as they attempted to get Foster primed for Shields' strongest weapon.

Where the mood had been loose and jovial the day before, the vibe in Foster's locker room on fight day was a stark contrast.

Several minutes after stepping foot in the two-roomed outpost WSOF had given him to prepare, Foster took a framed picture of his late brother Brandon from his gym bag and hammered in a nail so that he could hang it on the wall. Upon withdrawing the picture from his bag, Foster dropped to his knees and clutched it tightly as he whispered words to the photo with his eyes closed, deep in his own personal mental space.

After placing the frame on the wall of the training room, Foster once again took several moments to share some internal thoughts with the person who made him want to be a fighter. In addition to his three sons back home in Oklahoma, his brother was and will forever be the driving force behind Foster's career fighting inside the cage.

When his eyes opened again and he turned around, there was something different about him.

Several moments prior, he was a man getting ready to step into hand-to-hand combat, but when he turned around and returned to moving on the mat, something had changed within him. The smile was gone. The loose and instantly likable southern charm was suddenly absent, and in its place stood a fighter.

While the overall transformation had been in process all day, the sharp turn into a man who was fierce and ready for battle was abrupt.

"We're up next," Camozzi said as he tapped Foster on the shoulder. The Oklahoma native was rocking from side to side—continuously shifting his weight from one foot to the other as the clock ticked closer to showtime. 

Several minutes later, the fight on the television screen in the locker room came to an end, which was immediately followed by a knock on the door telling Foster it was time to go.

He kept his head down and his breathing steady as he navigated the narrow hallway, down two flights of stairs and out into the wide-open space of the main stage of the Axis Theater. Behind the curtain, fight-hungry fans waited for their main event, and the platform Foster had been scrapping tooth and nail to reclaim was just seconds away from being his.

While there were only a handful of seconds before he had to make the walk down to the cage, Foster made sure to go to each one of his teammates and coaches who had stayed by his side, supported and prepared him for the biggest fight of his career, and thank them for their belief in him and the effort they invested to make sure he was ready for what was to come.

Each embrace was sincere. Each exchange was filled with encouragement and care, and when Shinedown's version of "Simple Man" hit the speakers in the theater, Foster walked around the curtain and dove headlong into the fray, as the next chapter of his life was about to unfold under the bright lights.

***

When an athlete signs on for a career in combat sports, he is willingly boarding a roller coaster of uncertainty. Fighting, by its very nature, is a brutal, unforgiving endeavor, one that comes with the possibility of tremendous highs when victory is obtained and desolate lows when defeat comes to call.

In the locker room following Foster's submission by Shields in the first round, the mood was somber and silent.

He had started out on a positive note—keeping his distance and landing several shots at range and breaking free when Shields looked for the clinch—but the savvy veteran capitalized on a moment of over-aggression and took control as he put Foster on the canvas.

With Shields possessing one of the most dominant ground games in the sport, having his back to the mat is the last place Foster wanted to be, and it didn't take long for Shields to apply his offensive attack.

The former Strikeforce titleholder moved through his progressions from top position, and Foster did his best to defend himself until the "Skrap Pack" representative found the opportunity he'd been working for and locked in a fight-ending rear-naked choke.

Shortly after Foster tapped out from the pressure Shields applied, he sat on his knees in the center of the cage as disappointment hung heavily on his face. The battle he'd envisioned in his mind never materialized, and a brief mistake once the cage door closed had brought his long-awaited comeback to a sour end.

Ever the sportsman, Foster walked over to give Shields a congratulatory hug for a job well done, then made his way out of the cage and back toward the locker room where he'd stood only several minutes before. As the team filed in behind him, Foster was silent as he attempted to replay what had gone wrong in the fight.

He hadn't overlooked or underestimated Shields' ground-game talents in the slightest; he just simply couldn't stop what many other exceptional fighters were also overwhelmed by once they squared off with the submissions ace.

Foster's misfortune inside the cage kept things silent inside the locker room as he and Montoya stepped over to the corner to discuss the fight. While Foster remained speechless, his coach reiterated over and over how much he believed in Foster's heart, drive and skill set. Montoya refused to allow Foster to beat himself up over what unfolded in the fight with Shields and ensured his fighter that this was just one small step in what was going to be a great return.

Foster nodded his head in agreement as Montoya embraced him once more, then the coach slipped away to give him his fighter time and space to absorb the outcome.

As Hackett set about gathering up their belongings and clearing out the locker room, Foster quickly came to the center of the mat to address his teammates. His apology was immediately met with correction from his brothers in arms as they took turns building up a man they truly believed in.

And while Foster couldn't shake the obvious disappointment from his face, he did assure his teammates that his presence in Denver was going to be full-time going forward.

"I'm going right back to the gym," he said with heavy eyes. "I can't live with what just happened in that fight, and the only way to fix it is to be in the gym busting my ass. I'm going to make the cut to 155, and I'm not leaving Las Vegas until they get me another fight. It's what I have to do, and I'm going to be there in Denver on Monday."

In addition to informing his teammates and coaches that he was going to make the move to Denver, Foster also confirmed to them that his next fight would come as a lightweight.

That shift had been set in motion prior to the bout with Shields and was the reason he'd come into the fight at a much lighter weight than ever before. Yet those were all things to come in the future, and he still had to deal with the reality of what had transpired against Shields in the cage.

That said, Foster was going to keep things positive while he made his peace with the loss, and his teammates echoed his sentiment as they passed around encouragements for their close friend.

After a quick shower, Foster burst out of the locker room en route to finding WSOF matchmaker Ali Abdel-Aziz with the full intention of getting another bout lined up that instant. The promotion has two cards on the docket in the coming months, and Foster was hellbent on getting confirmation that he'd be fighting on one of them.

After a quick talk with Abdel-Aziz with a promise to discuss things in greater detail later in the night, Foster and his crew took the side exit and made the walk back to their hotel rooms. As his teammates fell into conversations with fellow fighters and familiar faces from the fight business, Foster kept to himself—with his head down aside from the occasional shake in disbelief—until they had arrived back at the rooms.

Once inside, Foster drifted off to find solitude and took his phone from his pocket. It had been ringing non-stop since the fight ended, and the list of missed calls on the screen wasn't something he was interested in looking at. Yet there was one very important phone call that needed to be made, and with a heavy heart, he dialed the number to speak with his sons, who had been watching back home in Oklahoma.

In that moment, he wasn't just a fighter who had been bested on live television or a man whose comeback had been stunted in abrupt fashion by a former world champion—he was a father.

He was a dad who needed to call the three people who love him the most in this world to tell them that he was not hurt, but most importantly, to show that even when you are knocked down, it's getting back up that matters the most.

Yet while he didn't find everything he was looking for when he came to Las Vegas to fight in the main event at WSOF 17, Foster did discover that even when the chips are down and disappointment is hanging heavy overhead, the bigger picture of his life remains fully intact.

Victory may have eluded him on this run, and the setback he suffered against Shields may ultimately force his road back to take a few extra turns, but it still wasn't enough to shake the resolve he'd forged on his journey to get to where he stood.

Fighting is a brutal, unforgiving sport by its very nature, and Brian Foster is a fighter through and through. He's wired to overcome adversity and press onward. That's the only way he knows, and that is how he will continue.

While he may be back in the gym on Monday and find himself fighting at 155 pounds on an upcoming WSOF card, he'll still be fighting for the people who matter the most to him in his life. On Saturday night, three of those people were waiting anxiously on the other end of the phone, and the other was locked in his heart as a life cut short and the reason his journey began in the first place.

Foster may not have found victory on Saturday night, but he'll now go forward free of the weight that once threatened to drown his career.

That's redemption on a grander scale, and a lesson he can one day pass on to those people who make every bit of sacrifice worthwhile. 

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Matt Hamill, who achieved widespread fame and admiration as a successful hearing-impaired fighter, will return to pro MMA this year after signing with the World Series of Fighting promotion.

The news came Wednesday night via Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting. 

Hamill will compete in a four-man tournament to determine the inaugural WSOF light heavyweight champion. Also in the bracket is Thiago Silva, the controversial fighter who has also signed with WSOF and who defeated Hamill by unanimous decision in October 2013. As it happens, that was the last professional fight in the UFC or elsewhere for both men. 

Silva will face another UFC veteran, Ronny Markes, in the tournament's semifinal round. Hamill will take on an as-yet unannounced opponent.

Last July, Hamill, now 38, retired from the sport, citing a "nagging injury." However, in December Hamill tweeted that he was coming out of retirement and seeking a fight. 

It's time for The Hammer to get back into the ring and offer some payback! http://t.co/pyPxCPKCQG

— Matt Hamill (@Hammerufc) December 5, 2014

Hamill originally targeted Bellator and a rematch with Quinton "Rampage" Jackson for his return fight. But that never materialized. Like a bout with Jackson, however, a matchup with Silva would give Hamill the opportunity to avenge a previous loss.

Hamill (11-5) earned legions of fans for his success in college wrestling and later in MMA. He was a formidable and heavy-handed wrestler during his heyday in the late 2000s, defeating notables like Tito Ortiz, Mark Munoz and Keith Jardine.

He also has the strange distinction of being the only man to ever technically defeat Jon Jones, though he only did so because Jones was disqualified for throwing illegal elbows.

In 2010, a movie, The Hammer, was made about Hamill's life.  

At the tail end of his UFC run, Hamill looked thoroughly unimpressive, even during rare victories. Diminished by time and injuries, Hamill was a shell of his former self, particularly against younger, more complete mixed martial artists.

It remains to be seen whether Hamill's health or fighting game will have improved during his retirement. Either way, Hamill's return to active competition will likely draw interest in various quarters of the MMA and non-MMA public.

Thiago Silva? Thiago Silva.

Silva, the former UFC light heavyweight contender who has recently faced domestic assault charges and other serious controversies outside of the cage, has signed with the World Series of Fighting promotion and will participate in a four-man tournament to determine the first WSOF light heavyweight champion.

Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting first reported the news Thursday evening:

Thiago Silva signs with WSOF, enters four-man tournament for light heavyweight title w/ other familiar names - http://t.co/3JTZFFkqq2

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 15, 2015

During his days in the Octagon, Silva (16-3-2) was known for an aggressive striking style, which earned him memorable knockout wins over Keith Jardine, Rafael Cavalcante and Houston Alexander.

But major trouble appeared last February, when Silva allegedly threatened to kill his estranged wife and barricaded himself in his South Florida home. Silva was eventually arrested, but only after an armed standoff with a SWAT team.

He was briefly charged with attempted murder, though the charge was later downgraded to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, along with other related charges.

The UFC released Silva shortly after news of the incident surfaced.

However, in September, the UFC reinstated Silva after a judge dropped all charges against him when Silva's ex-wife, Thaysa Kamiji, declined to cooperate with the investigation and departed the United States for Brazil.

But there was another turn of events.

Shortly after that reinstatement, Kamiji posted two videos to YouTube that respectively appeared to depict Silva carrying a gun and allegedly high on cocaine. The UFC again released Silva.

Fast-forward about three months, and Silva has now signed with WSOF. WSOF President Ray Sefo told Helwani that he believed Silva deserved another chance in professional MMA.

"We researched his situation, and the charges were dropped," Sefo told Helwani in Wednesday's report. "[Silva] wasn't convicted. In my opinion, you're innocent until proven guilty. The guy is a great fighter, so we want to give him an opportunity."

The WSOF light heavyweight tournament will reportedly pit Silva against another UFC vet and current WSOF 205-pounder Ronny Markes. Matt Hamill, famous for achieving a lengthy UFC career despite a hearing impairment, is also in the tournament.

The WSOF has not yet announced the fourth competitor.

Rousimar Palhares, the World Series of Fighting welterweight champion and one of the most dangerous fighters in all of MMA, will not be punished by the California State Athletic Commission following yet another brutal and controversial submission victory Saturday.

That news came Monday evening from Marc Raimondi of MMA Fighting, who spoke with CSAC Executive Director Andy Foster. Though Foster said Palhares will not be punished by the CSAC, he expressed frustration over Palhares' continued and dangerous behavior in the cage.

"As soon as [the tap] touches you, he should have let it go," Foster said. "He chose to keep it going another few seconds. You can say it's the heat of the moment—I've heard that too many times from him. I don't think it's enough to punish him or anything. It's real borderline. I'm pretty mad."

Palhares successfully defended his WSOF title at WSOF 15 in Sacramento, using his signature leg lock to force Jon Fitch to submit. The controversy came when Palhares refused to relinquish the knee bar—one of the most painful and potentially destructive submission moves in jiu-jitsu—despite Fitch repeatedly tapping on Palhares' leg and screaming in pain.

The referee moved in to stop the contest but had to act fairly forcefully to get Palhares to let go.

Though it was only a few extra seconds, that's all you need to seriously injure an opponent. Fitch was unable to walk from the cage under his own power after the bout.

Palhares, for his part, seemed unapologetic following the fight:

I will always respect my opponents, but I'm 100% sure that I will defend my world title with all my strength #GoToko http://t.co/4ckexf9IZ3

— Rousimar Palhares (@ToquinhoMMA) December 15, 2014

As fans know, this is not the first time Palhares has done something like this. Last year, Palhares was released from the UFC for holding a heel hook too long on Mike Pierce. In 2010, he was suspended for 90 days for doing the same against Tomasz Drwal. 

Despite Palhares' history, WSOF signed him soon after his UFC release. However, WSOF President Ray Sefo asserted there would be a zero-tolerance approach to Palhares.

After WSOF 16, Sefo offered a different assessment than the CSAC's Foster, noting in an email to MMA Junkie that he believed Palhares' submission was "perfectly clean."

It is unknown what will happen with Palhares in terms of his next opponent. It may not be surprising if WSOF has a hard time finding a willing opponent despite the fact that Palhares holds the welterweight title.

Palhares, 34, is 17-6 as a pro, with 14 wins coming by way of submission.

Fighters by their nature are built for adversity. Whether it comes in the form of battling through a body that wants to quit inside the gym or resisting the onslaught of an opponent’s will as it’s being imposed upon them, fighters are constructed to endure, persevere and overcome. It’s something they possessed long before the realization of what they were set in, but once that moment arrived, the path ahead to travel will be one of conflict and with the hope of glory waiting at the end.

Brian Foster has always known he was tough.

Scrapping it out with other hard-scrabble country boys growing up in Oklahoma made him realize he lacked fear in chaotic situations, and that laid the foundation for what would one day be a career fighting professionally.

At first it was a good deal—throwing hands on the weekend for what he calls a “nice little chunk of money." But before long he realized there was something more there—a future—and the pursuit transitioned from being about his love of the scrap into his quest to become an elite-level mixed martial artist.

By the time 2010 rolled around, the heavy-handed welterweight was well on his way. After years of settling the opposition on smaller stages around the sport, Foster was called up to the UFC and wasted no time making his mark.

Although he stumbled in two of his first three showings inside the Octagon, even in those losses Foster fought with an intensity that resonated with MMA’s passionate fanbase. That said, he would eventually settle into the new level of competition.

Impressive performances where he would brutalize Forrest Petz and choke out future contender Matt Brown via guillotine choke at UFC 123 proved Foster was not only finding his bearings in the welterweight ranks but making his way up the talent-stacked divisional ladder. Back-to-back victories had his momentum rolling hot, and he set his sights on making Sean Pierson his third consecutive victim when they squared off at UFC 129 in Toronto.

The event headlined by the title fight between Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields would go on to set the live attendance record for a UFC event as 55,000 fans packed the Rogers Centre to watch a stacked card. It was an action-packed night of fights but one that did not include Brian Foster. He spent that Saturday night alone in his room, sitting with tear-filled eyes trying to come to grips with the storm of emotion he was battling.

He had no idea that particular fight would carry on for the next four years. He had no idea how much hardship was ahead as his professional, personal and financial worlds were shattered at regular intervals as the brain hemorrhage once suffered then healed continued to haunt him down every avenue he attempted to travel.

A freak accident in a routine training session was taking everything away from him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Every time Foster rebuilt himself or had his MRI or CT scan cleared by another doctor, the hope he held onto with every fiber of his being would swell. Yet, the proverbial walls would come crashing down time after time as the doors to one potential opportunity after the next would slam shut in his face before he ever had a chance to start.

Foster always knew he was tough, but it took going to the frayed ends of his emotional limits to find out just what he was made of.

“I can’t really find the right words to even begin to describe what going through what I’ve gone through has been like,” Foster told Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. “I busted my ass to get to the highest level of the sport, and before I knew what was happening, it was gone. It was devastating, and I went through it every time I tried to go back to doing what I love. What made it worse is that I did everything that I needed to do in order to prove I was healthy and good to go, but every time I had a leg to stand on it would get kicked out from under me.

“I’m a fighter, man. That’s how I make a living. That what burns inside of me, and not being able to do that was crippling in every sense of the word. Not only are we talking about the money lost by not being able to fight, but all of the tests and MRIs I had to get completely wiped out my savings. I went broke.

I went to all the best doctors and had my medicals approved by The Cleveland Clinic, which is a highly respected institution for the work they’ve done in combat sports. To put this in perspective, Thiago Alves had brain surgery and he was right back in there fighting, yet this followed me around for years.

“No matter what, I wasn’t going to give up on my dream,” he added. “I wasn’t going to allow it to break me. Yeah, I went through some terrible s--t that would make other people close up shop and call it a day, but I was determined to fight my way through. And in doing so I found peace. I found a peace and balance with the things in my life that matter the most, and I’m more comfortable with myself now than I’ve ever been. That makes me a dangerous man, and it’s going to show inside that cage.”

While a national suspension would force Foster to take fights internationally in order to keep his livelihood intact, it kept him from regaining his footing on the domestic scene. In March 2013 that suspension would be lifted, and he would once again be cleared to fight at home in the United States. Yet while the lanes to fight were open for the first time in more than two years, his prior medical history made promotions hesitant to offer him a contract.

Although Foster found success in seven of his eight bouts since being released from the UFC and showed that his talent, power and ferocity were present and accounted for, the major promotions in the sport were too busy looking at his past to see the future he was attempting to reignite.

Nevertheless, things would finally take a positive turn when World Series of Fighting offered the Oklahoma native a contract in late 2013. The upstart organization was starting to put together some serious talent, and adding Foster’s fan-friendly fighting style and knack for finishing fights would only serve to bolster what was shaping up to be the promotion’s premier weight class.

That said, his initial bout for WSOF fell through when his opponent withdrew due to injury, and the same would happen with his second potential opponent. And with Foster needing to fight to keep his head above water financially, the organization allowed him to take a bout under the Titan FC banner. It was certainly an unusual move, but few things go as planned in Foster’s world.

He would face and defeat The Ultimate Fighter alum Gilbert Smith in a three-round shootout at Titan FC 28 in front of a lively Oklahoma crowd and the scores of fans watching on CBS sports. Yet, while he was happy to get a solid victory on a big platform, Foster was more disappointed by the fact that for the first time in his 28-fight career, a tilt he was involved in went to the scorecards.

“Once everything was cleared to go and all of my medicals were cleared I was signed by the World Series of Fighting,” Foster said. “They found a fight for me, but things ended up falling through. I needed to fight so Titan stepped up and offered me a fight with Gilbert Smith. He was a UFC veteran and a tough fighter, and I went in there and picked up the unanimous-decision victory. I went to the judges’ cards for the first time in my career, and I was very disappointed in that.

“I wasn’t in the shape I needed to be in for that fight, and I still got the win. I’ve been kept on the bench so long and pushed down anytime I did come up off the bench that it’s hard to find the motivation to train sometimes. Without an objective or an opponent stamped in stone in front of me, it’s hard to get motivated and disciplined.

"I don’t care who you are, any fighter would struggle with that if they were frequently faced with what I was faced with. No matter because I still went in there and beat Gilbert Smith who is a hulk of a man and twice my size. It wasn’t my best fight, but I’ll take the win.

“Another positive to come out of that night was that I met his team and coaches at Factory X,” he added. “They were just great people, and they invited me to come out and train with them. I took them up on that offer about a month later and went out there and started training. The WSOF called because they got me a fight and I was supposed to face Josh Burkman, and he ended up hurting himself or whatever and ultimately signed with the UFC.

“So I spent my money on another training camp for a fight that didn’t happen. I can’t blame the guy for signing with the UFC, and it was a smart choice on his behalf because had he fought me, he wouldn’t be signing with them. If he would have fought me, he would have lost. The cat made the smart move by taking a different opportunity.”

While another setback and fight that failed to materialize forced Foster to take yet another financial blow, he had been dealing with adversity so long he discovered how to recognize silver linings when they appear. Instead of falling back into frustration and dwelling on opportunities lost, Foster decided to put the energy he had bottled up inside into building a new structure system for his life and in the process established a regimented daily routine.

With his fighting career having been lingering in uncertainty for years, Foster had long since taken up working a day job in order to make ends meet. In addition to that grind, he had also taken over primary custody of his three sons, and balancing each of those aspects—while attempting to get in a full training camp—was burning the proverbial candle at both ends.

That said, after having his bout with Burkman fall apart, Foster found comfort—and ultimately peace—in the stability that had long been absent from his life. He had confidence that something big was coming his way. Over such a hectic stretch, he’d learned to find his footing no matter how shaky the ground, but now things were different.

Foster was starting to get his professional life back, but the personal life and the relationships he coveted so much were doing better than ever. And this allowed him to keep his mind focused on the positives.

“For the first time in all the years I’ve been doing this I’ve found structure,” Foster said. “I’ve found routine, and I’ve established a greater sense of discipline than I’ve ever known. When I fight Jake, you are going to see a lot of what I’ve done for myself.

"This isn’t about what anyone else has done for me…this about how I have rebuilt my life and did it all on my own. When I beat up Jake Shields on national television, everybody is going to wonder how I did it. The answer to that is going to be that for the first time in my life I’m comfortable. I’m happy and I’m ready to take what’s mine.”

Although Foster was approaching his life with a new perspective, he still needed his faith in WSOF to be validated in the form of a fight that would come to fruition. Things would take a turn in a big way on Monday when the promotion announced he would be facing former Strikeforce champion and perennially top-ranked welterweight Jake Shields at WSOF 17 on Jan. 17.

Furthermore, the main event tilt would also determine the next contender for the organization’s welterweight crown, which will be settled when Jon Fitch and Rousimar Palhares handle their business this Saturday night at WSOF 16 in Sacramento, California. It was the perfect scenario for a fighter whose  goal was to get back to fighting the best in the world and the chance to find a level of redemption that had been eluding him for the past four years.

“I’ve been looking for a big fight for so long now, and I finally got it with Jake Shields,” Foster said. “He has defeated three of the guys who are currently ranked in the top five at 170 pounds. I have defeated one of them, so combined we’ve beaten four out of five of the best guys in the world. This is a great fight and one that makes perfect sense to establish who will get the next shot at WSOF’s welterweight title. It will also prove which one of us still has something to offer the game, and I think he’s had his chance. It’s my time to prove what I’m all about and I can’t wait.

“Shields is one of the best in the world and has a win over the current UFC champion. Defeating him is going to make a huge statement, and it’s one I’ve been waiting a very long time to make. This sport I have loved for so long is changing, but this fight isn’t about politics, money or anything else outside of proving who is the better fighter. I’m out to be the best, and there is nothing that is going to stop me. I’ve already been through hell, and now it’s time to show these people the beast that’s about to get unleashed.”

With a big fight on the docket and a newfound peace in his life, Foster’s mind could finally lock in on a tangible opponent. Shields brings world-class credentials to the cage and has built one of the most impressive resumes in mixed martial arts. Yet while his own business had him fired up to get back to work, Foster is a man of the sport he competes in and tuned in to watch his friend and former longtime teammate Robbie Lawler take his second shot at winning championship gold.

In doing so he witnessed the announcement that former WWE superstar CM Punk had signed with the UFC and would be not only making his Octagon debut some time in 2015, but his professional debut as well. For a fighter like Foster who spent so much time, effort, money and emotion trying to regain what was taken from him back in 2010, the news that Punk was simply going to get the opportunity to fight in the UFC because he “asked to” was baffling.

“That situation is a tough pill to swallow,” Foster said. “You have true, proven warriors like myself who have stepped in and been a gladiator every time my name has been on that dotted line, but yet I was let go. Let’s not forget I had won back-to-back fights, but because of this old situation that has been cleared up for a long time now, I can’t get back to the Octagon where I belong, but this dude who decides he wants to ‘try’ fighting in the UFC is given an opportunity young hungry fighters are busting their asses for? I’m extremely happy at WSOF so remove me from the situation, and it’s still a kick in the nuts to every guy who has been told they need more experience or have been trying to get to the big show.

“Don’t get me wrong, I get the fact that he’s going to draw attention and bring some eyes to his fights. I get that. I’m not stupid, but there’s no way this whole thing doesn’t take away from the genuine aspect of what it means to compete in mixed martial arts. So many fighters have sacrificed so much to compete inside that Octagon, and this guy wants to try fighting, so he’s given this kind of opportunity. I don’t understand it, and I don’t care about it. I have my own thing to focus on, but it made me shake my head when I saw the announcement.”

While Foster may not be excited with everything that is happening in MMA, the magnitude of enthusiasm he has for his current situation and the promotion he’s fighting for is at an exceptional level. In his mind, WSOF gave him a chance when that’s all he ever wanted, and he has every intention of proving it right when he steps into the cage against Shields on Jan. 17.

It’s been a long and winding road to reach where he currently stands and one that has provided an education of the starkest reality. While there were times he was admittedly knocked down so hard he didn’t know if he could get back up to his feet, at the end of the day he’s still standing, and standing tall for that matter.

Cliche as they may be, there are truths to be found in sayings regarding darkness before the dawn and the duration of tough times and tough people. Foster had four years of the hard knocks to find out just how true those sayings are, and he’s happy to see that grim chapter of his life come to a close. For a man who makes a living trading punches inside of a locked cage, it may be difficult to believe the hardest hits he’s ever taken came outside of the cage, but that has certainly been the case.

That said, the time has come for Foster to finally change the tune once and for all. He’s a fighter, born and bred, and now he’s going to get the opportunity he’s been dreaming about since his life was flipped upside down four years ago. He’s going to get a chance...and that’s all he’s ever wanted.

“I couldn’t be happier with WSOF,” Foster said. “They are taking care of me, and I know they sincerely care about their fighters. That’s all I could ever ask for. They are giving me a great opportunity here to fight Shields for the No. 1 contender spot, and that is the type of fight I’ve been hungry for. That’s the type of fight that gets me fired up and is going to bring out the best Brian Foster the world has ever seen.

"For so long it was about coming back and proving that I belong with the best fighters in the world," he added. "It’s not about that anymore because this is a new start. I’ve found comfort, discipline and peace in this fire I’m standing in, and that is going to spell trouble for a lot of other people who fight in my weight class. It’s my time to take what is mine.”

Duane Finley is a featured columnist for Bleacher Report. All quotes are obtained firsthand unless noted otherwise.

Jessica Aguilar defended her World Series of Fighting strawweight title on Saturday over little-known Kalindra Faria, but her performance calls into question her status as the best in the world.

Faria entered on an 11-fight win streak, but that largely came against lesser competition. There were plenty of questions surrounding her entering the fight.

Aguilar didn't find dispatching Faria to be easy despite the scorecards reading 49-45 across the board. The fight was much closer than that. This should have been a fight where the No. 1-ranked 115-pound fighter would excel and finish.

Jessica Aguilar def. Kalindra Faria by unanimous decision, 49-45 across the board. Scores belie fight's closeness. #WSOF15

— Scott Harris (@ScottHarrisMMA) November 16, 2014

No matter the method, Aguilar won. But is she the best?

Bleacher Report Lead Writer Jonathan Snowden talked to Aguilar prior to her fight, and she certainly feels she is the best. "I don't have to make the case. It is what it is," Aguilar said. "A lot of people say, 'Do you think you're the best?' It's not if I think. I am the best. Look at my record. This is why I'm No. 1. Yeah, I am the best. I'm going to continue being the best. And I'm going to retire the best."

Aguilar got the title of being the best by going on a five-fight run and defeating longtime No. 1-ranked Megumi Fujii. Prior to her streak, she faltered in the Bellator 115-pound tournament to Zoila Frausto (now Gurgel).

Her first fight against Fujii was close, and the decision was contentious. In that five-fight run, she scored a split-decision win over Carla Esparza. She wasn't exactly dominating her competition.

After defeating Patricia Vidonic, Aguilar traveled to Japan to take on Fujii in her retirement bout. She poked the talented submission artist several times in the eye, which halted the fight for a significant period of time. In the States, the fight would have been ruled a no-contest and stopped. However, in Japan, the fight resumed with Fujii barely being able to see. Aguilar coasted to a majority technical decision after two rounds.

Under the WSOF banner, Aguilar has gone 3-0 but failed to fight any true top-of-the-line competition. The other fighters in the top 10 moved to Invicta FC and subsequently have been snatched up by the UFC for its newly created strawweight division.

Can Aguilar truly be considered the best outright if she hasn't faced the top competition and her big wins have not been dominant? I am not so sure.

In the time since Bellator scrapped its women's divisions, most of those women have moved on to Invicta or the UFC to battle against one another. They are not shying away from top-end competition.

Former Invicta FC strawweight champion Esparza is 4-0 since losing to Aguilar, and she has fought notable names in the division. She is 1-0 in the UFC's latest season of The Ultimate Fighter, but the victory will be written down as an exhibition.

Jessica Aguilar will stay at #1 for at least a few more months. Then that distinction will go to Gadelha/Jedrzejczyk vs TUF 20 champ winner.

— Robert Sargent (@MMARising) November 16, 2014

Other fighters on TUF 20 have shown dynamic skill sets, and even though the wins will not be counted officially, we are seeing the results on television. Those bouts will not escape our memory when thinking about who is the best.

Aguilar's combination of not being dominant and fighting lesser competition makes the case of who truly is No. 1 in the strawweight division a debatable one. She is not finishing her fights against lower-level fighters, while the rest of her contemporaries are improving against the best.

Aguilar may very well be the best fighter at this weight right now, but the more time that passes, the more it will be difficult to vote her as such.

The people’s main event at World Series of Fighting 15 went the distance.

A week’s worth of trash talk came to a head at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida, on Saturday night, as WSOF lightweight champ Justin Gaethje fought against former Grudge Training Center teammate Melvin Guillard.

There was no title on the line due to Guillard missing the 155-pound weight limit at the official weigh-ins on Friday.

No title implications did little to quell the importance of this bout as a measuring stick for Gaethje, an undefeated fighter lacking in experience against world-class opposition. For Guillard, a former UFC contender, it was all about reinventing himself in another promotion and avoiding the status of gatekeeper for fresh, young talent.

Here are the results for the entire WSOF 15 fight card, followed by a recap of every fight on the main card. 

David Branch vs. Yushin Okami	David Branch def. Yushin Okami by TKO 3:39 Round 4
Justin Gaethje vs. Melvin Guillard	Justin Gaethje def. Melvin Guillard by split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Jessica Aguilar vs. Kalindra Faria	Jessica Aguilar def. Kalindra Faria by unanimous decision (49-45, 49-45, 49-45)
Jorge Patino vs. Eric Reynolds	Jorge Patino def. Eric Reynolds by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Matt Frevola vs. Josh Zuckerman	Matt Frevola def. Josh Zuckerman by submission (armbar) 2:50 Round 1
Reggie Pena vs. Joe Johnson	Reggie Pena def. Joe Johnson by submission (rear-naked choke) 4:15 Round 1
Hector Ochoa vs. Robert Reed	Hector Ochoa def. Robert Reed by split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28
Tony Way vs. Frederico Moncaio	Tony Way def. Frederico Moncaio by submission (guillotine) 2:03 Round 3
Anderson Hutchinson vs. Troy Gerhart	Anderson Hutchinson def. Troy Gerhart by unanimous decision
Jose Cortez vs. Ryan Keenan	Ryan Keenan def. Jose Cortez by submission (rear-naked choke) 2:16 Round 3
Maurice Salmon vs. Javier Torres	Maurice Salmon def. Javier Torres by TKO (doctor stoppage) 5:00 Round 1

David Branch vs. Yushin Okami

The actual WSOF 15 main event featured a title fight between middleweight champ David Branch and former UFC title contender Yushin Okami.

In the least entertaining fight on the main card, Okami, a southpaw fighter, walked Branch down in an open-guard stand-up battle. Open guard is generally defined as when fighters of opposing lead hands square off in front of each other.

For the most part, it was a battle of foot position to see which fighter could create the best angle to land the loaded rear-hand punch. Okami, a world-class grappler, opted to once again snub his takedowns for a striking-heavy offensive attack. The takedowns he did attempt were either horribly telegraphed or too far outside to present any real threat.

The exceptionally long affair finally came to an end when Branch landed a beautifully timed overhand right that sent the former UFC star crashing to the canvas. Like a shark in blood-filled waters, Branch swarmed on Okami with a flurry of strikes until the referee was forced to step in.

...AND STILL CHAMPION! @DavidcBranchMMA defeats @OkamiYushin by TKO! #WSOF15 pic.twitter.com/zrgNhPlfsR

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2014

Melvin Guillard vs. Justin Gaethje

The script couldn’t have played out any more beautifully for Gaethje, who kept his lightweight title and perfect record intact.

Despite all the trash talk, Guillard opened up the fight as the calmer fighter, moving around on the outside and finding a constant connection with his jab. Gaethje spent most of the first round swinging at air as Guillard slipped punches and countered effectively.

But it wasn’t until The Young Assassin found a home for his rear uppercut that he really began to find success on the feet. In an incident at the end of the first round, Gaethje appeared to throw a late punch after the bell.

In the second round, Gaethje continued to go head hunting, but he also proved to be more effective in cutting off the cage and cornering Guillard. This severely limited Guillard’s defense and opened up more opportunities for Gaethje to land on the outside and close the distance to work some dirty boxing.

The final round proved to be more of the same with Gaethje turning his focus to kicking Guillard’s lead leg. There wasn’t much offense from Guillard, who spent the brunt of the round hopping around on one leg.

It was the most convincing round for Gaethje in an incredibly close fight that ended in a split decision.

THE HIGHLIGHT!!! @Justin_Gaethje wins by Split Decision! #WSOF15 pic.twitter.com/8G39TWu7qM

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2014

Jessica Aguilar vs. Kalindra Faria

In other action, top women’s strawweight fighter Jessica Aguilar successfully defended her 115-pound title against Kalindra Faria.

Aguilar opened up the fight by taking the center of the cage and pumping out a jab to gauge distance against the taller fighter. Faria appeared content to wait on the outside and look for openings to counter as Aguilar worked inside with a typical one-two and an occasional overhand right.

On the feet, the advantage of technical efficiency belonged to Faria, but Aguilar’s speed and ability to control distance made the difference in this fight.

It wasn’t until the third round that grappling really came into play for Aguilar. After having several takedowns defended, Aguilar was finally able to trap Faria against the cage and secure a takedown. She spent the brunt of the round from top position, working short strikes and threatening with front chokes.

For a moment in the fourth round, the tide seemed to change. Faria abandoned the counter game and took the fight to Aguilar, ripping to the body and head with multiple combinations.

However, the fight once again tipped into Aguilar’s favor after she landed in top position on the ground due to a failed hip toss by Faria. It was more of the same in the fifth round with Faria stalking Aguilar and besting the stand-up exchanges.

A lone takedown was Aguilar’s best offense in the final stanza against an opponent who proved to be every bit as tough as advertised.

"I wasn't surprised with how tough she was," Aguilar said in the cage after the fight. "I knew she was going to be tough. She's one of the best in the world, and that's what I love to challenge myself against. It's not easy winning 11 fights in a row." 

....AND STILL CHAMPION! #1 STRAWWEIGHT IN THE WORLD! CHAMP @jagatt! #WSOF15 pic.twitter.com/A6ACb58cD6

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2014

Jorge Patino vs. Eric Reynolds

A lightweight scrap between Jorge Patino and Eric Reynolds kicked off the main card festivities on Saturday night.

Patino immediately snagged a single-leg takedown to avoid Reynolds’ wild stand-up exchanges. The 41-year-old looked like a magician on the ground, constantly transitioning between sweeps and submission attempts.

Reynolds, however, proved to be the ultimate escape artist in defending submissions and finding openings to scramble back to his feet. On the feet, Reynolds threw caution to the wind, chasing Patino with both hands down and swinging wild punches. But Patino refused to oblige his opponent in a game of Rock 'em, Sock 'em Robots.

Instead, he secured another takedown and began working for a leglock, which Reynolds fended off beautifully.

Things quickly picked up in the second round, as Patino snagged another takedown and transitioned to the mount position. On top, he rained down a slew of punches and elbows that opened up a huge gash on Reynolds’ forehead. Despite being covered in red goo, Reynolds continued to find small openings to escape back to his feet and draw Patino into a slugfest.

However, these moments only lasted a short while, as Patino wasn’t eager to stray too far from his bread-and-butter grappling.

The final round was capped off by momentary stand-up exchanges and high-level grappling transitions and escapes. By the end of the fight, the WSOF cage looked more like a CSI crime scene.

OUCH! @JorgePatinoMMA draws blood and takes the fight back to the ground with full mount over @ItsaWrapMMA! #WSOF15 pic.twitter.com/5OUinBirn8

— PFL (@PFLMMA) November 16, 2014

All three judges scored the fight in favor of Patino (30-27, 30-27, 29-28). 

Is it too dramatic to say that on Saturday Melvin Guillard and Justin Gaethje will battle over World Series of Fighting’s very soul?

Yeah, OK, that’s probably a little bit over the top.

Still, when Gaethje defends his lightweight title against the longtime UFC veteran this weekend—on a night when America’s three largest MMA promotions all simultaneously vie for our affections—the stakes will seem fairly high.

If Gaethje wins, it’ll constitute a nice feather in the cap of WSOF’s highest-profile champion. As arguably the mid-major company’s only real homegrown star, it’ll advance his undefeated professional record to 13-0 and provide further justification of the flattering things people are already writing about him.

Easy to see how WSOF benefits from that outcome. One of the best things the organization and Gaethje have going for them is that right now he’s a completely unknown product. Just like Eddie Alvarez and Michael Chandler in Bellator a few years ago, we have no reliable way to suss out how good he might really be, and so as long as he keeps winning we’re all content to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Who knows, maybe the 27-year-old phenom from Grudge Training Center really is one of the best 155-pounders in the world.

That ambiguity keeps Gaethje’s career interesting and alive with possibility. We want to see what happens next with him, and that gives WSOF a foothold in MMA’s most compelling weight class. If he defeats The Young Assassin, promoters can hold up Gaethje as an elite talent who would likely hold his own, even in the shark tank of UFC competition.

Meanwhile, a victory by Guillard wouldn’t be a disaster but would come with clear drawbacks.

On the positive end, it would give WSOF a champion at 155 pounds who is recognizable to most MMA fans. In that regard, Guillard would fit in nicely alongside current welterweight champ Rousimar Palhares and whoever emerges from David Branch’s fight against Yushin Okami with the middleweight strap on Saturday.

Yet a Guillard win would also further the perception that WSOF is merely surviving on the UFC’s scraps. He made his home almost exclusively in the Octagon from 2005-14, appearing in some 22 fights there before a 2-5-1 slump doomed him to the chopping block. He’d join other UFC washouts like Jon Fitch and Jake Shields in making WSOF look less like viable alternative programming and more like a slightly more generic version of the UFC.

In addition, it’s not like Guillard appears particularly dedicated to making WSOF his home. In fact, he hasn’t had many nice things to say about anyone of late.

The former contestant from season two of The Ultimate Fighter has decried the UFC’s overstuffed live event schedule and expanding roster, which he—correctly—notes have both undermined what it means to be a UFC fighter. In conversation with MMAMania’s Alex Schlinsky this month, Guillard even lumped members of his own fight team in alongside those he appears to believe don’t really deserve to be in the big show.

Every time you turn around there is a different guy in the UFC,” Guillard said. “I train at American Top Team in Coconut Creek and there are a bunch of guys right now that are on my team, and some of them I know and some I don't, but every time I ask them when is your next fight, they say 'Oh, the next UFC card' and I say 'Really? Okay.' But you look at these guys and you've never even heard of them before making it to the UFC. It is getting a little weird man.

That would be a pretty good talking point for Guillard and for WSOF, too, were he not also occasionally saying less-than-complementary things about his new workplace.

"I'm an A list fighter, fighting in the B league," he told Schlinsky of his impending bout against Gaethje.

So at least we know his confidence hasn’t been affected.

Still, that doesn’t exactly make Guillard sound like the guy you want as your champion.

Better to stick with Gaethje, who has the potential to take you farther and—hopefully—more he’s willing to give.

We can work out the details later. For now, just know that Justin Gaethje is the greatest lightweight on this planet, and he is hereby inviting you to watch him paste Melvin Guillard this Saturday at World Series of Fighting 15.

“Do I think people are sleeping on me? Absolutely...I do think I'm the best lightweight in the world," Gaethje proclaims. "As long as he shows up, it’s going to be a good fight for me, for World Series of Fighting and for MMA and for the fans." 

Gaethje is aware that you have a lot on your plate, what with UFC 180 and Bellator 131 and it being the weekend and you being a normal person and all. He knows Guillard, with 21 career knockouts and a redemption story to unfurl, may have something to say about his claims. So might other people. That's part of the point.

Coming into the highest-profile contest of his career, the 25-year-old WSOF lightweight champion (the only person to ever wear the belt, by the way) has a pretty strong track record to match his confidence. Extremely powerful in the striking, ground and clinch phases, Gaethje (12-0) has only gone the distance once in his pro career. He's more than a prospect now, and if any other fighter has a problem with that, well, they'll probably meet sooner or later.

"They can call my bluff when I get to fight the top 10," he said in an exclusive interview with Bleacher Report. "Someone’s going to have to take that fight. I feed off that energy.”

But for now, Guillard. Gaethje has no waver in his voice when he tells you that the manner of Saturday's action is not in doubt, and neither is he.

“He’s fast and he hits hard, but he doesn’t like going deep into fights. He’s not willing to get injured in there,” Gaethje said of his opponent. “I’m going to knock him out. If he gives me his back, I’m not even going to choke him. I’m going to knock him out.”

Yeah, it sounds like fast talk, easy to let run right out of your ears, especially in this post-Chael society we all share here. But when you glance at Gaethje (pronounced “GAGE-ee”) on paper, the bona fides start to emerge. Ten of his fights—that's 83 percent—have ended in a knockout victory. That's unusual. And he's not crushing cans, either; wins have come against notables like J.Z. Cavalcante, Dan Lauzon and Drew Fickett.

Like a lot of other MMA fighters, he first got some shine as a college wrestler (he wrestled for the University of Northern Colorado and is now based at the Denver-area Grudge Training Center, where he used to train with Guillard). When he found he had power in his fists, he found he had a career as a pro fighter.

But Gaethje transcends the heavy-handed wrestler stamp. His stopping power is pretty remarkable. And at such a young age, he’s still improving, throwing more combinations and body shots to complement his formidable head-hunting.

“My timing is going to be what people realize most in this fight,” Gaethje said. “And with Melvin, people will realize I don’t move back from a punch. I can take shots and give shots.”

Speaking of business, with three fights left on his WSOF contract and this "best in the world" mantra in play, questions about the UFC are unavoidable. But that's one of the beauties of being 25.

“I don’t care about [the UFC],” he said. “I don’t even know if I have a champion’s clause. I have three fights left on my contract and I'm going to fight those fights."

So the jawing is justified, then? Time will tell, as it always does, but right now it seems it just might be. What adds the spice in the meantime is not only the raw potential converting into kinetic energy before our eyes, it's that he understands the business end of the game, too, based on his talk. He knows what people want out there.

“I know plenty of wrestlers who are 15-0 and going nowhere,” Gaethje said. “This is a making-money business, and the only way to make money is knocking people out. Lying on someone? That’s pathetic to me. You gotta drop a bomb.”

Scott Harris writes about MMA and other things for Bleacher Report and other places. Follow Scott on Twitter if desired. All quotes obtained firsthand.