A fired up Sanchez before UFC 107 (Combatlifestyle.com)UFC 107 wasn't that long ago and yet it seems like another lifetime for Diego Sanchez.

The 30-year-old challenged B.J. Penn for his UFC lightweight title. Over five rounds, Penn tore apart Sanchez and essentially finished him with a kick to the face. Twenty seven months later Sanchez, fighting to remain relevant, is a minus-320 underdog to a guy who had just made his UFC debut just a few months earlier back in Dec. of 2009.

Sanchez is a respectable 2-1 in three fights since the Penn loss, but it's the way he's looked. His decision to move back to 170 pounds was questionable at best. He doesn't appear to be in tip top shape at the heavier weight and his defensive abilities have slowed. Sounds like he's in big trouble on Wednesday against Jake Ellenberger, right? Sanchez isn't shying away from these thoughts. He's using them as a motivator going into a fight that could get him back on track (FUEL TV 8 p.m. ET).

"I love to watch that movie Cinderella Man. He comes from the top and he goes to the bottom and he makes it back up to the top. I just kind of see myself as a guy like him. Before I was just fighting for my own selfish goals. I had the goal of being champion, and that's fine; that was my dream," Sanchez told USA Today.

Sanchez (23-4, 12-4 UFC) says the up and down nature of the last three years has given him a chance to reevaluate what's important.

A jubilant Overeem after his win over LesnarThe man looking to take over the UFC's heavyweight division has found his comfort zone at the fastest growing major camp in the sport. In an exclusive conversation with the MMA Fight Corner, Alistair Overeem said that he's going to work out of Imperial Athletics in Boca Raton, Fl. He also signed a new management deal with Authentic Sports Management.

"ASM has everything that I need to expand. This goes from sparring partners, trainers, training facilities, Legal advice, business advice ... you name it they got it," Overeem said. "America is the future. I am committed to the States. I'm guessing this is going to be a permanent move."

Overeem said his travel load will have him away from south Florida quite often. He still does a lot of work in Japan and Dubai, and his homebase will always be Holland.

Overeem toured and worked with gyms in Las Vegas, Los Angeles and San Diego before choosing Florida. He said warm weather was an important factor in his final choice. He  also has a familiar face in Tyrone Spong and his trainer Harry Hoeft.

Overeem is already focusing on his May matchup for the title against Junior dos Santos.

Carlos Condit before his bout with Nick Diaz (Getty)Nick Diaz's positive drug test sent both the UFC and Carlos Condit's plans flying. While they were planning a rematch of the two's razor-close UFC 143 decision, Diaz's positive test was announced and the fight was forgotten.

Condit told Sports Illustrated he was looking forward to the rematch both because he thinks he would win and because he wants to win fights. It doesn't bother him that Diaz had marijuana in his system as much as it does that he would put their bout in danger.

"I don't care," Condit said. "The thing about it is, it's something they test for. It's against the Nevada Athletic Commission [rules]. I don't really consider it to be a performance-enhancing drug, but the fact is, they're testing for it. And you know they're testing for it. Whatever you do in between camps, if you know they're testing for this stuff then you've got to figure something out. In the past, he's said, 'Oh, I can smoke and I can pass these tests no problem.' That attitude kind of came back and bit him in the ass."

No matter what your feelings are on marijuana, its legality or its place in society, Diaz was well aware that state commissions test for it. He was already busted for it once. Once you get a ticket for speeding down a street, do you speed down that street again?

Hendricks to take on Koscheck (Getty)When Johny Hendricks knocked out Jon Fitch in 12 seconds at UFC 141, he showed he was ready to be put in the elite of the UFC's welterweight division. Now, he'll have another shot at one of the division's best. UFC president Dana White announced on Sunday Hendricks will take on Josh Koschek at the UFC's May card on Fox.

Koscheck's last two bouts were a tight split decision over Mike Pierce at UFC 143 and a knockout of Matt Hughes at UFC 135. Before that, he lost a championship bout to Georges St. Pierre.

Hendricks is riding a three-fight win streak, with the KO over Fitch, a TKO over T.J. Waldburger, and a split decision over Pierce. His last loss was a decision to Rick Story in December of 2010.

This is also a bout that will make college wrestling fans happy. Two former Division I champions will meet in the Octagon for the first time. Koscheck was a national champ and four-time All-American for Edinboro, while Hendricks won two national championships and four All-America honors for

The big day - for women - is just a few days away. Guys know it's get the job done or else on Valentine's Day.

Dave Farra did a nice job of rounding up several stars from both the female and male sides of the mixed martial arts world to get their takes on Feb. 14. This is refreshing to watch as we find out that some of the ladies aren't big fans of V-Day either.

Above, you can see longtime UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in a clinch with the member of an indigenous tribe in Brazil. According to the good people at Sherdog, he was taping a television show while visiting the Kamayura people in an inland state of Brazil.

While there, he worked out with a tribe member in their traditional combat sport of the huka-huka. He was beat twice under their rules, but then won when allowed to use jiu-jitsu.

Silva used the filming as a learning experience.

"It's different, the way they fight, the kind of technique they use," enthused Silva. "They are very strong, and I really enjoyed the experience. Really cool."

At 36 years old, Silva is still going out and learning new techniques and ways to dominate at MMA. He does not stop getting better as a fighter, even when he's at the top of his game. Hopefully, he'll continue to travel the world to learn every martial art and we'll see him try Senegalese grappling, Turkish oil wrestling, and Black Friday shopping in any mall in suburban America.

Ortiz and Griffin slug away at each other in 2009 (Getty)

As far as breaking news from the press conference dais, Dana White plays it close to the vest. Immediately after the pressers, it's a different story. His boss Lorenzo Fertitta prefers Twitter. He was a news breaker last night in a late night chat with his followers.

According to Michael David Smith from MMAFighting, he revealed some important matchups on the horizon.

Alistair Overeem will challenge UFC heavyweight champ Junior dos Santoson May 26 in Las Vegas. The winner of that is likely to face the winner of a Frank Mir-Cain Velasquez bout confirmed Fertitta.

Jake Ellenberger hanging with Tito Ortiz at UFC 136 (Getty)

If Jake Ellenberger isn't fighting for some sort of UFC welterweight title by the end of 2012 he can only blame himself.

The 26-year-old has put himself in prime position and can lock up a title fight if he posts something impressive next week against Diego Sanchez at UFC on FUEL in Omaha, NE.

At minus-350, Ellenberger is a huge favorite against the veteran fighter. He thinks he'll win but Ellenberger respects what Sanchez has done.

"I'm going to expect the best Diego Sanchez. He's going to come after me. He's going to move froward like he always does," Ellenberger told "The MMA Insiders" on ESPN1100/98.9 FM. "He trains with a great camp, a great strategist. I'm preparing for the best Diego yet."

Sanchez is back working with Greg Jackson and Jackson's MMA. That's a good thing. But the recent wars and beatings Sanchez (23-4, 12.4 UFC) has put his body through probably isn't.

"He's somewhat predictable. He moves forward. I think I can definitely win the transitions and win in the striking area," said Ellenberger.

Ellenberger's game is perfectly suited to challenge the two UFC welterweight champions. That's ESPN's MMA expert Adam Hill named him the top prospect at 170 pounds (parameters include - Have not held a UFC belt in the weight class; have not previously fought for a title in the weight class).

Carlos Condit and Ellenberger met in Sept. of 2009. The current UFC interim welterweight champ took a narrow split decision from Ellenberger. At the time, some may have thought it was a fluke. Not the case since Ellenberger has reeled off five straight victories including four KO finishes. I'd put Rory MacDonald and Johny Hendricks ahead of Ellenberger on the 170 list, but it's obvious the ranks of challengers for both UFC titles is growing each month.

Adam Hill Top 10 welterweight prospects:

1. Jake Ellenberger
2. Rory MacDonald
3. Johny Hendricks