Fighting professionally since 2001, Mike Kyle (18-8-1 MMA, 2-3-1 SF) is no stranger to the big stage.
However, the UFC, Strikeforce, WEC and Pancrase veteran is dealing with one new situation as he prepares for his upcoming bout with Marcos Rogerio de Lima (8-0 MMA, 0-0 SF) at this weekend's "Strikeforce Grand Prix: Barnett vs. Kharitonov" event in Cincinnati. Kyle actually had time to prepare.
Working through what he says is the longest camp of his career, Kyle insists he's ready to make a splash. He wants the Strikeforce light heavyweight belt and then another shot at the UFC.
"The one thing good about this fight is I've had three or four good weeks of solid training, and I've never really had that before," Kyle told MMAjunkie.com Radio (
www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "Only other time I've had it before was with (Rafael) 'Feijao' (Cavalacante). That was the longest camp I've ever had: three weeks. I came out with the victory on that one."
Kyle, who also occasionally competes at heavyweight, admits he has a hard time turning down fights, even on short notice. But against the undefeated Brazilian prospect de Lima, Kyle said the preparation has been key to formulating an intelligent gameplan.
"With this fight, I have to really be patient and take my time and pick this guy apart, not get in any brawls," Kyle said. "Be prepared to go to the ground and maybe take him to the ground and ground and pound.
"I plan on this fight being a really tough fight. I haven't had any easy fights, so I plan on this really being a tough fight."
It should be. His opponent recently earned a decision win over the always-tough Paulo Filho, and the contest actually marked de Lima's first win that did not come via stoppage. In fact, five of his wins have come in the opening round.
Nevertheless, Kyle said he believes in his own abilities, especially training alongside fighters such as Daniel Cormier and Cain Velasquez at American Kickboxing Academy.
"I'm really confident," Kyle said. "The camp's really confident in me. We really do have good things going on at AKA, with all the guys, all the top-level athletes. The Olympic-level wrestling is starting to really rub off on me."
Kyle fights for the first time in nine months. The layoff was longer than expected, as a broken right hand suffered in his December 2010 loss to heavyweight Antonio Silva continued to trouble him as he tried to rush back to training.
"I was being hard-headed," Kyle said. "I hate not doing anything, so it's really hard for me to sit out and watch all these great athletes and great people spar. As soon as I started putting on the weight or getting a little out of shape, a little button goes off in my head.
"I tried my best to stay off it, but I didn't do that good of a job, I guess. I kept re-breaking it coming back early."
But not this time. Kyle said he's completely healthy and more focused and prepared than he's ever been before. Kyle had earned victory in five-straight official contests before losing to Silva, and he's ready to get back to winning ways.
With a win here, Kyle believes he belongs among the division's elite, and he's like to take a swipe at the belt before hopefully making it back to the UFC's octagon.
"I know that Dana White knows that I'm a fighter," Kyle said. " I've got to get past this guy and hopefully get Dan Henderson and then head to the UFC with the light heavyweight belt from Strikeforce."
