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UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre isn’t sure when he will face Johny Hendricks, but all signs point to the two squaring off before 2013 ends.

However, St-Pierre’s boxing coach, the world-renowned Freddie Roach, believes the fighter already has the key to defeating Hendricks.

“We got the gameplan pretty much down already,” said Roach on Fight Hub TV. “We’re working on it. He’s always looking for that big shot. He’s a veteran wrestler, of course, a good wrestler, but he doesn’t even like to wrestle. He depends on that big left hand. He doesn’t even want to go to the ground too much. He’s not real difficult to figure out.”

Hendricks was a standout wrestler in college, but St-Pierre has been widely referred to as the best mat fighter in the division. As of lately, “Bigg Rigg” has used his hands to pick his opponents apart – outside of a decision win over Carlos Condit.

Do you agree with Roach’s thoughts, or do you think Hendricks is big enough, and strong enough, to withstand GSP’s relentless approach and take him down?

Paulo Thiago is ready to welcome Michel Prazeres to The UFC this weekend at UFC on FX 8.

News is coming out that Nick Diaz is creating a new fight promotion based out of Stockton, California called War Mixed Martial Arts. This begs one very prominent question: Why is a guy who hates promoting fights starting a business to promote fights? It’s not like Diaz is particularly business savvy, though he has always understood the fight game better than most. I think those sorts of street smarts can serve him well as a fight promoter.

Nick Diaz can definitely be a useful tool for a fight promotion. With Nick Diaz you always had to worry about  whether or not Diaz could pass his drug tests. In a role as a promoter he can smoke all the weed he wants and it won’t matter. If he wants to smoke every day of the week, he can do that and there will still be fights.

Diaz is also a huge star in the Stockton area which will help the promotion draw local fans based on Diaz alone. Then, if they put on good fights, they will start coming for the fights. People will be intrigued by the promotion simply because Diaz’s name is on it.

Since Diaz has stated that he apparently doesn’t pay taxes, being a promoter provides him a nice revenue stream aside from working as Jiu-Jitsu coach or trainer with the Cesar Gracie camp. It would be foolish to think that Diaz will be handling the real, day to day activities of a fight promotion. But, as long as he can get someone who can work behind the scenes to make sure that all the t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted, then Diaz can be an asset to the promotion. Much like Ray Sefo, he can serve as a celebrity mouthpiece that gives credibility to a young promotion.

Photo Credit- Kelvin Kuo – USA Today Sports

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

Carlo Prater has fought all over the world for over a decade, leaving no stone unturned.

Now, after splitting two fights following his release from the UFC, Prater sees his next fight as another chance to move one step closer to the Octagon.

Prater (31-13-1) will face Carlos Diego Ferreira (6-1) at Legacy FC 20 on May 31 in the main event.

“I know how good I am and (I) just need to focus in on each moment and every battle and give my all to each thought and action when I’m in there,” Prater said, during a recent interview with FightLine.com. “The rest will just work its self out. I try to dwell on that nowadays.”

Prater, who holds wins over such notable fighters as Carlos Condit, Pat Healy and Melvin Guillard, says it is “UFC or bust” as far as his career goes.

“I KNOW I can fight and win and contend in there,” he added. “I just need to get back there. That is a fight by fight, training session by training session, day by day process.”

Some questioned Rory MacDonald after he took a fight with BJ Penn last year.

MacDonald, a rising star, and Penn, a previously-retired former UFC champion, were on opposite ends of the spectrum.

After the Canadian picked Penn apart, he called out Carlos Condit for a rematch. The fight was booked, but MacDonald was forced to pull out after suffering a neck injury.

Now, fully healed, MacDonald will face Jake Ellenberger later this year in a key match for both fighters in regards to the UFC’s welterweight rankings.

“I haven’t beaten the caliber of fighters who are Top-10 or the guys he has beaten,” MacDonald said, while appearing on Alchemist Radio recently. “I’m a young guy and trying to work my way up into that position.”

MacDonald’s (14-1) lone career loss came to Condit, while Ellenberger (29-6) has won two straight, including a recent win over Nate Marquardt.

“Jake is definitely going to be the hardest hitter I’ve ever faced,” MacDonald said. “I think I have some tools that he’s going to be surprised with and I think I’ll be able to figure out the puzzle.”

Georges St-Pierre has all the confidence in the world in his abilities and trainings when he steps foot inside the Octagon.

As the reigning UFC welterweight champion, and with a 24-2 record and 11-fight win streak, that should be obvious.

However, GSP recently told Inside MMA that he has to deal with another feeling as he prepares that walk to do battle.

I try to be confident, but deep down inside, I’m afraid. I’m afraid to get knocked out, afraid to get humiliated, afraid to have done all that work and put all that effort for nothing, and not be as good as people expect me to be. That’s why I’m afraid. It’s not really being afraid of my opponent. I’m afraid of not performing the best as I should. And I think it’s the same fear that keep me sharp, keep my reaction time better, and make me perform better.

St-Pierre is expected to square off with Johny Hendricks later this year. Since returning from a knee injury, he has downed both Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz. Also, GSP has released a book and will be featured in the next Captain America movie.

Kind of interesting to hear St-Pierre reveal his feelings just seconds before battling an opponent. He seems so confident and sure of himself at that time from afar.

Dan Hardy has tried his best to take his recent medical news in stride.

“The Outlaw” was diagnosd with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which affects his heart. The condition forced him out of a planned fight earlier this year, and currently is keeping him out of the Octagon.

Hardy, though, appeared on an episode of the Joe Rogan Experience recently and confirmed plans to continue testing to see what steps he can take.

I’m going to go back and get some more tests done. [UFC CEO] Lorenzo [Fertitta] has a special cardiologist that he wants me to go and see, so I’m going to get that done and just kind of see what my options are. I don’t see the point in having the surgery done if I have to have it done to carry on fighting. It just seems pointless to me.

Hardy is just 30 years old and has won his last two fights after a four-fight losing skid nearly cost him a spot in the UFC. Back in 2010, he challenged Georges St-Pierre for the UFC welterweight title.

Does it seem like a smart move for Hardy to get back into the Octagon? I for one hope he can, as long as it is safe for him to compete.

Chris Weidman has every right to be upset about the general lack of interest in his fight with Anderson Silva, but he’s not. I really like his attitude about this. Fans still seem more interested in Silva fighting just about anybody but Weidman. I’m guilty of this too; my ears perk up anytime I hear something about Silva/GSP or Silva/Jones, Silva/Weidman not so much. In all seriousness, that’s not fair to Weidman.

Jake Ellenberger is likely 1 to 2 fights away from a title fight, and up first is Rory MacDonald. Ellenberger feels he’s faced tougher guys than MacDonald, and that his own experience will lead him to victory over the young MacDonald.