"This is the biggest fight of my career. I'm going to be the big underdog. I always am the underdog. Everyone writes me off. Here's this guy, he looks overweight, he's got a stomach; that's fine with me. I'm confident in myself. This upcoming fight is a huge fight for me. To be going against a guy fifth in the world and going to Brazil to fight him in his hometown, this could really kick my career into high gear."

It would seem husky heavyweight Mike Russow knows exactly how much is at stake when he takes on Fabricio Werdum at UFC 147: "Silva vs. Franklin 2" on Sat., June 23, 2012, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The Chicago police officer accepts that he'll have to travel into enemy territory in the hopes of picking up the biggest win of his career. A victory, which would give Russow 12 in a row -- including five straight inside the Octagon -- would surely put him in the top 10 at heavyweight, or at least get him that much closer to a title shot. Who would have thought that possible just two years ago?