Should I be back to the big show?

First off what do I mean by the "big show"? I get asked in almost every interview where I would like to be and the answer is always in one of the major organizations( UFC, WEC,Strikeforce,Dream, Senguko, Bellator) fighting the best. Each promotion has a deep talent pool and I would be happy to sign with each of them. My obvious choice would be the UFC. Why the UFC? Well, I feel that there is unfinished business there and lets be honest, although the other organizations are great, the UFC is The Coca Cola of Mixed martial arts( Hey, its branded to the point where UFC is synonymous with fighting). And I can be honest, my motivation goes back to what Im most known for(unfortunately), the TV show.

I do not want that to be my "mainstream" end. I still have people come up to me and say they "are huge fans" and then ask if I still fight. Not that big of a fan if you dont know that Ive had 8 bouts since the TV show. I have said it before and I will say it again, I was a fighter before the TV show and I am most certainly a fighter afterwords. If I dont end up fighting in the UFC, Im ok with that and really would just like the proper home, where I can fight to my potential.

Now, do I deserve to be in one of the big shows? Let me make a case for myself.

Since the TV show I have accumulated at 7-2 record. Not impressive at all actually, but considering that 2 of those fights(a win and a loss) were when I had my C7 vertabrae completely out, fought anyways and then under went surgery, I think you can at least say, I am a fighter. On top of that, since my surgery, I came back with another loss(I can say, I really wasnt ready to fight, but I wanted to jump back in), but after a serious talk with myself and what I feel an awakening of sorts, I have now one 6 fights in a row, all by stoppage.

Looking at my last 6 opponents, 3 were not high caliber(2 journey men and a last minute replacement), but the other 3 however were high caliber and 2 of those were being groomed for the UFC( both opponents managers told me, that if they beat me, they were in the UFC) and were undefeated(16-0 and 8-0 respectfully). Those were finishes I might add.

My over all record of of 17-5 has only 2 decisions. 1 loss and 1win, but anyone who has seen those fights cant say that I wasnt trying to win the fight the entire time or that I ever gave up. Lets face it, I come to finish fights(4 tkos and 12 submissions)

Ive evolved immensely. Not only am I stronger, with better endurance, Ive also improved vastly with my striking. Take the spinning back fist in win #16 or the straight right in win #15. Both times, I dropped my opponent and then finished with a submission.

People still know who I am. Whether they love me or hate me and regardless of how the Ultimate fighter panned out for me, people still know who I am. I guess in that respect, its better to be known in a poor light, than be obscure in a good light,

The ever popular "will I make weight" question has been smashed over and over. I just had a title fight, where I weighed 154 at the weigh ins and it was the easiest cut I had yet. In fact, Ive weighed LESS at weigh ins than every opponent Ive had on this 6 fight streak.

Ive made my mistakes and Ive learned from them. This I think is the biggest reason. I know I made an error on the TV show. I know sadly, that will always be the first thing that people talk about or ask me about(btw, it was OVER 3years ago), but I have NEVER allowed it to define me. Instead of quitting and moving on to a different career, I went back to what I was doing before the show, but at a higher standard. There have been multiple fighters who havent made weight. There are even more that have been suspended for drug charges and enhancement drugs. these fighters still have their place in the big shows and it comes down to people make mistakes and you either learn from them or you allow them to define you. I will NOT allow my mistake to define me.

I will keep fighting in the smaller shows if thats what is necessary or if the contract that I am offered is just offensive, but I think Ive made a pretty good case to being back in the big shows.