Mike Pyle has a legendary status around Las Vegas gyms. Even with 10-plus pros fighting out of Xtreme Couture, you often hear the best guy in the place is Pyle, the guy who never gets a chance at the big leagues. Well, now is his chance. Pyle was taken care of easily in his UFC debut by Brock Larson back at UFC 98. He did have an excuse. he was also called just eight days before the fight and lined up as a fill-in. When Chris Wilson was removed for failing his medicals, Pyle stepped up but got stomped by Larson (26-2).
Pyle, who is normally in the gym on a daily basis, hadn't been training at all and weighed 193. That's not good for a welterweight. It showed during the week as he tried to cut the weight down to 170, Pyle never made it to the stage at the MGM for the weigh-ins:
"I actually went down in the back. I had to have medical attention. It was tough. To try to recover from that and being out of shape, it just wasn’t cool."
Pyle says now with a full training camp he's ready for his opponent Wilson, the same guy he replaced at UFC 98:
"This time around, this guy is in trouble. I’ve been training hard. I’m in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m super ready now,” said Pyle (17-6-1). "I’ve been in this game for a very long time, many, many years. I’ve never gotten the chance to get in the UFC,"
We find out tomorrow night if Pyle is for real or simply a gym warrior.
