Cung Le calls competing in the UFC a “dream come true”

There’s no doubt the UFC is a goal certain individuals set for themselves and, in some cases, even achieve after enduring countless obstacles along the way. One such inspirational story, though unique in nature, is that of former Strikeforce middleweight champ Cung Le.

Le was forced to flee his homeland of Vietnam as a toddler amidst violence and struggled to fit in as a kid growing up in California. However, he channeled his frustrations into martial arts and as a result became a world-class kickboxer who has since transitioned his incredibly creative striking into a very successful MMA career.

Now, on November 19, Le has been given the opportunity to make his UFC debut in his proverbial backyard of San Jose. The gravity of the situation is not lost on the 39-year old who talked some about his upcoming bout with Wanderlei Silva at the event.

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“I have fought on many platforms, but fighting in the UFC in the co-main event is a dream come true. I just wanted to fight in the UFC, whether it (was) in San Jose or somewhere else, but being in San Jose makes it even more exciting,” Le explained during a press conference promoting the show. “I’ll be ready to rock and roll and give the fans what they want to see.”

Though Le hasn’t stepped foot in the cage since June 2010 due to his work in the film industry he expects to be fully prepared when he enters the Octagon come showtime.

“This time I made sure I trained everyday and stayed in shape and when I got back to the states I got back into the gym. I’ve been training since February, so I’ll be ready to get back in,” said Le while adding he’d learned a lesson relating to fitness in his only career loss (to Scott Smith in 2009).

The 7-1 Le has won all of his fights via strike-based stoppages including past victories over Tony Fryklund and Frank Shamrock.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE