UFC 143: 10 Things You Need to Know About the Fighters Debuting in Las Vegas

Five new faces will enter the Octagon on Saturday night for UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit.

The prelims on Facebook and FX will feature these UFC rookies, and there will be plenty of action to look forward to.

I've compiled a list of 10 things you should know about these fighters as they embark on their UFC careers.

Photo Credit: Strikeforce (via Five Ounces of Pain)

10. Michael Kuiper Fought Seven Times in One Year

Although Michael Kuiper only fought twice in 2011, he did manage to fight seven times in 2009.

Between February 14th and November 7th of that year, Kuiper was 7-0. Three of those wins came via knockout, three by submission and one came by way of a decision.

Kuiper comes into his fight against Rafael Natal at UFC 143 on the heels of a nine-month break.

9. Stephen Thompson Has Won 61 Consecutive Fights

Stephen Thompson's MMA career is just getting started, but he has an astonishing career kickboxing record of 56-0.

Add in his 5-0 MMA record, and this man has not lost in 61 fights.

He is facing submission artist, Dan Stittgen, who is also making his UFC debut.

8. Max Holloway Is the Youngest Fighter on the UFC Roster

Max Holloway is only 20 years old, which makes him the youngest fighter on the UFC roster.

He is making his UFC debut against a formidable opponent in Dustin Poirier, who is 11-1 in his MMA career.

7. Henry Martinez Is Making His UFC Debut on One Week's Notice

Henry Martinez is jumping at the chance of fighting in the UFC by taking a fight on just a week's notice.

Martinez is stepping in for the injured Jorge Lopez to fight Matt Riddle.

You can expect the outcome of Riddle and Martinez to be by way of submission or decision, as both fighters love to grind it out in the cage.

6. Stephen Thompson Is One of the "Good Guys"

If one were to spend some time looking up the life of Stephen Thompson, not only would they come across his amazing kickboxing record, but they would also see the foundation of a good human being.

Aside from his MMA career which will lead him into the Octagon for the first time on Saturday night, he also spends a considerable amount of time in classrooms and nursing homes.

In his visits to nursing homes, Thompson will often try to lift the spirits of the elderly by leading them in martial arts and aerobic activities.

5. Chuck Norris Approves of Stephen Thompson

Stephen Thompson was ranked the number one fighter in Chuck Norris' World Combat League for 2006.

When you take into account Thompson's overall stand-up record, his volunteer work and the fact that he was named fighter of the year by Chuck Norris, how could you bet against him?

4. Michael Kuiper Has a 10 Second Knockout

On October 3, 2009, Michael Kuiper knocked out Patrice Wagemans in ten seconds of the very first round.

This fight was part of Strength and Honour 5 in Dessel, Belgium.

3. Dan Stittgen Has Five Wins Via Submission in the First Round

Dan "The Anvil" Stittgen has a career record of 7-1 with six of his wins coming in the first round. Typically, when you see somebody with that many wins in the first round you assume he is a great striker who comes out swinging.

That is not the case with Stittgen. He has had five of those six wins in the first round come by submission.

Stittgen will face Stephen Thompson on Saturday night at UFC 143.

2. Five Fighters Making Their UFC Debut Have a Combined Record of 35-2

What does it take to get into the UFC? For starters, it takes an impressive record with other promotions.

The five fighters making their UFC debut on Saturday night have a combined record of 35-2. Here is how they break down:

Dan Stittgen (7-1)

Stephen Thompson (5-0)

Michael Kuiper (11-0)

Henry Martinez (8-1)

Max Holloway (4-0)

1. This Could Be Their One Shot at the UFC

The casual MMA fan may not realize how fast the revolving door rotates near the bottom of the UFC roster. You will see fresh-faced kids who have their whole career in front of them, and then there are those on the other side of 30 who are making their one and only run at the big time.

The strong work ethic and dedication that goes into even cracking the Facebook portion of a UFC card is unquestionable. Many fighters who lose in their first UFC fight don't return, especially if they lose in an embarrassing fashion.

I would encourage MMA fans to check out these fighters making their UFC debut. You can catch the preliminary bouts on Facebook and FX.

For more UFC 143 analysis, follow Joe Chacon on Twitter @JoeChacon