UFC 140 Fight Card: Mark Bocek "Nik Lentz Is a Tough Guy" Coming off a Loss

There are times when you sit down and talk candidly with a fighter about some cool topics and you just aren't quite on your game. Such was the case last week at the UFC 140 press conference when I was fortunate enough to sit down with UFC lightweight contender and Canadian Mark Bocek.

I asked if I could chat with him about a couple of topics and sat down beside him. I didn't turn on my video recorder and we just chatted for five minutes. Well I ended up dropping the ball huge on that one because Bocek turned out to be cordial, intelligent, and extremely honest in his words on the questions I asked him.

It is widely known that Bocek teaches jiu-jitsu in Las Vegas to none other than UFC President Dana White and the Fertitta brothers aside from being a formidable fighter in the UFC as well.

He quite frankly turned out to be one of the most interesting guys I have talked to in the game so far, though I have only talked to a few.

Here are some highlights of our conversation

DW: "Can I talk to you a minute about a few things Mark?"

MB: "Sure have a seat."

DW: "I wanted to ask you first about your opponent at UFC 140 Nik Lentz. Are you OK with that matchup, I mean coming off of Benson at 129, i would expect a bigger guy?"

MB: "Well, people don't know Nik maybe but he is a tough tough guy. He's got over 20 wins and he's undefeated in the UFC. Plus, coming off a loss, it's not like you can really demand anybody."

I then switched the topic to that loss to Ben Henderson at UFC 129.

DW: "Were you happy with your performance at 129?"

Bocek looked me dead in the eye and shook his head from side to side.

MB: "I mean, he pushed a pace and not taking anything away he beat me, and he beat Miller whom I have also fought so, he's a tough guy."

Then came the zinger...

MB: "Let's just say that's what happens when you maybe take a fight lightly..." he looked at my surprise and smirked

DW: "Oh really? well, he beat you in that fight but he didn't really you know, hurt you."

MB: "Well, I don't want to take anything away from him. These guys coming in from other organizations, they are proving they are legit. They are tough but..."

You can tell that Bocek would love another shot at Henderson or a Pettis, or any other top lightweight if he can get past Lentz in December.

I then turned the subject to a dream fight for me and a subject I have been harping on for a while now.

I want to see a fight for the UFC Canadian Lightweight Championship of the world between Bocek and Sam Stout. Many have told me that Mark's jiu-jitsu and size would be too much for Sam to handle, but I beg to differ. I'm not saying who would win but surely the fight would be a close one in my eyes.

DW: "Is that a fight you would be interested in? I've asked Sam Stout about it and he says if the UFC would be interested it would be kinda cool but...?"

MB: "Well, it's an interesting question for sure, I really stopped fighting in the regional shows up here very early for that reason, you know, the titles don't mean much. My fourth fight was in the UFC."

DW: "I agree some local named title is irrelevant but at the level that you and Sam are at, you guys are right up there, surely it could be a UFC Canadian title or something like that.?"

Bocek smirked but disagreed.

MB: "I just can't see it happening, I mean they just did it with two Brazilian guys I guess but there was no Brazilian official title on the line or anything like that."

Even if there wasn't I would love to see that fight done in Canada. Sam Stout and Mark Bocek have both been in the UFC and ranked No. 1 and No. 2 in Canada for a long time now. This Canadian fight fan wants a score settled.

Dwight Wakabayashi is a Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report MMA and correspondent for MMACanada.net.

Catch him on Facebook and Twitter at wakafightermma.