UFC 139 Fight Card: Cung Le's Road to the Octagon

Although his combat career didn't begin in MMA, Cung Le's diverse athletic background has helped him find instant success in a sport that demands a well-rounded attack.

With Zuffa's recent acquisition of Strikeforce, Le's near-perfect MMA and kickboxing records have earned him a spot in the co-main event of UFC 139. Most known for his striking prowess, Le's UFC debut promises to provide fireworks, as he is set to meet the ultra-aggressive Wanderlei Silva.

Despite his short time in the sport, Le has already amounted a number of highlight-reel knockouts and garnered the support of a large fan following. 

Now, less than one week away from Le's first fight inside the Octagon, it is a great time to take a look at how Le has gone from touted MMA newcomer to UFC headliner.

MMA Debut Against Mike Altman

In March 2006, 33-year-old Cung Le made his MMA debut at a Strikeforce event in his hometown of San Jose, Calif. Though he was well-versed in wrestling and sanshou, Le's kickboxing background caused many to view him as an incomplete mixed martial artist.

Nonetheless, Mike Altman chose not to test Le's takedown defense and paid the price in the form of a first-round knockout loss. Le's ground game remained an unknown, but he showed just how dangerous he can be if his opponents can't take him to the ground.

Le Shows off His Clinch Work by Throwing Brian Warren

Despite a knockout victory in his MMA debut, Cung Le's well-roundedness continued to be questioned.

In his second professional MMA fight, which came less than three months after his first, Le put those questions to rest with a perfectly-executed throw against Brian Warren. While he wasn't able to inflict a lot of damage from the top position, the throw game gave Le's critics something to think about.

Once the fight returned to the standing position, Le went back to doing what he does best. With less than a minute remaining in the first round, Le peppered Warren with punches and earned his second knockout victory in as many bouts.

Le Displays His Conditioning Before Knocking out Tony Fryklund

After his win over Brian Warren, Cung Le picked up another knockout win in his third Strikeforce appearance, but it came via cut in the opening minute of the bout with Jason Von Flue. With the number of quick victories Le was beginning to rack up, some wondered how the Vietnamese fighter would react to a contest that went into the later rounds.

Slightly more than one year after his win over Warren, Le dispelled those questions by picking Tony Fryklund apart for more than two rounds. Once the fight went into the third round, Le turned up the pressure and extended his streak of knockouts to four.

Le Folds Sammy Morgan with a Body Kick

Later in 2007, Cung Le continued his methodical rise to the top by taking a fight with another former UFC fighter in Sammy Morgan. Once again, Le showed that he was more than a kickboxer by taking Morgan to the ground and securing a crucifix position.

In the end, though, Le finished the fight on his feet once again. Two minutes into the final round of the bout, Le landed a clean kick to the body of Morgan, who crumpled to the canvas and forced the referee to step in and stop the fight.

Cung Le Breaks a Legend in Frank Shamrock

Cung Le showed impressive striking and knockout power in his first five MMA fights, but he had yet to take on a top-level opponent. While Frank Shamrock wasn't in his prime anymore, the MMA legend provided a true test of Le's skills in March 2008.

In an outstanding showing, Le broke Shamrock's arm with kicks, causing Shamrock's corner to call a stop to the fight at the end of the third round. The win also made Le the Strikeforce Middleweight Champion, a title he unfortunately wouldn't hang on to for long.

Le Learns a Valuable Lesson Against Scott Smith

Not long after his win over Frank Shamrock, Cung Le's acting career took off to new heights. As a result, Le spent more than 20 months away from the cage and was forced to relinquish his Strikeforce title.

Upon his return, Le met Scott Smith in December 2009. Although he outperformed Smith through the first two-and-a-half rounds of the fight, Le was caught with a hook in the closing minutes. Known for producing comeback victories, Smith pounced and handed Le the first loss of his MMA career.

While it was a hard loss to swallow, Le learned a valuable lesson from the defeat. If he wanted to continue competing at a high level in MMA, he would need to place his full focus on the sport and leave his acting career on standby.

Le Gets Revenge in Rematch with Smith

In June 2010, Cung Le met Scott Smith in a rematch on a Strikeforce card headlined by Fedor Emelianenko and Fabricio Werdum.

Once again, Le started off strong against Smith, but this time he didn't allow for Smith to mount a comeback. Early in the second round, Le landed his patented spinning back kick and finished off his foe with punches to avenge the only loss of his career.  

UFC Debut Against Wanderlei Silva

After another extended absence due to his acting career, Cung Le will resume his MMA career as an employee of the UFC. Zuffa's purchase of Strikeforce allowed Dana White and company to negotiate a new contract with Le that would bring him to the world's premier MMA promotion.

The 39-year-old Le won't be eased into his UFC debut, though, as he is set to take on MMA legend Wanderlei Silva, who is determined to keep his career alive with a win on Saturday.

With two aggressive strikers having so much on the line in this matchup, fans can expect Le won't disappoint in his first fight inside the Octagon.