May 7, 2009 - 
The Strikeforce Challengers series was created with the goal of taking deserving fighters with potential and giving them experience and exposure.
The opportunity presents a potential career break for fighters like Mike Aina, a 28-year-old Hawaiian who has amassed a strong 11-6-1 record, and once fought Nick Diaz to a close, split-decision loss. Aina is part of MMA's middle class -- good enough to get quality fights, but not a big enough name to fight full-time. In fact, Aina's real job as a welder/fabricator in some ways works against his fighting; he works at elevation, at 14,000 feet, so his body is constantly adjusting and re-adjusting to the oxygen differential.
He hopes to jump-start his MMA career on May 15 when he takes on undefeated lightweight Billy Evangelista.
"I'm excited and looking forward to an all-out war with Billy," said Aina, who trains with UFC lightweight champ BJ Penn. "He's undefeated and he's proven in my eyes. I'm expecting nothing less than a war. Neither of us will back up. We'll just come forward, throw blows and see what happens."
The fighters come in to the bout with completely differing approaches. While Aina has studied his opponent's tapes, Evangelista always goes in simply with his skills and a trust in his ability to improvise. So far, it's worked well for him; he's 9-0 and holds consecutive wins over seasoned veterans Nam Phan, Luke Caudillo and Harris Sarmiento.
Of his approach, Evangelista says it's all about going into the cage with a clear mind.
"I just want to go out there and feel the fighter and feel the fight," he said. "A fighter can change from one day to the next. One day he can be a striker, and tomorrow's he's a grappler. If I just trained for one counter-move, and he changes on me, my whole game plan is screwed up. I just want to be ready for anything I'm thrown."
While Aina will be traveling from Hawaii to the Fresno, Calif., site, Evangelista will essentially be in his own backyard; he trains in town.
But of course, the advantage of home cooking is often negated by the pressure of performing in front of family and friends. Evangelista noted that this would be the first time his dad watches him fight live.
"I think a lot of people want me to win, especially because I'm a local boy," he said. "I'm just going to ignore the pressure, really be my myself and focus on what I've got to do instead of the pressure and what everyone else wants. I know Mike's going to be a tough guy and I'm going to go in and do my best."
Evangelista also has the pressure of trying to stay unbeaten. Very few MMA fighters get to 10-0, so a win would put him in elite company in that regard. Aina will not make it easy for him. Should he win, he hopes to get another shot at Diaz, but he knows he has his work cut out for him.
"Showtime and Strikeforce, you don't really get too much bigger than this," he said. "For us fighters, this is the spotlight, this is our dream, this is what we worked so hard for, for all these years. We're on the main stage now. I'm going to take in all of it and enjoy every moment of it."
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