[EmpireWF]

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou is the topic of Dave Doyle's latest Yahoo! column. Sokoudjou has become a worldwide sensation in the MMA world this year after two big wins in PRIDE. Next Saturday night, he makes his UFC debut against undefeated Lyoto Machida.

Sokoudjou was born in the Republic of Cameroon in Africa. He moved to San Diego in 2001 and continued training in judo and "won the national championship in the open weight category at the U.S. Open Judo Championships in Las Vegas." Three years later, he was enlisted to help both Olympian Rulon Gardner and Dan Henderson in their MMA training. Afterwards, he stayed with Team Quest and began his own training in MMA.

Sokoudjou was just 2-1 when he fought Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in February. He shocked the Las Vegas crowd with a highlight reel knockout punch in the first minute of the fight. Sokoudjou became a name immediately.

He knocked out Ricardo Arona in the final PRIDE show in April in Japan, two minutes into the first round.

Now he's ready to make his debut in the UFC next Saturday night, back in Las Vegas. The question is, will he be the next "PRIDE guy" to fail in the UFC (like Mirko Cro Cop and Mauricio Shogun Rua) or become a superstar all over again (like Quinton Rampage Jackson)?

The article is a good one, check it out.

Sokoudjou's secret journey to MMA stardom - MMA - Yahoo! Sports

[bears9]

I like Sokoudjou a lot, but not Saturday Night vs. Machida.