Chris Leben feels better than he ever has ahead of Bare Knuckle FC 5

Before Chris "The Crippler" Leben steps into the squared circle tonight in Biloxi, Mississippi, the former UFC fighter spoke to Mike Straus about his new focus.

The original Ultimate Fighter season 1 cast member meets Justin Baesman at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 5. Now at 38-years of age, Leben feels the best he ever has.

“Yes, maybe I’m a little older than the average guy competing, but I feel better than I ever have,” Leben said.

“Much like my style, he (Justin Baesman) is kind of cut out for this bare-knuckle thing. Its kind of a lose lose for me in some ways. This guy has got nothing to lose, he is going to come out swinging for the fences. If I get sucked into that game, you know. When you take the gloves off and you have two guys that hit as hard as we do, anything can happen. So having that in mind I am preparing for the best Justin Baesman the world has ever seen.”

BKFC 5 takes place at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. Order the April 6 pay-per-view event on FITE TV.