Michael Chiesa began his experience on “The Ultimate Fighter Live” on a career high. Chiesa needed just more than two minutes to dispatch his opening opponent and join the cast of the show. Less than a week later, Chiesa’s dream was dealt a severe setback.

The martial path can lead a person down many different roads. For Salt Lake resident Cynthia Vance, the road leads to an island country off the Malay Peninsula.

The popularity of MMA has led some people to question the old ways of traditional martial arts. Yet local fighter Steven “Soul Samurai” Saito is a living example of how you don’t have to forget the past to embrace the present.

Over the first few years of its existence, Bellator Fighting Championships made constant strides to improve the depth and quality of both its roster and its productions.

UFC president Dana White is a very busy man. The UFC has events on FX, Fuel TV, Fox or pay-per-view nearly every Saturday for the remainder of the year, which means White is flying all over the world to promote UFC events.

USA Boxing Hawaii, Kawano Boxing Club and Palolo Boxing Club presented an amateur boxing event at Palolo District Park Gym April 21. Fighters came from all over the state to compete.

Instructors from Technics Jiu-Jitsu Academy put their considerable fighting skills on display at last weekend’s Mini of Hawaii’s Test Drive Take Down in Honolulu, all the while emphasizing the true aim of MMA practitioners in the 50th State.

Destiny’s Unleashed event is just around the corner, and welterweight fighter Justin Konia (5-1) couldn’t be more excited. “This is my biggest challenge so far,” says the 27-year-old 2002 Kamehameha graduate.

It’s a fight many UFC fans are looking forward to. Main event competitors Rashad “Suga” Evans (17-1-1) and Jon “Bones” Jones (15-1-0) will meet in the Octagon at UFC 145 April 21 at Phillips Arena in Atlanta.

Destiny MMA is getting “Unleashed” April 28 at The Waterfront at Aloha Tower Marketplace for a “rain or shine” mixed martial arts event.