Despite layoff, two-fight skid, White happy when 'warhorse' Chris Leben healthy

LAS VEGAS – Chris Leben‘s struggles have been well documented, and the UFC middleweight isn’t shy about talking about those struggles.

Leben has worked his way through substance abuse issues and a recent suspension after a positive drug test. With a new camp at Alliance MMA in San Diego and a fresh new attitude to go along with his sobriety, Leben believes he’s on point at just the right time.

Leben (22-9 MMA, 12-8 UFC) on Saturday meets Andrew Craig (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) as the featured fight on the preliminary card of UFC 162, which takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

His boss, UFC President Dana White, has been a Leben supporter for years, ever since he came off Season 1 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Leben returned in December after a yearlong suspension, but he dropped a unanimous decision to Derek Brunson at UFC 155. It was his second straight loss after a TKO against Mark Munoz at UFC 138 – after which he tested positive for oxycontin.

White doesn’t share the opinion of some that Leben looked uninterested in fighting in December’s loss to Brunson.

“I wouldn’t say he necessarily looked like a guy who didn’t want to fight,” White said following Thursday’s UFC 162 news conference in Las Vegas. “He looked like a guy who hadn’t fought in a long time. Leben is a f—ing warhorse. This guy comes in and he’s going to either kill or be killed. He’s looking to either knock you out or get knocked out. That’s just his style.”

And that seems like a philosophy Leben has always been on board with. But now, more than ever, the Oregon native is starting to realize that he’s fortunate to be in the UFC.

A win over Craig might be crucial for him on Saturday, and he’s a slight underdog. A loss would mean four in his past five fights, and three in a row – which certainly has proven to be worthy of a pink slip, even if White’s throwing his support behind the “warhorse.”

Being an underdog is nothing new for Leben – he’s been such in seven of his past 12 fights, this one against Craig included.

“There is no easy fight anymore in the UFC, and there hasn’t been for a while,” Leben recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “If you’re in the UFC, it’s because you’re winning. That’s the bottom line. I’ve been lucky to hang around as long as I have, and coming back to Vegas I realized what a blessing it is to still be here, still be doing it, and it’s awesome. I’m glad to have this opportunity on Saturday night.”

White knows how rough things have been for Leben. But he also knows that he’s bounced back to better himself in the past, and believes he’s doing the same now. The layoff, and just a lot of clicks on the odometer, may owe to looking a little worse for the wear against Brunson in December.

Even if he comes out similar and looks a step or two different than he looked when he knocked out Wanderlei Silva in 27 seconds at UFC 132 two years ago, it’s natural, White believes.

“As you get older and take time off, it’s not like you’re going to see Leben come out with incredible hand speed and unbelievable head movement,” White said. “He’s gone through some hard times. He’s a guy who’s overcome a ton of adversity – since before ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ through ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ and all throughout every time in his career throughout his life.”

But even if Leben’s slower than he used to be, if he’s got things working in both body and spirit, that’s seems to be more important to his boss than wins and losses.

“Every time Chris Leben shows up healthy and doing the right thing, I’m happy because I like Chris Leben very much,” White said.

For the latest on UFC 162, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(John Morgan contributed to this report on site on Las Vegas)