(With no one around to tell him how to train, Buentello just guesses what a workout might look like based on what he’s seen on late-night infomercials.)

Paul Buentello is set to make his UFC return this Saturday night against Stefan Struve, but he’ll be doing so without the support of the boys down at the American Kickboxing Academy.  That’s because Buentello has been suspended from the San Jose, California gym due to his decision to hire someone other than AKA’s Bob Cook as his manager.  As he told Fight Magazine:

“I’m on suspension. I think Bob [Cook] has most control of it, letting me back in the gym. … I’ve always came to this crossroads, if I ever go back to the UFC, I gotta have somebody on board that’s gonna sell me like I’m the best thing since sliced bread,” said Buentello. The native Texan believes that someone is Elis Pacheco of New York-based Dedos Marketing Group, which has worked with Ice-T, Fat Joe and Beyonce Knowles.

[…]

“You just get that vibe, you know? That he’s out for your best interest no matter what and he doesn’t care about pushing the limits,” he said. “He’s gonna get the deal done.”

Since he can’t train at AKA, Buentello has been working out of the Nor Cal Fight Factory with the help of former teammates Dave Velasquez and Mike Kyle. And all this as he tries to focus on making a successful return to the Octagon at UFC 107. Said Buentello, “…it sucks that I can’t go home for a little bit.”

Indeed it does. It also sucks that your friends and training partners would turn their back on you just because you want different representation.  And who could blame him?  I mean, this new guy he’s with managed Fat Joe, who has no discernable talent and yet is rich and famous.  Why wouldn’t that appeal to Buentello?