(Rory and GSP prior to MacDonald’s UFC debut in 2010.)

When UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald first signed with the UFC, he made the tough decision to move away from his home and longtime training centre in Kelowna, B.C. to Montreal so he could train with Canada’s best MMA camp, in Tristar/Zahabi MMA.

One of the main reasons for the move was so he could train alongside Georges St-Pierre — the man many considered to be the top welterweight fighter in the world. Although he admits that the top-tier training sessions coupled with the more frequent and higher volume strength and conditioning periods took some time to acclimate to, MacDonald says his more stringent preparations have paid off in dividends.

(The fight that opened the doors for Jabouin. PicProps: Sherdog)

If you haven’t yet watched an Yves Jabouin fight and you aren’t going to UFC 129, we suggest you sign up for a Facebook account to catch the Montreal-based Haitian take on Pablo Garza in the event’s prelims next Saturday.

A training partner of several past and present UFC standouts including David Loiseau, Miguel Torres and Georges St-Pierre, Jabouin has continually impressed his teammates with his highlight-reel finishes, his shocking speed and explosiveness.

We had a chance recently to speak with the 10-year MMA veteran and we discussed a number of topics including his childhood, his long road to the Octagon, and losing out on a title shot to Mark Hominick.

Check out what “Tiger” had to say after the jump.

(Makdessi showing Anderson how it’s done. PicProps: MMAWeekly)

After carving out an impressive 22-0 kickboxing career and winning a USKBA gold medal in 2006, John Makdessi turned his focus to MMA where he has since rattled off eight straight victories, including a unanimous decision win over Pat Audinwood in his Octagon debut at UFC 124 in December.

A training partner of UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Makdessi is a driven fighter who says he isn’t satisfied with a win unless the fans are entertained — a rarity in the sport today that seems filled with fighters who are content with doing “just enough to win.”

The 25-year-old Halifax, Nova Scotia-born Lebanese fighter will put his undefeated record on the line against Kyle Watson next week at UFC 129 in Toronto and says he is planning on making a lot of jaws hit the floor during the bout. We caught up with Makdessi recently to talk about the fight, how he got his start in MMA, his thoughts on the current landscape of the sport and much more.

Check out what “The Bull” had to say after the jump.