Al Iaquinta is entering the prime years of his fighting career and doing so with the type of momentum that typically signals the arrival of bigger things (paydays, profile, etc.) on the horizon. The 30-year-old Long Island native has notched five straight victories over tough opposition inside the Octagon, with all but one of those wins coming via stoppage inside of the distance.

Outside the cage, Iaquinta's outspoken nature and no bullshit approach have lifted the Serra-Longo product to fan-favorite status in rapid fashion. A full-throttled and exciting fighting style paired with a quick-witted, no-nonsense persona is an easy foundation to build a star upon, but that isn't a process currently under construction in Iaquinta's world.

Instead, the hard-hitting lightweight is facing a road filled with uncertain turns, one of which may take him out of the sport entirely. And while Iaquinta will be the first to admit walking away from fighting is the last thing he wants to do, it's also not a situation he'll subject himself to simply for the sake of it.

The physical and mental tolls of the fight game are not lost on the surging lightweight, and he's going to make sure it's done his way.

"I don't know if I'm really taking a stand; I'm just doing what I want to do," Iaquinta told FloCombat. "If I'm hurt, if my body's aching and I'm not getting paid great to fight, I'm just not going to do it. When I need to fight, if I really get the urge to fight, that's when I fight.

"If I find the right opponent that I think is a good fight for the money that I'm getting paid, then I take it. But I'm not going to fight a top five guy for entry-level money, especially when I've been doing this this long and when I know I'm at the top of the game -- like I know I am."

While Iaquinta knows he's one of the best lightweights in the planet, he's also hyper keen on keeping his body in proper form to compete. When at one time limping through fight camps to make fight night was once necessary in order to get the paycheck that would keep him afloat, Iaquinta's progression in the game and maturation at life has given him an entirely new perspective.

The Ultimate Fighter alum turned contender has experienced the fight business from all angles, and the education he's received in that process is preventing him from making the same mistake twice.

"I'm in a little bit of a different situation," Iaquinta said. "I've had some injuries where I wasn't really taken care of as well as I thought I would've been by a company as big as the UFC, and just not even getting phone calls back from a company like that is unacceptable, and it left a really sour taste in my mouth. I think they've even learned from it.

"They realized that a lot was lost in translation, stuff like that. It would've been nice to get a phone call from somebody that last time, but I'm going through some injuries again, getting some insurance taken care of. Hopefully it works out. We'll see."

And while Iaquinta's fighting style keeps fans on the edge of their seats as the leather is flung with the worst of intentions, the paydirt expected when taking that approach isn't all it's cracked up to be. A $50,000 payday on top of any fight purse makes for a good night's work, but grudge's held behind the scenes can stack the deck against the same fighters spilling their blood inside the Octagon.

"That's why I was kind of frustrated," Iaquinta explained. "A lot of the bonuses, I thought I could've won bonuses. I put on stellar performances, knockouts against guys [like Ross Pearson], [Jorge] Masvidal I thought could have been Fight of the Night, Joe Lauzon, and I think they kind of held a grudge against me and didn't give me bonuses -- especially, definitely my last fight.

"Being off two years, coming back and knocking out Diego Sanchez [on April 22], and [it was] an injury the UFC's own doctor recommended I not get surgery because I wouldn't be able to fight again. Then I come back after two years and knock out a guy like that.

"To not get a bonus because someone with the UFC came out and did an interview that I am ineligible to win bonuses, suspended from winning bonuses... really, what did I do? Who knows where it started, whether it was my fault or whether it was their fault or whether it was a little bit of both, but it's kind of like we're just butting heads, and they're not the kind of people that are going to give into little old Al from freakin' Long Island. They're definitely a little bit of a power trip, and they're going to stick it to me. Whatever. I don't care. I'm not going to cry and beg like the rest of these guys."

Iaquinta may not have a clear return on the horizon, but that doesn't mean there aren't a strong list of potential opponents for him on the current roster. With a personality as strong as his urge to compete, Iaquinta's ability to draw a target is just as impressive. Simply put: beef is a frequent item on the menu where Iaquinta is concerned, and there are a few solid names floating around he'd love to get to the square-up throw-down ruckus with next.

"I think it'd be a great fight [against Mike Perry]," Iaquinta said. "I was begging for the fight with [UFC matchmaker] Sean Shelby. Someone was texting me trying to be Malki [Kawa, Perry's manager]. I don't know if it was or not. But he actually texted me after his fight, whoever it was. He was like, 'I bet you wish that wasn't you.' I was like, 'Dude, it would've been a lot different if it was me.' I think that would be a great fight. I think that's something the fans wanted to see.

"They wouldn't let me fight because they wanted him against a 170-pound guy. And then Thiago Alves really isn't 170 pounds, he's kind of like an in-betweener. And then he backs out and they put a debuting '55er in there. So I don't know. I tried. We'll see. I think he's got his eyes set on like Robbie Lawler now. I got some time to think about it, so I'm not really in a position to be calling people out and talking shit, but there's a few I'd like to step in there with and mix it up for sure.

"There's some good fights out there for me right now. I just hope it works out. We'll be back. We'll be back. It's not an 'if' but it's 'when.' When I'm back, it'll be good."