Al Iaquinta's path through mixed martial arts has been steeped in turmoil and conflict over the past 12 months. 

Fighting in itself is a battle at every turn, but the New York native took the UFC to task over his contract and the money made to lay his health on the line night after night. The situation between Iaquinta and the UFC led to the Serra-Longo product taking a brief hiatus from the Octagon, but enough common ground was eventually found to motivate a return to action for the "Ragin'" one.

The Long Island representative will square off with MMA legend Diego Sanchez at UFC Fight Night 108 on April 22 in Nashville, TN. The bout is a crucial tilt for Iaquinta's placement in the talent-rich lightweight ranks and he believes he has the perfect answer for the biggest problem Sanchez presents. On a recent visit to "Rattling the Cage with Tony Reid" The Ultimate Fighter alum broke down his advantage in the upcoming scrap.

“I think it’s a really good fight for me," Iaquinta told FloCombat. "Everybody thinks it’s going to be a crazy fight. I don’t see that happening. I am too technically good for this guy. I can scrap when I need to. I showed in my Masvidal fight where I am at as a fighter. I took everything that guy had and I came back. I don’t see Diego Sanchez giving me what Masvidal did. My cardio is going to be off the charts.

“Diego’s biggest weapon is his cardio. It’s really good. He can go forever, partly because he is out of his mind. He doesn’t even realize he’s supposed to be getting tired. Dude, you work hard, you get tired. That’s how things work. He’s so cuckoo that he doesn’t even understand that concept. He doesn’t get it. So, I understand that he doesn’t understand the concept of getting tired. I am ready for that.

“His unpredictability is his other major strength," he added. "He is so out of his mind that he doesn’t even know what he’s going to do. How can anyone else know what he is going to do? Those are the two things I am really looking out for. I have been training hard. I am in shape. My technique has never been as good as it is right now. It’s been two years. I was just getting started prior to my injury. This is what I love to do. I have been doing it so long it will show on fight night.”