Page returns to the cage after a 13-month layoff to take on Demetrious Johnson in a bantamweight bout, while Davis meets Rafael Assuncao in a featherweight matchup.

Page went into detail about his layoff and the litany of injuries to him and his opponents that kept him out of the cage for over a year. He also said he has something special for Martinez when the pair are together in the cage at WEC 52, where Martinez will make his return as announcer.

Davis, who revealed that he signed a new six-fight contract along with the bout agreement with the Assuncao fight, looked at his career and what has transpired to get him to this point, including the loss to now-contender Josh Grispi in what turned out to be a match to determine an opponent for featherweight champion Jose Aldo. He handicapped the Aldo-Grispi match and went so far as to suggest another opponent for Aldo (and it was not Davis suggesting himself).

At the party in which he watched Cain Velasquez take the UFC heavyweight title from Brock Lesnar, Davis spouted off about the former WWE wrestler getting what he deserved. You will not believe who he was sitting next to when he said it!

Listen Here!

“As the UFC continues to evolve and grow globally, we want to be able to give fans title fights in every weight division,” said White. “This is a big day for the sport and the athletes who will have the opportunity to fight on the biggest stage in the world.”

The two new divisions feature WEC featherweight champion Jose Aldo who will now be recognized as the reigning UFC featherweight champion, and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. White confirmed that the winner of the Dec. 16 lightweight title fight between WEC champion Ben Henderson and top contender Anthony Pettis live on VERSUS will take on the winner of the UFC 125 main event title bout between champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard. This upcoming fight will serve as a UFC lightweight title unification bout to be held next year.

White also stated the UFC is expanding its presence on the VERSUS Network in 2011, and will increase its number of UFC events from two to four per year. Versus is scheduled to air the two remaining live WEC events in 2010 on Nov. 11 and Dec. 16. The Nov. 11 event in Las Vegas will feature “The California Kid” Urijah Faber’s debut at bantamweight as he takes on Takeya Mizugaki, while the Dec. 16 event in Glendale, Ariz. will feature Henderson-Pettis and a bantamweight title clash between Dominick Cruz and challenger Scott Jorgensen with the winner becoming the new UFC bantamweight champion.

“We have a great relationship with the VERSUS network, and we look forward to working with them to give UFC fans even more free fights in 2011,” said White.

When it comes to formulating winning strategies, L.C. Davis and his trainers own a stellar track record: 16 wins in 19 contests. The WEC featherweight contender’s gameplan backfired, however, in his last outing against Josh Grispi.

Mindful of the mighty Massachusetts native’s uncanny knack for ending bouts in the first round, Davis intended to weather the early storm and force his 21-year-old into the so-called “deep waters.” Instead, an unusually patient Grispi put the Kansas City native to sleep with a first-round guillotine choke, marking The Fluke’s 10th straight win.

Four months later, Davis has been gearing up to face WEC standout Raphael Assuncao (15-3) on Nov. 11 at The Palms Hotel & Casino. Davis recently spoke with me about his training camp, lessons learned in defeat, and how he expects to overcome the scrappy Brazilian when they meet inside the Octagon.

WEC: L.C., bring us up to speed on your training for the fight with Raphael.

Davis: I’m in Kansas City and I leave for Las Vegas next weekend. I’ll be there from Oct. 17 until the fight. I got right back in the gym after I fought Josh Grispi and I’ve been trying to improve on my weaknesses and enjoying my time in the gym. Last camp I wrestled a lot more. This camp I have focused more on jiu-jitsu; with Raphael Assuncao being a black belt I wanted to focus on my jiu-jitsu a little more.

WEC: What are your impressions of Raphael as a fighter?

Davis: He’s a really nice respectable guy and I respect him a lot as a fighter. He’s well-rounded; he’s not just a jiu-jitsu guy. He’ll stand and bang and has pretty good wrestling also. What’s going to make this a tough fight is he’s got a lot of heart and is never going to give up. He’s always grinding and looking for the finish. With him coming off two losses he’s going to be really hungry, as am I.

WEC: Talk about the loss to Josh Grispi. That was a big fight for you. You had beaten three very tough opponents leading up to that – Deividas Taurosevicius, Javier Vazquez and Diego Nunes – and were in the hunt for a possible title shot.

Davis: When I trained for (Grispi) I thought he would be super-aggressive. In most of his fights he comes straight forward throwing bombs … but when the fight started he was kind of passive actually, he just threw a lot of kicks. I don’t know if he even threw a punch during the fight. So that kind of threw me off. In the first two minutes nothing was really happening so I tried to make something happen with my wrestling. I was confident in my wrestling and kind of underestimating his guillotine. I knew he had a good guillotine but I was confident in my guillotine defense. Maybe I underestimated him a little bit and he caught me off-guard a little bit by not being as aggressive as he normally is.

WEC: Do you think he threw that kick to induce you to shoot, essentially baiting you so he could look for the choke?

Davis: That could be what it was. Actually I remember his corner, I faked a takedown and his corner said, ‘Oh, he ain’t gonna’ take you down!’ That was a good move by them, it was kind of like reverse psychology because I was like, ‘Oh, you don’t think I can take him down?’ And then, boom, I went to take him down and that was probably a huge mistake. That could have been his gameplan, to lure me in. If that’s what he was thinking, it was a smart move by him.

The loss knocked me back a few steps. I was knocking on the door for a title shot, now I feel like I have to fight and claw my way back up. I’m happy to have an opponent like Raphael because he’s highly-regarded and a win over him would put me back into the mix with some of the top guys.

WEC: When you come to Vegas you have been training at Xtreme Couture. Is that the plan once again?

Davis: Like always, I’ll work three times a week with Gil Martinez on my boxing … and sparring and training with all of the great guys at Xtreme Couture. I’m going to put in three hard weeks and check into The Palms and be ready to do my thing on November 11th. It’s going to be a great fight. I like the style matchup. We both can do it all so it’ll make for a great fight and hopefully I’ll come out with my hand raised.

WEC 49 marks another huge step forward for the organization, as this will be its first event held outside of the US.

One fight on the card that is sure to turn some heads is the featherweight matchup between LC Davis and the young and explosive Josh Grispi. Not only does this matchup have the potential to steal the show and be the “Fight of the Night”, but also it could play a major role in clearing up the featherweight title picture.

“I think I’m up there from what I have been hearing,” Davis told Bleacher Report when asked where he saw himself in the featherweight title picture. “I’m definitely one of those top guys. I think the winner of this fight should be in line with either Manny (Gamburyan) or next in line.

“I’m not sure; I’m just focused on winning this fight and getting one step closer. The main goal is to just focus on Josh Grispi and get the win and see what’s next from there.”

Considering what this matchup could mean, Davis—who splits his training between his home of Kansas City and Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas—really lucked out with the timing of this fight. With so many Xtreme Couture fighters preparing for fights, it changed the feeling and intensity around the gym.

“Yes, it’s awesome man. Last time I was here none of the guys really had fights coming up so the intensity and practice wasn’t as good. Guys like Gray (Maynard) were taking some time off but now everyone has fights coming up so there are some great training sessions, great intensity with everyone working hard. It just worked out good since I have a fight the same time as everyone else.”

While Grispi is a very dangerous and hungry fighter, Davis is confident in his training routine. Rather than doing something out of the norm and changing his approach, he instead is just focusing on making minor adjustments for what Grispi brings to the table.

“I’m trying to spar with some taller guys because I think he’s like 5’11” or 6’. I’ve been sparring with guys who throw big right hands. I think he’s a really aggressive fighter so I’ve been doing a lot of work with my boxing coach on my footwork and movement.

“I’ve done some small things to prepare for my opponent but pretty much I’ve trained the same for everyone I fight.”

Where Davis really sees himself having the advantage over Grispi in this matchup is in his technique and his ability to exploit Grispi’s aggression.

“I think I’m a better wrestler than he is. I think standing I’m a little more technical and better at some things but he’s really aggressive and being really aggressive is good and bad. It creates openings for him because people make mistakes because of the pressure. At the same time his aggression creates openings for me too.

“I think I match up well against him. I think there are going to be some things that I’m going to be able to do that counters his aggression.”

Aside from the technical aspect of the fight Davis feels that the pace and intensity of this matchup are going to be key in the final outcome.

“I think the start of the fight is going to be the real tale of the fight. He finishes everyone fast and he comes out hard. I think I have to meet his fire with fire and at the same time I have to keep him guessing.

“My game plan every time I fight is to just be a well-rounded mixed martial artist; just try to keep my opponents guessing. I don’t think I’m the best striker, the best wrestler or the best ground guy but I think I do a real good job of mixing it all together and blending the skills that I have.

“He’s going to come out hard and I’m going to have to match his intensity as we get into the fight. I think whoever can set the pace in the first minute is going to be who wins the fight.

“I’m going to leave it all out in the cage and perform to the best of my abilities and get one step closer to the title.”