FiveKnuckles.com: I wouldn't feel bad about that. You can be a movie star out walking the streets of Manhattan and nobody would care.

Phillipe Nover: (Laughs) I know man... everybody is just running around because they're so busy and there's just not enough time in the day to get everything done. It's a mess, but that's just New York and I love it. I wouldn't want it any other way.

FiveKnuckles.com: Can you describe to me how you got involved in martial arts and your early days in the sport?

Phillipe Nover: My parents enrolled me in Universal Defense Systems under Ralph Mitchell when I was about ten years old. I remember getting into a few scuffles when I was a kid around sixth through eighth grade. The kids would pick on me because I was an individual of mixed race. Being half Filipino and half white, nobody could tell what I was so there was a group of Filipino's that used to pick on me and I had to defend myself.

In many years under Ralph Mitchell, I took it way beyond just trying to defend myself. I entered competitions in stick fighting. I had tournaments in point sparring and kung fu karate and other things of that nature. I had amateur kickboxing experience as well. From there, one of my training partners fought in first MMA fight and I wanted to do so myself. That was in 2001, I had my first MMA fight in 2002.

From that point on, the feeling of winning and training hard for something really appealed to me. MMA is a true test of a man's mental and physical power and everything is poured out in fifteen minutes of fighting. It's a great experience and I don't think anything can compare to competing and winning in the Octagon.

FiveKnuckles.com: Do you think being involved in martial arts from such a young age has taught you the discipline it takes to stay in school and make the grades, which has allowed you to follow your dreams?

Phillipe Nover: My background in the arts helped me learn discipline and taught me to stay focused on the right path. I don't come from a fight background and I don't compete to just "beat somebody up." Fighting for me is all about the sacrifices I've made in my life. I'm not doing this to be a rock star. I don't go out drinking and partying. After the fight, I will go out and have a good time, but during training I don't have the time to do anything like that. The majority of the time, I'm too tired to do anything after training and I need as much sleep as I can get to do it all over the next day.

FiveKnuckles.com: What was the Ultimate Fighter experience like for you?

Phillipe Nover: Just getting on the show was amazing for me. I didn't think I was going to make it. I tried out a couple of time before and there was always something wrong. Whether it was that I didn't have enough experience or nobody knew my name, I just couldn't make the cut. When I did end up making it on, I...

Make sure to check back with us the day of the event for free, live, round-by-round coverage of UFC 109 right here at FiveKnuckles.com! Join expert analyst Mike Williams as he takes you through the entire fight card blow-by-blow and then keep it right here for all the post-fight news and notes you can handle!