UFC light heavyweight veteran Vladimir Matyshenko is out to prove that he can still get the job done. The soon to be 39-year-old fighter is a rugged native of Recyca, Belarus and has searched the globe for a better life, eventually landing in California to cash in on the American dream.

A former member of the University of Nevada wrestling team and a 13-year veteran of mixed martial arts, "The Janitor" holds a very impressive record of 23-4 with notable victories in the UFC over Yuki Kondo, Pedro Rizzo, and Travis Wiuff.

The former (and only) IFL light heavyweight champion made his impressive return to the octagon this past September at UFC 103, picking up a unanimous decision victory over newcomer Igor Pokrajac. That fight marked his return to the Octagon nearly six years to the day, since his last UFC appearance -- a loss to an up-and-coming future UFC champion Andrei Arlovski.

The proud owner and operator of VMAT gym in El Segundo, California will step into the cage once again to face former WEC light heavyweight champion Steve Cantwell at UFC 108.

FiveKnuckles.com's Tommy Kail recently caught up with Matyushenko to discuss his upcoming fight with Cantwell, his well traveled past, and what the future may have in store.

FiveKnuckles.com: Vladimir, what brought you to the United States from Belarus as a young man?

Vladimir Matyushenko: When I was young, I traveled with the Russian wrestling team and later on the Belarusian wrestling team when the Soviet Union separated. At that time, there were a lot of bad things happening in Russia and I had thought, as a kid, that I didn't want to be subject to that environment. I came to the United States in 1994 with no plans of ever going back.

FiveKnuckles.com: Is there as much of a difference between the United States and Russia as everyone here is led to believe?

Vladimir Matyushenko: Well, there is a big difference and then there's no difference at all. There's the same air, the sun is the same, and everybody puts two feet on the ground. The people are always smiling and drinking and having fun. The big difficulty for me was learning the language. When I came to the United States, I didn't speak any English whatsoever and it was pretty hard to adjust.

There's definitely more freedom in America. In Russia, the government tells you what you can and cannot do. Even my coaches would force their beliefs on me because sports were controlled by the government too. I was very uncomfortable with that because I'm my own man and I'm allowed to do whatever I want. That's what I do here in America and that's why I like it.

FiveKnuckles.com: What could an American visiting Russia expect?

Vladimir Matyushenko: It all depends on where you go because Russia is a big country (laughs). In America, you can go to New York City and expect to see something big, or you can go to Montana and be left alone. It's no different in Russia. If you like the outdoors, the countryside in Russia is vast. If you like the big city, you can go to Moscow which is similar to New York City or Las Vegas.

FiveKnuckles.com: Currently, Russian fighters are heavyweight champions in mixed martial arts and boxing as well. What is it that...

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