Cummins and Kingsbury square off from different angles

It would be easy to cast the two light heavyweight participants in Saturday's UFC event in San Jose bout as good vs. bad.

Kyle Kingsbury, the wayward son, returning to the game after two years of peace, healthier of mind and soul, wanting nothing more than to prove something to himself, regardless of context, in front of a hometown crowd in his native San Jose.

Former Nittany Lion Patrick Cummins, the cackling villain, salivating for victories, already calling out Kingsbury in the press.

"This fight is about me," Kingsbury says. "It has nothing to do with Pat Cummins, and everything to do with my mental attitude. Everyone wants to win, there's no question about it, but the true victory for me is to be able to quiet my mind and go into this high stress environment and remain composed. If I go in there and I lay it all on the line and I don't come out with the W, I know I still have that big victory on the inside for myself."

"He's been out for two years," Cummins states. "I want to be the guy that retires him."

So, so easy.

In the time that he's been gone, Kingsbury has been hard at work on himself. After losing three straight fights, two of which he says he could have won if he had been in the right mental place, he left UFC and had two vigorous years, recovering from injury (a fractured left orbital and a torn right labrum, to name two) meditating with Native Americans, getting engaged to his girlfriend, and moving into his mother' garage.

"It's $500 for rent in the Silicon Valley," he says. "That's unheard of."

He's come back to UFC a changed man, fighting for no other reason other than to test himself.

"Without question, the biggest change has been my mental attitude and my perspective on life in general," Kingsbury says. "I'm much more relaxed now; I feel like I've found peace inside and that just makes things that much easier. This whole camp has been easier because of that. There's just a whole lot less stress in my life."

The trick will be maintaining that serenity after being dropped in the Octagon with a motivated young fighter looking to make Kingsbury the next rung on his climb to the top.

Cummins, scrambling to make a name for himself after Dana White gave him a chance on the main card of UFC 170, is becoming one of the sport's more regular antagonists. It's a role motivated by the type of fighting to which Kingsbury can relate.

"I definitely see some of myself in Cummins," he says with a deep laugh. "He's a goofy guy too, and I like the fact that he likes to talk smack and stir it up. I think the sport needs guys like that."

Similarities become clear as you prepare to face somebody in the Octagon, Kingsbury explains. "Once you get in there, you lay it on the line with somebody, there's a lot of mutual respect you have for one another. It's not like we're gonna be best friends after, but I've definitely felt a connection with everyone I've ever fought."

One thing that both fighters share is being beaten by Daniel Cormier. Kingsbury has had his "ass kicked" by Cormier in various sparring matches, and claims he's learned something new every time. Cummins fought Cormier on 10-days notice at UFC 170, and lost in the first round.

"After I had time to reflect on things and not be so pissed off about it," Cummins recalls, "I realized that fighting on the main card really helps you grow up. I would say that's the biggest thing I took from it. Also, sticking to my game plan and staying focused is something we've been working on since then."

Attaining focus of that kind sounds like something a young fighter learning from his mistakes would do; something Kingsbury is doing almost exclusively as he prepares for their bout.

Cummins has a wrestling background that he believes has led to many drop-outs of competitors about to fight him. It's a distinct style that he thinks will be more than apt at handling Kingsbury. "I think it matches up pretty well [to Kingsbury]. In just about every situation, I'm better. If I'm feeling uncomfortable in any situation, I can always take it there and get comfortable. Wherever I want to take this fight, I'll take it. I'm feeling very confident about this fight."

"He is a great wrestler, there's no question about it," Kingsbury agrees. "I like to think I'm better than him in the stand-up. I'm gonna use my take-down defense, keep the fight standing, and he's gonna try to put me on my back."

It's two different styles with two different motives going up against each other on Saturday's preliminary card. But rather than good vs. bad, they employ a different overused trope – We're not so different, you and I.

Kingsbury and Cummins are fighters who have become aware of the value of focus, working to harness it to prove something. From this core intersection, they spiral in different directions, one closer to the beginning of his future, the other fighting solely for the present. Cummins' ambitions and Kingsbury's introspection are reflection of similar fighters in different phases, clearer nowhere than in what they foresee in the near future.

"Whoever I fight next, I'm gonna try to keep chipping away to get into the top 10, top five," Cummins boasts.

"I'm not fighting for wins and losses at this point in my career," Kingsbury says. "There's no question, if I lose this fight, I'm gonna retire."