If you ask him, yes, he is:

The other fight in your weight class on the UFC 102 card is Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva. How do you think that one goes?

That's going to be a great fight. I'm really looking forward to that fight.

I'm a big fan of Keith Jardine. I kind of look at myself as a Keith Jardine protege, sort of. Coming off The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 and not winning the show, but doing really, really well. I'm kind of the same way -- making to the semifinals and not winning, but doing well after getting into the UFC.

I really enjoy his style. He's very aggressive. Good kicks. He's always in there to fight.

I definitely think that Keith Jardine will win, but he has his hands full.

Now that you mention it, why do you think you've done so well in UFC after not winning The Ultimate Fighter?

Less pressure, I think. When you're in a fight, there's so much pressure on you by the UFC, by the media, by the fans. ... but I also learned from my stint in The Ultimate Fighter house.

The mental game is, I think, very important in this sport, and that's something that has really helped me to get to where I am today, is the fact that I'm so mentally strong where I used to be a really weak mental fighter.

I've changed over the course of some time in the last two years, where I'm just come into my own and everything's working out perfectly.

The ancient Greeks had it right: strong body, strong mind. For Soszynski, his physical health is important, but his career health is both a product and engine of positive self-messaging. And the catalyst for the change? It's hard to pinpoint without knowing him personally, but likely the double combo of wins over Primm and then Stann play pivotal roles. When the dots of training in the practice room are connected with the dots of wins over credible challengers in the world's premier MMA organization, the adjustments that happen to self-esteem and self-confidence can be striking.

However, I slightly disagree with his Soszynski's comparison to Jardine. The former IFL competitor/Team Quest fighter was well-regarded coming into the show, but also carried baggage of being inconsistent, reckless and not championship material. Jardine, by contrast, certainly had not achieved major acclaim, but did not have more negative perceptions to challenge. I mention that only to underscore just how notable Soszynski's post-TUF achievements have actually been.

I encourage you to read the entire interview. Soszynski goes into detail about his love of the kimura, talks about his background in professional wrestling and sizes up Brandon Vera with professionalism and candor. Excellent stuff.