VANCOUVER, British Columbia – In retrospect, the timing could have been better. Or maybe it just couldn't have been worse.

UFC 131 marks the second time in as many years that the worlds' biggest MMA organization has visited this city, and unfortunately for the UFC, all eyes are not exactly on the Octagon this weekend.

With the Vancouver Canucks tied in a 2-2 Stanley Cup finals series against Boston – and game five headed here on Friday night – Saturday's UFC event seems to be almost an afterthought for most of the city's sports fans.

"It's tough. The UFC couldn't have come to Vancouver on a tougher day, or at a tougher time," says Shawn Tompkins, a Canadian-born MMA trainer now living in Las Vegas.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke with Brazilian featherweight Diego Nunes on Wednesday about fighting Kenny Florian at UFC 131, what a win over Florian would do for his career, whether he feels like he is being overlooked in the UFC's featherweight division and much more.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to Kenny Florian on Wednesday about featherweight debut at UFC 131 against Diego Nunes, why he is moving to 145 pounds, how difficult the cut has been for him, fighting in Vancouver when his hometown Boston Bruins are playing the Canucks in the Stanley Cup Finals and his recent Twitter argument with Quinton Rampage Jackson after Jackson took exception with something Florian said on MMA Live.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to Shane Carwin on Wednesday about his UFC 131 fight against Junior dos Santos, how he lost over 20 pounds preparing for this fight, changing opponents on one month's notice, his take on the fight and working with Paul Heyman on the UFC Countdown show.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to heavyweight Junior dos Santos on Wednesday about his UFC 131 fight against Shane Carwin, his newfound fame, his take on The Ultimate Fighter, how he expects the fight to play out and more.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to heavyweight newcomer Jon Olav Einemo about his Octagon debut at UFC 131 against Dave Herman, why he is returning to MMA after five years away from the sport, his development as a striker since he last fought in 2006, having his opponent changed from Shane Carwin to Herman and much more.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to middleweight Mark Munoz on Wednesday about his UFC 131 fight against Demian Maia, where he would like the fight to play out, his development as a striker, the success of his Reing Training Center gym, his place in the middleweight division and much more.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to light heavyweight Krzysztof Soszynski on Wednesday about having to prepare for his third opponent at UFC 131, fighting Mike Massenzio, his recent injuries and the return of NHL hockey to his home province of Manitoba.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to lightweight Sam Stout about his UFC 131 fight against Yves Edwards on Saturday night, battling for attention with the Stanley Cup Finals, his recent tricep injury, fighting a veteran like Edwards and the lightweight division after the WEC merger and Strikeforce acquisition.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia -- MMA Fighting spoke to Demian Maia at Wednesday's UFC 131 media workout about Saturday night's fight against Mark Munoz, where he thinks the fight will play out, his development as a striker, fighting after the birth of his first child, his improvement as a fighter since his UFC 112 fight against Anderson Silva and more.