UFC welterweight Mike Pyle is a little puzzled as to why a marquee fight isn't in his immediate grasp. He's knocked out his past three opponents, and yet he still seems stuck in the middle of the pack.

"Everybody else, when they get three, four wins in a row, even if it's a sh--ty decision, they for some reason get a bunch of stupid-ass hype behind them," Pyle told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

That's exactly what he might say about Gunnar Nelson, whom he was previously scheduled to meet. The 24-year-old Nelson has but two fights on his UFC resume and already has attracted the type of praise reserved for future champions.

But that's not who Pyle (24-8-1 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is fighting, and perhaps that's why he's a little disappointed. The 37-year-old is scheduled to meet Rick Story (15-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) on Saturday at UFC 160, which takes place in his adopted hometown of Las Vegas at MGM Grand Garden Arena. It's a fight that two years ago might have catapulted him toward a title shot, as Story was on a six-fight win streak. But after a 1-3 run, Story currently is in a rebuilding phase.

And Pyle, who's stopped Ricardo Funch, Josh Neer (in a "Knockout of the Night" performance) and James Head on his current run, is itching to take a step up. After his own setbacks, which came in two of his first three octagon appearances, he is 6-1 in the 170-pound division.

"That being said, I can't control what the UFC's plans are for me or anyone else," Pyle added. "The only thing I can control is me being in the gym. Being ready, being sharp, and going out and performing."

Pyle credited his recent success to more individual attention from coaches in training camps. He recently began gym-hopping in Las Vegas after several years as a flagship member of Xtreme Couture.

Story, who most recently stopped octagon newcomer Quinn Mulhern, is a standout MMA wrestler with heavy hands, but will have a height and reach advantage leading into the fight. It's likely he'll work to outgrapple Pyle on the mat.

"Quicksand" said he's ready to meet the challenge Story presents. With more wins, he aims to make opportunity undeniable.

"They can't deny some kind of featured fight or some kind of title fight," Pyle said.