WEBSTER CITY – Putting his fighting career on hold for three, maybe four months was always the plan. But more than 13 months – 404 days to be exact – out of the cage, no, that’s not what Michael McBride envisioned.

But everything happens for a reason, McBride says. The career deviation isn’t what he wanted, but he’s now ready to move on.

McBride, the Midwest Cage Championship lightweight (155 pounds) champion who owns a professional mixed martial arts record of 7-1, will make what he hopes will be his triumphant return to the cage Wednesday night at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. He’ll face Derek “The Cedar Rapids Psycho” Loffer in the main event at Thanksgiving Throwdown.

The 13-fight card will get underway at 7:30 p.m.

“I feel good and I’m ready to go,” McBride said. “I’m ready for whatever.”

McBride hasn’t fought since he earned a first-round win by submission over Kevin Morris on Oct. 17, 2014, during his one and only fight with the Bellator promotion in Council Bluffs. It was the end of a grueling stretch for the 29-year-old Webster City native, who successfully fought twice in 28 days.

A little burned out following the Bellator fight, McBride expected to rest until early in 2015. He and his wife, Jeana, welcomed twins, Kai and Haven, on Jan. 3 of this year to add to their family that also includes daughter Shelby.

“Shortly after that I was ready to get back into the swing of things, which I did,” McBride said.

But instead of scheduling a fight with MCC or another promotion, McBride decided to take his shot at the holy grail – the UFC. He departed for Las Vegas at the end of April to try out with hundreds of other fighters for one of the coveted spots on the UFC’s reality television series “The Ultimate Fighter.”

After a grueling first day that included grappling, striking and interviews, followed by several days of physical examinations, McBride was told he had been cast.

“As far as I knew everything was good to go and I was going to be competing in the house (with the rest of the TUF fighters),” he said. “That would have started in mid-July.”

But just weeks before he was to head back to Las Vegas, he received the news that the UFC had decided to go in another direction. The format for the 22nd season of the show had been changed to a U.S. vs. Europe showdown, meaning some of the American fighters originally cast had to be cut.

McBride was one of the unlucky fighters.

“It was almost three months of training, thinking I was going to be on the show,” McBride said. “I definitely had a lot invested in it. Obviously, I felt like half a year went by and I didn’t fight. I had this on the back burner and ready to go.

“I was prepared to leave my family. Mentally, I was prepared and just ready to go.”

That disappointment has left him with a chip on his shoulder as he gets set to face Loffer, who will enter the fight with a 9-4 record.

McBride’s camp included a month-long visit to Power MMA and Fitness in Gilbert, Arizona, to train with friend and UFC fighter Johnny Case, who was preparing to fight in Brazil. Case, the MCC lightweight champion prior to McBride, is 4-0 since making the jump to the Show.

“I think training in Arizona at Power MMA will really help out,” McBride said. “I learned a lot down there. I feel more than prepared.”

Loffer, who has dropped his last two fights, is a dangerous opponent capable of standing and throwing punches or working on the mat. He has six wins by TKO due to punches.

“The fights I’ve seen of his online, he’s definitely well-rounded and he’s fought some tough guys,” McBride said. “He looks more like a striker, but his wrestling and ground game look like they’re there also.

“I wouldn’t say he’s great at anything, but good at everything.”

McBride has made a living on the ground. All seven of his victories have been by submission.

But don’t misinterpret his resume and think he’s a one-trick pony.

“As far as a game plan goes, I feel like I’m well-rounded at everything,” he said. “I work on my striking just as much as my grappling.

“I should be able to dictate where the fight takes place. If I want to keep it standing, I’ll keep it standing. If I don’t like how that’s going, I’ll take him down.”

A win at Thanksgiving Throwdown would be just another feather in McBride’s cap and what he hopes will be a step towards his goal of fighting in the UFC.

“I’m still definitely enjoying it, but I know I’m at that point now where I need to get what I want out of it, otherwise why am I doing it? Because it’s a lot of work and it takes away from other avenues of your life,”?he said. “But as long as I’m winning, everything is good.”