Foto: Jeff Sherwood
Brock Jardine gör sin UFC-debut den 22 juni mot Rick Story på UFC on FX 4 i Atlantic City i USA. Men vägen dit har inte varit helt självklar, för efter att både Rich Attonito och Papy Abedi tvingats hoppa av den planerade matchen på grund av skador har det till slut blivit Jardines tur. Och som Jardine berättar till MMAnytt så är han väldigt glad över möjligheten.
“It’s funny because I fought on May 4th, and the next day we were at the owner of Pit’s house to watch Jim Miller/Nate Diaz and Maywheather fights… Then we found out that Rich Attonito got hurt and I told my manager then that I would love to fight Rick Story on that card. But the UFC ended up with Papy Abedi. But a few weeks later I got the fight. So I got what I wanted, not that I’m calling Rick Story out. It’s just I have been doing this for over five years and always wanted to fight in the UFC and finally make a name for myself. I just want to keep winning and moving up in the ranks.”
Den 26 år gamla Jardine beskriver hur hans manager berättade om matchen mot Story för honom.
“My manager (AMR Group) wanted me to go to New Jersey and corner and workout with Ramsey and Siler for their fight… I was short on money and hesitant because of that. But my manager then said that UFC is paying for my trip. And I was like, ‘Why would the UFC pay for my flight out there?’ Then it was quiet and I said, ‘you better not mess with me.’ And then my manager said that the UFC offered me Rick Story fight. I accepted right away.”
Jardine gick match för en månad sedan, då han knockade WEC-veteranen Blas Avena. Han tackade då sitt team för att de höll honom i form och nu har möjlighet att ta sig an Story på kort varsel.
“I fought a month ago, and I only took a week off. I went back in to the gym to help my teammates with their training. We all help each other out. And that’s why I was able to take this fight on a short notice. So just one week after the fight I got the call from my manager and then jumped in the training camp right away. I’m not worried about my condition or weight, even though it’s short notice. Hackleman knows how to keep us in shape as well. He is definitely pushing us to be in shape.”
För närvarande tränar han på The Pit i Kalifornien, under coach John Hackleman. Han har flera välkända team-kamrater så som Ramsey Nijem och Steven Silver som också kommer att befinna sig på UFC on FX 4.
“Right now I’m in California training with John Hackleman. My teammates Ramsey Nijem and Court McGee — we all have fights coming up, so we are out here training hard. We train, relax, and then get back into training. It’s nice to have couple of different places to train. After California, we are going back to Utah and then [we] are all fighting on the same card. We fly in together to New Jersey for the fight.”
Jardine, som fortfarande är relativt okänd bland MMA-fans, har slagit sig fram i mindre organisationer sedan 2007. Efter hans första förlust i karriären mot The Ultimate Fighter 13-vinnaren Tony Ferguson i 2010 har Jardine plockat på sig tre raka vinster.
“My team mates help me a lot with that. We all started almost at the same time… Ramsey, Siler, Court and I. We all have grown and developed at the same time, so it’s really nice to see them in the Octagon. And now they are really excited to see me in the UFC. This is what I always wanted so I don’t feel any pressure… To me this is fun… Rick Story, who has lost his recent two fights, he is probably feeling all the pressure. He knows he has to win. He is fighting another wrestler who likes to take people down and ground-and-pound. So I think he is the one who is worried.”
Story som är en veteran inom oktagonen med 9 matcher har mött några av de bästa welterviktarna i världen. Men bara för det ska man inte räkna ut UFC-debutanten Jardine, som poängterar sin team-kamrats oväntade vinst.
“Rick Story had couple opponent changes; these things happen in the sport. That’s how I got the fight. Rick Story has been in the UFC for a bit and this is my first UFC fight, and people say already, ‘Story has fought many times in the Octagon, and this is your first.’ But I look at it as he is just another 13 and 5 fighter. That doesn’t mean I look past him; he just got into the UFC a little bit quicker than I did. I have definitely fought tough guys before and the guys I train are tough guys… Everybody saw what my teammate Steven Siler did in his second UFC fight against Cole Miller. People thought before the fight that Siler would get beat up… but everyone is tough… I am definitely excited to test my self and prove everyone wrong.”
Av Storys 13 vinster har sju kommit via domslut. Samtidigt har Jardine endast gått till domslut två gånger under hans 9 vinster, och förväntar sig en avslutad match den 22 juni.
”I try to finish fights. Rick Story is kind of a grinder. I think that will give me an advantage on June 22, and fans will see a good show. Fans can expect a finish, a knockout or a submission. I hope to get one of those fight-night bonuses so I can spoil my two-year-old when I get home… I’m prepared to spend my after-party in the hospital.”
