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Shortly after his UFC debut on home soil on April 19, Lethbridge, Alta.'s Jason (Dooms) Day took time out for an exclusive interview with Sportsnet.ca to talk about his big win. Seven weeks after that fight in Montreal, Day was back in the Octagon as a late replacement to take on Michael (The Count) Bisping in London. The Canadian middleweight again took time to talk to Sportsnet.ca, but this time it was to discuss a loss.
SN.ca: How was your experience in London?
Jason Day: It could have been better. It was a good trip and everything. The British fans and British media were awesome to deal with, but the outcome of the fight is not what I wanted obviously.
SN.ca: What made this different than Montreal?
JD: I don't know. I didn't feel the same at all going into the fight. I don't know if it was jetlag still. Before the Montreal fight, I felt like I usually feel. But when I went against Bisping, I did not feel right. In Montreal, I wasn't nervous, I was the most confident I'd ever been. But I usually get fired up and ready to fight. In London, my stomach was hurting, I didn't feel good backstage, and then all of a sudden it built up on me. I don't know, it could have been the cameras in my face the whole time. But it just wasn't my night.
SN.ca: It was your first time fighting outside Canada and your first time on the main card for the UFC. Did those things maybe overwhelm you?
JD: It could have been. You never know. I didn't feel nervous for the fight, but then I kind of felt nervous with the way I was feeling. It could have been everything. I wasn't happy with that performance at all. I don't know what happened when I hit the ground.
SN.ca: What do you think about Bisping?
JD: He came out on fire. He had everything going for him that night. (But) I don't know how far he's going to go, or just how good he really is. I never got to put him to the full test. He definitely overwhelmed me and shook me that night. (But) he didn't feel overly strong. And his striking standing up wasn't very hard to deal with. I don't think I got hit once standing up. It was just on the ground, he was very aggressive and he overwhelmed me.
SN.ca: That was your second fight on a four-fight deal. Presumably, the UFC is still going to keep you.
JD: Joe Silva (the UFC matchmaker) said they're going to have me back for sure. They understood it was short notice (to take the fight against Bisping) and they appreciated it. And the president of the UFC U.K. emailed me and said thanks for stepping up and he appreciated it. He looks forward to me fighting again in the future. I definitely still have a future with the UFC. I just don't know when or where it's going to happen. I like to get in the cage as soon as I can after a loss. I don't like to sit on a loss and have it grind on me. So hopefully, it could be September-November.
SN.ca: What about the new card they've announced for July 19?
JD: Yeah, that would be back-to-back-to-back fights. That would be great.
SN.ca: Do you think you'd be ready?
JD: Absolutely. I took a week off after the last fight and traveled London a bit. I got back in the gym (last week). I'm not hurt, I (just) had a couple stitches. When (the referee) stopped (the fight), I wasn't hurt at all, it's just I couldn't get to a better position. I couldn't better my position; every time I moved, he hit me, and I tried to get up (but couldn't). So, I mean, I'm good to go. I could fight next weekend if I want.
SN.ca: So you weren't upset with the stoppage?
JD: I don't think there's any point to being upset with it. Personally, I don't think I was in any danger of getting hurt. I watched the tape, I wasn't bettering my position I guess. I was still covering from the side he was hitting on, but I'm definitely not going to say it was an early stoppage or anything. If (the referee) would have let it go on, I wouldn't have complained, and I definitely would have tried to get out of there. So when he finally did stop it, I'm on my side and trying to pull back so it looks like I was collapsing. (But) that's the way it goes. There's no use in complaining about that type of thing. If I whine about it, it's not going to change anything. I hate it when other guys whine about stoppages.
SN.ca: So, no medical suspension. Have you ever had a medical suspension?
JD: No, other than the standard 14-day one that you get every time you fight.
SN.ca: Okay, thanks again for doing this.
JD: Anytime.


