Jason (Dooms) Day is rolling the dice.
At this time last year, the 29-year-old from Lethbridge, Alta., was getting set for his first appearance in the UFC, an opportunity he had just earned with a win over fellow Canadian David Loiseau.
It was a great time to be sure. He was on a four-fight win streak and he got what he had worked extremely hard for -- a shot in the big show, and at home to boot.
But he was also entering into the unknown.
After two appearances in the Octagon -- one win in front of a home crowd in Montreal, one loss far from home in England -- he feels like a very different fighter now. And he sums it up with one word: Confidence.
“I feel very good,” Day said following Friday’s weigh-in, when he came in a solid 184.5 pounds for his middleweight fight against tough competitor Kendall Grove Saturday night on the undercard of UFC 96.
“I felt good against (Alan) Belcher, you know being home,” Day explained. “When I fought (Michael) Bisping nothing was on. I can’t explain it. I don’t know why. It wasn’t my night… it just wasn’t my week.
“This time I know I’m prepared. My whole life revolves around this. It’s a very good feeling, a very confident feeling.”
“Things are on.”
That feeling didn’t come lightly. It was a process over the course of the nine months since his last fight.
It has been a long layoff for him, and especially difficult considering the fact that he’s had to sit on a loss like the one he had in England. In September, he was supposed to fight Jason Lambert -- an opportunity to erase that loss against a guy making his middleweight debut -- but Day had to pull out with an elbow injury. In his place stepped in good buddy Jason MacDonald, who promptly earned a second-round submission.
“The day after, Jay told me, ‘Thank you for that fight,’” Day said. “And I’m like, ‘I hate you.’ I wanted that fight.”
Despite missing out on a good opportunity, Day admits having the extra time off was good for him. He moved to Calgary from his home in Lethbridge, Alta, so it gave him more time to make the transition. He also needed to get used to working with new coaches.
And when the fight with Grove came up, he felt he needed to go a step further. So he traveled to East Chicago to spend three weeks training with WEC featherweight champion Miguel Torres at his gym. It was a perfect situation for him.
“(Miguel) has the same mindset as me as far as personality,” Day said. “We’re both laid back and chill.
“And he has a lot of good people around there. At his gym there are no egos. Anyone who comes in with an ego, either they learn to lose it or they’re not at the gym anymore.”
While Torres was a good sparring partner Day also needed guys that were more his size. At Torres Martial Arts there were enough.
“It was good working with his guys, and a good atmosphere. Miguel made me feel welcome.”
And there was also a familiar face for the final week. He asked MacDonald if he would come by so he could be another big body with a similar structure to mimic Grove.
“He’s so tough and has the reach,” Day said. “I just wanted to get the range down for Kendall and have one more guy to put the pressure on me.
“The game plan (we’ve come up with) is one that will work. It’s how I fight.
“Everything’s aligned.”
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Day wasn’t kidding when he says “his whole life revolves around this.” Because this time last year, being a full-time mixed martial arts fighter was what he aspired to be, but he still had a day job. No longer. After some careful consideration, he left his parents’ business building houses to focus solely on his training.
“I’m focused now,” Day said. “All I think about is fighting. And my mind gets to rest now from now and then.”
And he’s hoping this career path is going to pay the bills.
“I’m rolling the dice,” Day said. “But I think the odds are in my favour.”
NOTES: All fighters successfully made weight in Columbus, Ohio Friday, including main event competitors Quinton (Rampage) Jackson (205) and Keith Jardine (204). Jackson was his charismatic self when talking with Joe Rogan after hitting the scale.
“I’m putting everything on the line,” Jackson said. “I’m getting wild in the cage tomorrow.”
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It has been assumed that if Jackson wins he’ll get a title shot but that Jardine wouldn’t because he has said he wouldn’t fight his good friend Rashad Evans, who trains with him. However, UFC president Dana White reportedly said this week he may have to reconsider.
“This isn't basketball or football,” White told USA Today. “You're not part of a team. Do you want to be the champ? If Rashad's got that belt, what are you going to do -- sit your whole career out and wait for Rashad to retire?
"I disagree with that. And I have to their face many times... Their careers are going to cross paths. And when they do, they're going to have to fight."
Jardine dodged the issue Friday when asked by Rogan after the weigh-in if it put him in an “awkward position” with the light-heavyweight champion being from the same camp as him.
“It puts me in a great position,” Jardine said. “It means we’re doing something right over there.”
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According to FiveOuncesOfPain.com, Frank Mir has suffered an injury that has forced the postponement of his rematch with Brock Lesnar. The bout, which was going to unify the heavyweight and interim belts, was scheduled for May 23 -- it was only officially announced on Monday.
