By Dwight Wakabayashi
Jesse (The Body Snatcher) Ronson isn’t easing into his new promotion.
The top Canadian lightweight signed a three-fight deal with Western Canada-based promotion Aggression Fighting Championships last week and it was announced at the same time that he will kick off his contract with a title fight against AFC lightweight champion Shane (Shaolin) Campbell at AFC 20: Undisputed on July 5 in Edmonton.
Ronson, from London, Ont., is currently the No. 4-ranked lightweight in Canada and the top lightweight not under contract with the UFC. He is on a seven-fight win streak and many feel that the UFC is not too far off for the elite striker.
The 27-year-old is coming off an incredible performance in his last fight, a dominant decision win over veteran Ryan Healy at Score Fighting Series 7 in November. He believes his new deal with AFC is a good opportunity, but not one that will hurt his ability to sign with the top promotion south of the border if that door should open.
“It’s good money and there’s a ‘UFC out’ so if they want me after one fight or two fights, I can get out of that contract and sign with the UFC,” Ronson said in a phone interview with sportsnet.ca this week.
Ronson has built up great momentum in his career over the past two years. He is one of the top prospects in Ontario and the absence of any mixed martial arts events in the province has made it very difficult to find a fight and keep things going this year. It is a situation that Ronson and other Ontario-based fighters are extremely frustrated by.
“I don’t like to take this much time off. It sucks. My last fight was November 23rd and this one won’t be until July,” Ronson said. “I’ve been looking for other fights. I was supposed to fight in March, I was supposed to fight in April, all these fights just kept falling through and it pissed me off. Finally, my manager said look if you want guaranteed fights you can sign with AFC.”
Ronson is in a similar spot as many of the best fighters in Ontario not signed by the UFC, who have no shows in their home province to fight on. They have no leverage and can’t get a fight in Canada. Fight shows that are based in other provinces do not want to spend a lot of money to bring in an Ontario fighter to defeat the hometown ticket seller.
“The only way I’m going to get a fight is if I sign with somebody and I told them the only way I was going to sign was with an out. So I got the out and they gave me Shane Campbell.”
Ronson has been on the proper climb in his career, with the next opponent tougher than the next right up until his fight against the tough veteran Healy. No disrespect to Campbell, but he should be considered a step down from Healy in name and calibre; but beggars can’t be choosers.
“I don’t know if it is an even match-up, but he’s good,” Ronson said. “He’s got good striking for Muay Thai but his overall MMA striking is a bit different. If he fights the same way when he fights his Muay Thai fights like he fights his MMA fights, I don’t think he can win all those fights. He seems worried about the takedown but he won’t have to worry about that with me.”
Ronson’s striking is some of the best I have ever seen inside or outside of the UFC cage and I predict that Campbell may want to take the fight down to the mat after exchanging a bit. He will have to train his takedowns hard but Ronson isn’t sure Campbell will be able to put the proper time in.
“I don’t think he is going to get to train MMA that much because he has this K-1 fight he is in on June 8th.” Ronson said. “I just found out about that yesterday and it pissed me off because if he gets hurt, he gets cut, he gets suspended, anything happens, he can’t fight me less than a month later. I said somebody better tell me, like guarantee this fight July 5th because I don’t want to have to wait even longer. I’ll lose my mind.”
Ronson vs. Campbell will serve as the co-main event at AFC 20. In addition, fans will get another championship bout with the welterweight title up for grabs as Ryan (The Real Deal) Ford (20-4) will face the winner of the No. 1 contender fight between Michael Hill (5-0) and Joel Powell (6-3), which goes down May 19 at AFC 18: Mayhem in Victoria.
