Jared Gordon: ‘I Need To Make A Statement’

“Yeah, I had a Grade 1 MCL/ACL sprain, but I felt like I could still win, and I almost did,” said Gordon. “It was a great fight. I was hurt; it is what it is. There are some other things that happened too like I needed shoulder surgery for eight months before that fight. I just worked through it, was in pain the whole camp, and Rafa did a good job. I’m not trying to take anything away from him.

“God’s plan,” he added. “Everything happens for a reason and I’m here now, fighting Jim Miller on a huge card — probably the biggest of the year so far — so that’s it.”

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This weekend’s fight card with Miller at UFC 328 has brought the Queens-native back to his old stomping grounds. It’ll be the first time he’s fought in the New Jersey since the CFFC 63 win over Bill Algeo that ended up being his final fight on the regional circuit.

The days training in NYC and fighting on the rugged East Coast regional circuit were largely successful, but were also fraught with challenges, as Gordon battled addiction issues before finally beginning what is now a 10-year-plus journey of continuous sobriety on December 27, 2015.

“It feels good, feels like home. I’m grateful,” he said. “I’m obviously proud of myself and feel very grateful for my journey; I wouldn’t change any of it. (Because of what I’ve done in the UFC), I’ve been able to build a brand and partner with different companies, gain sponsorships, work for some different companies, and have other things that are gonna happen in the future because of my connection to the UFC, so it means a lot.

“My hard work is paying off, and I believe the best is yet to come.”

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While the results haven’t necessarily gone his way with the kind of consistency he would like, it’s easy to understand why Gordon believes there are still big days ahead of him.

Prior to his loss to Garcia, he earned a knockout win over Thiago Moises, battled Nasrat Haqparast tooth-and-nail in a three-round bout that could have gone either way and celebrated in New York City with a first-round mauling of Mark Madsen at Madison Square Garden.

In addition to his solid overall efforts, the 37-year-old has been spurred on by the arrival of his daughter last year, who has become the primary driving force when it comes to his preparation and focus once he steps into the Octagon.

“All the pressure has been taken off me because it’s not about Jared anymore; it’s about my baby and my family,” he said. “When the pressure comes, it doesn’t matter because I have to move forward because I have this little baby girl at home who needs her daddy to come through, you know?

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“I could get hit by a car, I could get headbutted again, I could get robbed on a decision — the worst things in the world could happen to me, but it doesn’t matter because I’ve got to move forward,” Gordon added with a smirk. “It’s just made everything easier to have to deal with… It’s not about being in the spotlight, ‘I gotta get famous; I need people to clap for me.’ None of that matters, so it’s made working hard, doing what I don’t want to do every day easier and better because I have to work harder and smarter. I’ve made a ton of adjustments for this fight and for my life in general and it’s gonna pay off and I know everyone will see that on Saturday night.”

As much as Gordon welcomes the opportunity to share the cage with Miller, who holds the record for the most appearances and wins in UFC history, he’s not looking at the moment as anything other than another chance for him to prove himself worthy of a place in the Top 15 and bring a win home to his family.

“It’s really cool — he’s a great name, legend of the sport; most UFC wins, most UFC fights, has fought everyone,” he said of Miller. “I respect him, but I don’t care about him right now; it’s about my family. I have a baby at home, I have my wife, I’ve got a dog; I’ve got all sorts of things. He’s ultimately another opponent.

“I know I’m Top 15 material,” he added. “I know it, and I’m gonna show it on Saturday night.”

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And for Gordon, that means getting things done inside the distance.

“Winning in emphatic fashion; I truly believe that’s the way it has to go down,” he said. “Getting a decision win — it’s great, I won — but I need to make a statement.”