Jesse Ronson is headlining BKB 52: No Turning Back, which transpires on March 28th, and will be vying for Cub Hawkins’ BKB Championship. To cement oneself as a champion is a massive accomplishment in and of itself, but there is a chance to become embedded even more into the history books, as Jesse Ronson said [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“I’m good, man. Training’s going good. Very smooth. This is probably the sharpest I felt in a training camp probably ever. Like everything’s just on. Speed is better than ever. Power is better than ever. Like what’s really; my reactions, timing, and distance, it is ridiculous. It’s like everybody who’s watching and who’s training with me, they’re like, “Holy,” like it’s ridiculous. It’s like you turn 40 and it’s you hit your prime all over again.”
“Like I said, I’ve never been like this on and I feel supremely confident and I’m very measured and dialed in for this because everyone’s like, “What about the pressure?” Of course it’s my first world title fight versus a legend like Cub Hawkins who’s like a two or three division world champion. He’s like nine and one. Just beat a legend in Barrie Jones who I’ve wanted to fight.”
“So it’s a tall order, but again, to be the first Canadian ever to win a bare knuckle title. That belt is f***ing awesome [laughs]. The Police Gazette belt, it’ll sit right right in front of me right here. I just want it so bad and it’s just very motivating. So I’m doing everything right. I’m taking all the proper rest days that I need to take and training smart. Which I should have been doing my whole career, but yeah. No, it’s better now than ever.”
After being asked if this optimized state comes from all the aforementioned factors being considered, Jesse Ronson stated [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“It’s just so incredibly motivating. I asked people because they’re like, “Oh, are you sure you’re going to be the first [Canadian] bare knuckle boxing champion in history?” I’m like if you can find another guy, I’d like to know because it’s like I haven’t; if they if if there’s been a Canadian champion, it hasn’t been in my lifetime. Nobody knows who that is and I looked it up and I can’t find anything.”
“So, it’s; I can’t even describe the feeling. I wish I could explain [to] the outside, like you’re making history. Like a lot of people don’t think it’s a big deal. Some people think it’s a huge deal, but it’s like there’s never been a bare knuckle Canadian champion. Like come on [laughs]. Like that’s huge. Especially for me. Like everyone’s like, “Oh, you started MMA. Don’t you want to be an MMA world champion?” I’m like, “Being a world champion in itself is saying something because you’re the best in the world at something.””
“Not a lot of people can say that. Now, to be able to say that I am the best in the world at 175 pounds bare knuckle boxing, people will be like well, what about Mike Perry? What about Dave Mundell? Well, if they want it, they can come get it. Just show me the f***ing money cuz I’m sure BKB would love to do a co-promotion to make some money. But to do that and then be able to say that I’m the first Canadian, millions of Canadians, like to be; oh it’s just it’s such an incredible feeling and it’s just something that like there is no pressure.”
“I’m going to go out there and I’m going to f***ing win. It just; it feels so good. Like I feel like I can’t lose because I’m the first guy. I know there’s people that have had title shots like Jade Masson-Wong. She had a title shot in BKFC. I’m sure there’s other Canadians that have had their opportunities, but it’s like where they failed, I won’t because I just; I feel over 20 years of my career and all my experience versus a guy like Cub Hawkins, I just feel like I can’t lose. The universe won’t let me lose. It’s our time. Go Canada [laughs].”
Jesse Ronson eyes bare knuckle belts in boxing as well as for jorge masvidal’s gamebred MMA show
Jesse Ronson entered the Mighty Trigon as someone seen as such a natural fit for the world of bare knuckle boxing, but dispatching someone like Ryan Jett, a tenured, established fighter on the circuit, emboldened the idea of what his potential could be that much more.
When mentioning how his Jett debut exceeded the lofty expectations surrounding the BKB debut of the Gamebred Bare Knuckle MMA vet, Jesse Ronson quipped [via Bare Knuckle Bowker],
“Yeah, 100%. I knew it wasn’t; they weren’t going to do me any favors getting in. Cuz I was I think Ryan Jett’s like 10th fight and he fought for the title once or twice before. He fought three champions. He gave everybody a hard time. He’s a solid scrapper. Blowing through that guy, they’re like, we’ve never had a Canadian, do that, let alone look that good.”
“Like everybody wanted to see it again. It’s funny cuz when we were in the casino afterwards [in] Seneca, everyone’s like, “So when’s Ronson getting his title shot?” Like bugging Mel [Valenzuela] the matchmaker and he’s like, “Whoa, whoa, he’s got to fight one or two more times.” They’re like, “Are you serious? You see what this guy just did? Like you know the streak that he’s been on, he’s a Canadian.”
“Like this could be a really big market, a really big turning point.” He was adamant on being like, “Nah, we need to get him one or two more.” Then it was funny how I didn’t need one or two more. I think he was just; I don’ know. I think he knew I was going to get the title shot because 175 is a pretty stacked division. Yeah, I’m just glad. I’m sure there’s probably people pissed off that I’m skipping the line, but you know, you’ll get your turn.”
“Don’t worry. I’m going to take care of Cub Hawkins. Then I’m going to go win the GameBred bare knuckle MMA title and be the first ever bare knuckle welterweight MMA champion in the world, let alone Canadian. Then I’ll come back. I’d love to fight Barrie Jones and then we’ll see what happens from there. But there’s; I’m not done yet.”
“Like the goal is to win the world title, be the first ever, but then it’s also the world title is one thing that gives legitimacy in my career, but now MMA and fighting has taken everything from me. So I need to take something back and it’s finally time to start making some cheese [laughs].”