31-year-old Ryan Ford will take the next step in his mixed martial arts career on Saturday night in front of his hometown of Edmonton, Alberta.

Ryan Ford: When the cage door closes, we start on the feet

Ford will step across the cage from his toughest challenge to date, Jake Shields, in the main event at World Series of Fighting 14.

Shields, once a top-10 welterweight in the world, presents a very tough game for anyone to deal with. His ground game is second-to-none and he will look to get the fight there as soon as possible. What does Ford have to do to get ready for such an experienced fighter? Focus on himself, not Shields.

“Focus on what I’ve got to do in the fight. You know me, as soon as that cage door closes, I’m a guy that likes to finish fights — so that’s what I’m gonna be trying to do.”

Ten of Shields’ 29 victories have come via submission, so everyone knows that that is his specialty. Ford knows that when the cage door closes, both combatants begin on their feet and if he can keep it there, he believes the fight will go his way.

“With Jake, he’s a specialist at one thing and that’s jiu-jitsu. Obviously that’s not a place where you would want to go, but I feel comfortable wherever this fight goes. At the end of the day when the cage door closes, we start on the feet. If I can keep it on the feet, I believe everything will go my way. If it does go to the ground, I’m a great scrambler and I’m very athletic, so I’m pretty sure I’ll be able to work myself up and do what I’ve got to do.”

Ford has been training under the tutelage of Firas Zahabi at the world renowned Tristar gym in Montreal, Quebec. The team boasts a number of talented fighters including: former UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, current number one contender Rory MacDonald, Titan FC fighter Mike Ricci and his corner man due to the fact that Zahabi will not be able to make the trek, Kajan Johnson.

“Unfortunately not, he is not going to be in my corner. He’s going to be at a seminar, but one of my close friends and one of my training partners and a guy who’s been in my corner a lot, Kajan Johnson, he’ll be coming down to corner me. He knows the way I like to fight and he knows the fight game, so my corner’s always good for me.”

All but three of Ford’s 26 professional bouts have taken place in Alberta. Past legal issues have kept him from fighting inside the United States, which could be the reason why the UFC has yet to make an offer to “The Real Deal.” At 20-years of age, in the year 2003, Ford was involved in a home invasion with two other men. The Edmonton native was sentenced to four years in prison.

Fast forward 11-years and the welterweight has changed his life a complete 180-degrees. He has two children and family is his first priority. So, as long as Ford is making money, then as he says, it makes sense.

“If it don’t make dollars, it don’t make sense. I’m born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and I’ve been fighting here pretty much my whole career. So I have no problem with fighting in front of my fans. It depends if World Series goes to a different market in Canada or whatnot, but if I do get that chance to break out into the U.S. then yeah for sure. But everything’s got to make sense to me and me fighting at home makes a lot of sense. I’m a big ticket seller — I make more money from my ticket selling than a lot of guys do make in a purse in Canada.”

Saturday’s WSOF 14 will be seen in millions of homes across the U.S., as it’s broadcast live on the NBC Sports Network. This will give fans that may not know who Ford is an opportunity to see his flashy style.

“It’s just a beautiful thing that a lot of people in the U.S. that haven’t been exposed to “The Real Deal” are gonna see who I am.”

Ford has won a number of titles throughout his seven year career, but he has one more goal and it comes with a price.

“Making a million dollars!”

Check out the full interview with Ryan Ford from this week’s episode of Sucka Radio HERE.