Louisiana is home to many of the best fighters in the world in many organizations. One of those representing Louisiana in Bellator is Jesse Roberts. Roberts recently made his professional debut on the Bellator stage at Bellator 214: Fedor vs. Bader on January 26, 2019. Though his opponent was making his debut, it was against a major name in the Brazilian jiu-jitsu world in that of AJ Agazarm.
Short Notice Debut on a Huge Platform
Not many people would want to make their professional debut on short notice with so much on the line. Yet, Roberts was up for the task taking a spot on the Bellator 214 card on less than two weeks notice. On a card headlined with the heavyweight Grand Prix finals.
“I think this was as big of a pro debut possible on as big of a fight card imaginable,” Roberts told MMA Sucka. “AJ is a world-class grappler and a big character in the BJJ world. As far as the matchup, it gave me a lot of confidence. We had less than two weeks noticed to prepare my cardio, so I chose to be smart make him work for the takedown, and not burn too much energy in scrambles. I felt good in the fight but would not have been as cautious with a full camp. I would say this fight gave me a lot of confidence.”
The Future for Jesse Roberts
So what’s next for Bellator’s newest Louisiana prospect? “My management has meetings with Bellator this week but as for me, a couple of days off and back to the gym to improve and make the most of any opportunity that comes my way,” Roberts stated. With four events alone scheduled for the organization in February, it is very likely we will see Roberts again in action. With a full training camp under his belt, we can expect a much higher paced Roberts. One of Roberts’ highlight bouts as an amateur was his unanimous decision victory over highly touted Louisiana amateur standout AJ Fletcher at WFC 86 in May 2018. The battle was high paced and action packed as both fighters are well versed in all aspects of MMA. Hopefully, we get to see Roberts back in action again very soon.
