Jordan Dowdy (7-4 MMA) will look to earn his fourth consecutive win when he fights Kevin Brown (5-6 MMA) in a co-main middleweight bout at Nemesis Fighting Alliance: This Is War.
Prior History
The two share some history going into their fight. Dowdy said he’s cornered Brown before, held pads for him when he needed it and helped him out with additional things.
“I heard Kevin was begging for the fight,” Dowdy told MMASucka. “I don’t know if he’s doing this as a hobby or if he thinks it’s going to be fun, but I didn’t take very kindly to it. It’s been hard to find many fights in the area, and this guy’s going to ask for me? I felt disrespected. I wasn’t really happy about it to be honest with you.”
While Dowdy isn’t thrilled with how it came about, he said he won’t let it be personal on fight night. After all, for him, a job is a job. And he’s never needed any extra motivation to get a job done.
He doesn’t think he’ll need the extra fuel on the fire, either. Dowdy feels he’s superior to Brown in both the striking and grappling departments.
“I’m more dangerous than ever, I’m better in every aspect in every way,” he said. “I know that’s the cliche Georges St-Pierre, but if you’re doing it right, that should be the answer. You should be getting better every time, and I just don’t think [Brown] really has anything for me.”
Strength of Schedules
Dowdy is unsure why Brown wanted to fight him all of a sudden, though he thinks the fact he has a few Bellator fights on his resume could be a reason. He’s riding a three-fight winning streak (a career best) over Josh Weston, Jeff Crotty and Eddie Larrea. His losses have come to tough fighters like Guilherme Bomba, Adam Meredith and Ty Flores, some of whom he might have fought too early in his career.
Brown, on the other hand, started his professional career with five straight losses. He won five straight to neutralize that, but is coming off a loss in his latest bout.
Dowdy recognizes that Brown was fed to the dogs in the Missouri MMA scene early in his career, having fought guys like Aaron Highfill and Sean Woodson. However, he doesn’t believe Brown has fought, or beat, anyone like the current version of himself.
“Aaron’s a good buddy of mine and a great training partner,” Dowdy said. “But Aaron would be the first to tell you that the Aaron alive and well now is better than the Aaron that was there three years ago. And I think we’ve all gotten better. But I don’t think he’s ever felt anything like what I can bring.”
The Match-up
Dowdy gives him a puncher’s chance. He said Brown likes to fight southpaw, throw sidekicks and look to land big punches. He feels Brown will try to overextend to land something big.
“That’s really the only chance he has,” Dowdy said. “Me, I’m more technical, fluid and well-rounded. To me, it doesn’t really matter how he tries to come in because I should be able to adapt to anything.”
Dowdy’s Improvements
Dowdy’s own recent success comes on the heels of him initiating training with a dedicated Jiu-Jitsu coach and putting on the gi. He also hopes his string of bad luck has come to an end. For example, he was close to finishing Ty Flores after a dominant first round in their fight before the staph infection he had incurred prior to the fight caused his body to give out. He’d be riding a five-fight win-streak if not for that.
“Some of it was just bad luck,” he said. “I’m trying to limit all of the things that could happen in my preparation. You can’t always do that. But as I’m getting along in this game, I get better, I get wiser, my preparation gets better, my training partners I train with get better. Luckily, some things have bounced my way for the better. That’s what I needed, because it went the other way against me, initially.”
Dowdy is three wins away from hitting double digits. He hopes to accomplish that feat before 2019 ends. It starts with Brown, though.
“I think I’m better everywhere,” Dowdy said. “So I’ll just take whatever presents itself. And not only what presents itself, but whatever openings are there for me to take. If I see a clear, good way to finish it or have optimal position and start imposing my will, then I will do so until the ref pulls me off.”
Nemesis Fighting Alliance: This Is War goes down Saturday, June 22 from the Casa Loma Ballroom in St. Louis, MO.
