Damon Jackson (22-6-1, 1 NC MMA, 5-4-1, 1 NC UFC) is set to meet Alexander Hernandez (14-7 MMA, 6-6 UFC) in a featherweight clash at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on April 6.
Jackson said Hernandez is tough and has fought a lot of tough opponents and big names.
“He’s kind of 50/50 as far as having great fights and he kind of flops every once in a while, too,” Jackson told MMASucka. “Who knows what Alex you’re going to get, but I think he’s a tough fight for sure. I think it’s definitely a big match-up for me to get the win.”
Jackson said he “100%” feels like he has the style to wear on Hernandez.
“I’m definitely going to press him 100%. I think he comes out real aggressive and if he doesn’t get started, he never gets going,” Jackson said. “I think that’s something I can take advantage of, for sure.”
Jackson said he tore his pectoral muscle right before he fought Pat Sabatini in September 2022, which he said has hampered his ability to wrestle. While Jackson defeated Sabatini via ground and pound just over a minute into the first round, he lost his next two fights to Dan Ige and Billy Quarantillo.
Jackson said his pectoral feels “pretty good” now and believes his wrestling will be a “huge factor” against Hernandez.
“My wrestling is back and I feel great. I’m really just ready to go with that. I think that’s going to be a huge factor he’s going to have to watch out for. I know he’s going to game plan around that, but if you look at my last couple of fights, I haven’t been able to wrestle. If you add that into the mix, I win that Billy fight all day. Then I got caught with Dan Ige, but it is what it is. I’m ready to roll, man.”
Jackson opted not to undergo surgery because it would have completely sidelined him for six months, he said. He said his pectoral muscle tore around 80% or more and started rehabbing it.
“[Doctors] told me I could repair as much as possible, and if it ever does tear through, then they can go through and do the full repair,” he said “Hopefully that doesn’t happen.”
While Jackson is on the first two-fight losing streak of his career, he believes he beat Quarantillo in a fight that went to a unanimous decision.
“Even Sean Shelby came back to the room as soon as I was done, and he told me he thought I won the fight,” Jackson said. “Pressure is always there to win fights. You’ve always got to be in that mindset of do-or-die. For me, I want to go out there and have a great performance for myself. I don’t really think about being cut or not being in the UFC. I just think about winning the fight, because that’s what I want is to win every fight. Every fight is important to me. It’s the most important thing when I’m fighting. My focus is to win, obviously.”
Jackson said he is very well prepared to fight Hernandez.
“If it goes three rounds, I’d be shocked, but I’m ready to roll.”
His prediction?
“I’m going to get him down to the ground and then I’m going to get a sub, for sure.”
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