30-year-old Jordan Dowdy is eager to return to the Shamrock FC cage on Friday, April 14, when the welterweight will take on Joel Blair.
Dowdy sees Blair as a “tough and durable” opponent who won’t quit until the ref stops the fight or the final bell rings, but he pictures himself getting his hand raised no matter what after the bout’s conclusion.
“I have every advantage,” Dowdy told MMASucka. “My striking, wrestling and jiu-jitsu will all be better. Blair will try and turn it into a dogfight, and even if he does, I still feel advantageous. I have a way to win in every category in this fight.”
Dowdy, who holds a professional MMA record of 3-3, will be looking to snap a string of two straight losses. A pair of his pro defeats came at the hands of his opponents that he fought under the Bellator banner, Adam Meredith and Guilherme Vasconcelos. Dowdy holds a 3-1 record under the Shamrock banner, his usual stomping ground.
At the time Dowdy fought them, Meredith and Vasconcelos held 4-1 and 7-3 records respectively. He didn’t lose confidence after having moments of success in fights that he viewed as high-risk, high-reward.
“Bellator came to town, and I took fights that no one else in the area wanted,” he said. “In retrospect, those didn’t turn out my way, but I can look in the mirror at night, brush my teeth, and know I’m not a coward.”
In addition to his training, Dowdy has been working at Sub Zero Cryotherapy-Chesterfield and completing his Master’s degree in Education, which he considers a full-time job in its own right. He was adamant that those commitments have not negatively impacted his training regimen for his MMA career.
“I’ve been working so damn hard nonstop,” Dowdy said. “They’ll see the best version of me there’s ever been. I’ve put everything into this.”
Between each camp, Dowdy has put a focus on making himself more well-rounded ahead of each time he makes the walk. He said that he’s found specialists in each discipline of MMA in the area, as well as donning the gi and heading to local jiu-jitsu tournaments.
Dowdy said that he hopes his well-rounded game will help him continue to rack up victories and work his way off of the regional scene. To do so, he’s prepared to fight at least three times this year.
“I just want to build a win streak and cash in on the next big opportunity that comes next my way,” Dowdy said. “I’m giving up a lot of my life to do this. I’d love to get that contract and payday at a bigger promotion.”
After his fight, Dowdy plans to indulge in his hobbies for at least a couple of weeks. He said he enjoys going to the movies, hanging out with his friends, and playing video games. Once he’s free from the constraints of weight cutting, Dowdy is also eagerly looking forward to going out to some restaurants.
After that reprieve, it will be full steam ahead once again. But before that, Dowdy intends to put on a dominant performance against Blair no matter how or where the fight goes.
“If I see a finish early, I’ll get it,” he said. “If it’s a dogfight into the third round, I’m prepared to stay ahead in that. I’ll do whatever it takes within legal bounds to win, that’s for sure.”
