MMA News Forums » MMA Forums » General MMA Forum

[stevequalude]

by John Morgan on Jan 19, 2010 at 7:10 pm ET
Simply put, Jay Hieron (18-4 MMA, 1-0 SF) has not always had the best of luck in his MMA career.

"The Thouroghbred" has endured the demise of both the IFL and Affliction, and he watched helplessly as a planned 2009 Strikeforce title fight with Nick Diaz turned into a preliminary card bout with Jesse Taylor.

Now Hieron fights Joe Riggs (32-10 MMA, 3-2 SF) on Jan. 30 at "Strikeforce: Miami," while DREAM champ Marius Zaromskis faces Diaz for the vacant Strikeforce belt on the same card.

So with all the turmoil in front of him, how does Hieron feel?

Like a ninja.

"I'm ready to go," Hieron today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMAjunkie.com Radio | MMAjunkie.com). "I'm fired up. I feel like a ninja right now, like I could just jump over somebody."

It's a surprisingly positive outlook for a guy that could easily be singing another tune. After essentially being passed over for a title shot through no fault of his own (the bout with Taylor was arranged when Diaz failed to appear for a drug screen ordered by the California State Athletic Commission), Hieron would be well within his rights to question his employer.

Instead, Hieron said he's still comfortable with his decision to join the Strikeforce ranks.

"I wouldn't be comfortable if I didn't make the decision I made because I had the title shot in front of me," Hieron said. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I had a big fight in front of me, and it didn't happen. But at the end of the day, I'm going to make that happen. I'm going to make my destiny.

"I'm going to keep training hard, and when you train hard, good things happen. I know I put in the work in the gym, and I put in the time. Being the way I am, opportunities are going to present themselves."

Hieron still hopes for an eventual shot at Diaz, but he knows he can't let himself get distracted from the task at hand. While Riggs has at times struggled with consistency, "Diesel" is currently riding a four-fight winning streak.

"Joe 'Diesel,' he's a good dude," Hieron said. "I trained with him like four or five years ago a little bit. He's a good dude. Outside of the cage, he's a funny guy. But it's all business come the 30th. I'm ready to go."

A win would certainly put Hieron in line for a shot at the winner of the Diaz vs. Zaromskis matchup, especially considering he was already promised one crack at the belt. With that knowledge in hand, Hieron is committed to giving Strikeforce little choice other than to give him what he's earned.

"I've done everything I'm supposed to do," Hieron said. "There's nothing I don't do every day. I put in the time with the stuff that nobody sees – the fans, nobody. I put in that work in the gym. I keep up every day at 8 or 9 in the morning, go bust my ass all day long, rest, and go back and do it again.

"I'm here, and I have the attitude that it's going to happen. That's why I'm still around in the game. I still believe in myself, and I know if I keep putting in the work, something's going to happen. I live by that, and everything happens for a reason. All this little stuff I go through makes me that much stronger."

Despite apparent title snub, Hieron happy with Strikeforce and feeling "like a ninja" | MMAjunkie.com

[stevequalude]

Well he is on a 6 fight win streak , but the level of fighters might be questionable. This match-up with Riggs will be one of his tougher test that he has faced in a while.. Everytime I think of Jay I remember the ko from GSP maybe he got tko'd , but he seems like a really good guy and im ready to see him step up and fight better competition so we can see what type of fighter he will be.

[GL Jeff]

Originally Posted by stevequalude

Well he is on a 6 fight win streak , but the level of fighters might be questionable. This match-up with Riggs will be one of his tougher test that he has faced in a while.. Everytime I think of Jay I remember the ko from GSP maybe he got tko'd , but he seems like a really good guy and im ready to see him step up and fight better competition so we can see what type of fighter he will be.

Riggs and toughest test are never great to have in the same sentence for a fighter,lol.

If I was Jay, I would tell SF to go fuck themselves.

[KevoOnTheRadio]

That guy has to have an iceberg sized cip on his shoulder, but he's keeping a good attitude. Heiron will own the WW belt by the end of the year imo. Can't wait to see him destroy Riggs, and then Diaz/Zaromskis.

[willpunisher]

this is gonna be one heeeeelllllllllllllllllllll of a fight!
i can't believe they fucking bumped them out of a the main card for hershel walker and bobby lashley though.. wtf

[willpunisher]

this is gonna be one heeeeelllllllllllllllllllll of a fight!
i can't believe they fucking bumped them out of a the main card for hershel walker and bobby lashley though.. wtf