Aaron Jeffery Maps Out Return to Contention

Aaron Jeffery wasted no time getting back on the road to championship contention.

After falling short in a title eliminator with Fabian Edwards, the Canadian finds himself poised to jump right back into the conversation in Bellator MMA, as he will confront Douglas Lima in a Bellator Champions Series 4 middleweight feature on Saturday at Pechanga Arena in San Diego. A three-time champion at 170 pounds, Lima remains one of the company’s most accomplished and respected competitors. Jeffery embraces the opportunity.

“There’s two emotions going on,” he told Sherdog.com. “There’s one that’s just, ‘F--k, man, just throw me a lob. Let me get back in the win column. Let me beat up a bum and get my feet back under me.’ But then there’s the other emotion where it’s, ‘Well, this is f--king sick. It’s a big name, former champ.’ Obviously, the promotion still wants to put me in big fights, so I’m stoked. Not only can I get back in the win column, but I can fight a legend in the sport and really solidify myself back at the top.”

Never one to get too out of touch with his emotions no matter the result, Jeffery tries not to stay off the rollercoaster in MMA. Even after a setback, like the one he suffered against Edwards in March, he keeps his focus on simply getting back to business.

“I’m an even-keel guy,” he said. “I don’t get too high on the highs or too low on the lows. My process after any fight is the same, win or lose. I’ll go take a week and chill a little bit, enjoy myself and then get back in the gym and try to be active. I’d like to fight a little bit more than what they’re having me, but it is what it is. I get to fight another big-name guy on a big card, so I’m happy about it.”

Although his immediate goals are still connected to the happenings in Bellator, Jeffery admits the Professional Fighters League format offers an ideal balance. The PFL acquired Bellator in November.

“Yeah, the activity but also the regularity of it all,” he said. “My buddy, Impa [Kasanganay], knows exactly when he’s going to fight, [and] he knows exactly when he’s not going to fight. I fought in March, and I thought I’d fight [again] soon, so I’m not doing anything. I’m saying no to going out with friends and seeing family because I think I could get the call any day. Then a couple months go by, and they are like, ‘You’re fighting in September.’”

Jeffery recognizes what a victory over Lima would mean in terms of his career trajectory.

“I think it’s just a good statement overall,” he said. “Doesn’t matter division, promotion, whatever, it’s Douglas Lima, man. It’s sick. For me, I used to watch this guy back in the day. I know he’s not that old, but I watched him beat guys up when I was just starting my pro career, and he’s such a big name that it would put me right back up there at the top.”

The loss to Edwards did nothing to diminish Jeffery’s enthusiasm.

“I’ve done a lot of work in these last few months,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a new me. I think it should be a pretty sick fight. I’ve made some changes after the last one. I feel like I’ve figured things out mentally a little bit. I’m ready to show the best version of myself [while] fighting a legend of the sport, so I would expect nothing but a sick fight.”