As one of North Carolina’s top lightweights, Jordan has been featured many times here at Pro MMA Now as part of “The Jordan Rinaldi Experiment” which detailed a portion of his career leading up to the opportunity to appear on the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter. After being eliminated on the first episode, Rinaldi will be back in action for the first time later this month. Below he gives us his thoughts on the TUF experience and his upcoming fight. You can also find him on Twitter @JordanRinaldi.
Coming off a very difficult loss that was viewed by the biggest audience of my career, I am more than eager to get back into the cage. The experience of The Ultimate Fighter was a blessing, and will certainly help me deal with the pressures involved with fighting in front of a big crowd.
I mean, Dana White, Joe Silva, and millions at home, can make any man feel the pressure. The show helped my confidence though. I was doing pretty well until the last ten seconds of the fight, and that helped me realize that I can compete at a high level, I do belong there, and I will get back there!
The loss was difficult, especially giving in to a submission, when I am a Royce Gracie purple belt, and I have never been stopped in any fight. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but I have grown much from the experience and the loss. Since the show, I have been able to quit my day job and train full time, usually three times a day, six days a week.
My next fight will be June 30th in Kearney, Nebraska, against undefeated prospect Mark Dickman on the Resurrection Fighting Alliance 3 card. He is a great wrestler who was a National Champion at the NAIA level. He was undefeated as an amateur and still is as a pro with a (5-0) record. His wrestling is good, his transitions on the ground are slick, and his stand up is decent. With that said, I feel I am more well-rounded than him. I will undoubtedly be the best fighter he has ever fought, and I plan to make it a very miserable night for him. I am very confident in my jiu-jitsu, and if he decides to make it into a wrestling match, I will work hard from my back to put him in hot water. On my feet I feel I am faster and more comfortable.
I am excited to get back into the cage, and prepared to get back to my winning ways against Dickman. I thank God that he has kept me healthy during my training, blessed me with the amazing experience on TUF, and blessed that he has given me another opportunity to showcase the fruits of my hard work and talent. Thank ya’ll for taking the time to read this, and thank ya’ll for the support and prayers. Hopefully I will bring back the “win” for North Carolina!