Issue 049
May 2009
Doncaster lightweight Jason Ball has big plans for 2009 after opening the year in style.
The 25-year-old made his Stateside debut on 30 January with an impressive third-round TKO of American Top Team fighter, Glenn Mincer, on Cage Warriors USA in Florida.
Now he’s planning to win the first ever British Fighting Championship (BFC) lightweight tournament, and make further forays across the Atlantic. He told Fighters Only, “I think the BFC is a brilliant idea, you’re going to find out who the best is at every weight. I want to win it and have a few more fights in America, and then hopefully I’ll get that call.” That call is, of course, the moment when the UFC will pick up the phone and dial Ball’s manager, Paul Murphy.
Ball’s determination to succeed in 2009 stems partly from the way 2008 ended. On 29 November, Ball became the ninth fighter to succumb to Liverpool’s Paul Sass via triangle choke, and, after dominating the first round, Ball was understandably frustrated with the loss.
He said: “I remember smashing his face in, and I thought I had it towards the end of the first round. I thought they would have stopped it, but they didn’t. I would love a rematch with him. It was frustrating [losing to the triangle], it’s an annoyance, but you can’t go through [your career] with just one thing. I’m glad for him, but he’ll come unstuck soon.”
Ball may get his wish this year, as both he and Sass have entered the BFC tournament. But first Ball has to find a way past Londoner Jason Young. “I don’t know an awful lot about him, but I don’t try to prepare too much for the way my opponent fights, I try to make them fight my fight.”
Ball, who began training at the Wolfslair gym last year in order to improve his game, says his opponents had better be ready for anything. “I’m a bit of an all-rounder. I don’t mind stand-up and I don’t mind grappling with people, so it doesn’t matter where it goes,” he said.
This philosophy came in handy when Ball accepted the fight with Mincer on short notice. “It was on 10 days notice and I wasn’t in the best shape, but I was happy to take the fight. I knew he was a good wrestler and threw a big right hand, but that was about it. I was a bit sloppy at times, I could have been better prepared, but I was pleased to get the win.”
The UCF Arena in Orlando was the venue for Ball’s American debut, and he’s keen to win some more fans in the USA. “I heard a little corner of the arena booing me, but there was no one booing me after I got the win.
“I had fought in Germany before, but never in America. I thought it was brilliant, I felt like I was on a top show from the way they did the weigh-ins to the screens backstage, so you could watch the other fights,” he said.
Ball is dreaming big, and wants to walk in the footsteps of Doncaster teammate Neil Wain and fight for the UFC. “If I have a couple of good fights then you never know. After watching Neil I want it even more, and I would really like to rep Doncaster.”
Jason Ball spoke with Graham Smyth
