By KOTC Staff
It’s been over 18 months since Jordan McKay fought last in a cage and the 5-1 fighter is more than ready to make his return. After taking some time away from active competition to rest and regroup, McKay will look to reassert his presence in the Canadian welterweight division on June 26th, when he takes on Jayson Peck at King of the Cage Canada’s “Hypersonic” event.
“I took some time off after my last fight because I was moving from B.C. back to Calgary and my wife was pregnant,” said McKay. “Honestly man I was burnt out a little bit so I just wanted to take care of my family, spend some time with them, and in these last few weeks I felt like I wanted to come back and fight.”
While McKay hasn’t fought since December, 2009, when he was stopped by UFC veteran Richie Hightower, the 29 year-old believes he’s a much better fighter today than when he was handed his first pro loss.
“My last fight I lost to a UFC vet and that really changed me,” McKay acknowledged. “It really helped me in the mental aspects. Leading into that fight I was already losing mentally just because he was in the UFC, he had been on “The Ultimate Fighter,” so I was thinking about all this different stuff rather than my own fighting style; how I became 5-0. So I learned I just need to go out and fight my fight. So since then I know I’m better mentally; I’ve kept training and I know I’m a better fighter.”
In order to secure his sixth pro win, McKay will have to defeat Grande Prairie’s Jayson Peck (3-2), who will be looking to get back on track after being stopped by Marco Guerette at KOTC’s “Mile Zero” event in April.
“I’ve seen a little bit of tape on him but I don’t have any real idea about him,” said McKay, while discussing the man he will fight at Calgary’s Deerfoot Inn and Casino. “All of the videos were really short...I don’t really look at records to try to figure that stuff out. They just offered me the fight and I said yes.”
“One hundred percent I’m doing this for a career now,” McKay added, who also operates a finishing and carpentry business with his brother. “I have a baby and a wife to take care of; I wouldn’t do this if I didn’t think I could make it to the UFC, or be financially supported...So I hope to bang out a few more wins and then maybe try out for the “Ultimate Fighter.”
All five of McKay’s pro wins have come via submission, with two tap-outs coming via strikes, two more victories coming by armbar and the last by rear-naked-choke.
“My jiu-jitsu’s really tight,” said McKay while discussing his own abilities. “I train at BDB with Brian Bird and I have my purple belt under Bibiano Fernandes; I’m going to test right away for my brown belt. So my jiu-jitsu’s tight but honestly it just ends up for some reason that the fights go there. I’m not going to pass it up if it’s there, but lots of people have told me my striking is better. I think my striking is strong, my wrestling is strong and my jiu-jitsu is strong.”
While McKay will have to get past Peck on June 26th, a win could position himself within striking distance of current Canadian welterweight champion Garett Davis.
“It’s a fight at a time; I’m not going to look past Jayson but at the same time, if you don’t think you’re going to win every fight you’re in the wrong sport,” McKay noted. “Yes, I’d like to fight Garett Davis down the line; I’ll fight anybody.”
