A veteran of the second season of “The Ultimate Fighter" in 2005, Jardine spent the next five years of his life fighting in some of the biggest fights in the UFC light heavyweight division. Facing some of the toughest competition out there, he rocketed into the Top 10 and came close to a title shot a few times, but fell just short.
Following three straight losses, Jardine had his back against the wall when he faced Matt Hamill in June. He came close, but again felt the sting of defeat. It was after that loss that the UFC severed ties, at least temporarily, and he started looking for his next fight.
Jardine admits that getting the pink slip from the UFC was a hard pill to swallow, but it wasn't the end of the line for him in the Octagon, only a slight detour on his road back, and not just back to the UFC, back to the light heavyweight title.
"This is just step one for me, is the way I look at it," Jardine told MMAWeekly Radio. "This is step one on my way back to a UFC title. My career's not going to be complete until I fight for that UFC title. That's what this is all about for me. This is just step one, and when I get through this, and get onto step two."
The first task in front of Jardine is a main event fight against Trevor Prangley in the Sept. 11 Shark Fights pay-per-view. The pressure to win this fight to avoid five losses in a row, and falling further away from a UFC return, are things that don't concern Jardine. He knows if he goes in and does the job, there's no question a victory will follow.
"I've been around something like 13 or 14 fights in the UFC, most of them have been main event or co-main event, so I've seen the pressure before and this one really doesn't compare to some of the other fights," Jardine admitted. "Cause mentally I'm a lot stronger and in a better place right now. This is just all about the fight, I'm not worried about much else."
It's that journey to the fight that Jardine is focused on currently. Fixing his training was a major part of the path that led him to the fight against Prangley, and why he believes he will be a better fighter this time around.
It wasn't a problem with his team at Greg Jackson's in New Mexico. It was simply Jardine pushing himself too hard for his own good. Overtraining has become a common theme with many MMA fighters, and Jardine fell prey to it like so many before him have. Listening strictly to his coaches when it comes to his fight training, Jardine believes this is the best he's been in a long, long time.
He says the process to get ready for this fight has made him happy again, and that's ultimately what this sport is all about.
"If you're a fighter it's all about the process, not the outcome," Jardine said. "I never worry about the outcome, I'm just looking to get in a fight. I'm just looking to get into the deep rounds, and get to that point where you're throwing every punch from your soul, and that's what it's all about. See who has the bigger heart, and that's what I hope comes from this fight."
No one has ever questioned Jardine's heart in any fight, but he's tasking himself with the goal of getting back to the UFC. He's not blaming anyone or passing the buck. It's all on him, and he is ready to live up to the test.
"It's entirely up to me. My destiny's in my own hands," said Jardine. "The UFC wants me back there, I want to be back there. String a few wins together and I'll be back there."
Keith Jardine faces Trevor Prangley in the main event of Shark Fights this Saturday night in Texas, and live on pay-per-view.
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