F Jason Strout, a man he considers his mentor, his brother, his friend. Jason has multiple world champions under him: Bellator light heavyweight champion Liam Mcgeary, bantamweight champion Marcos Galvao and UFC fighter Philippe Nover. He does his grappling at Renzo Gracie BJJ Academy in midtown Manhattan under John Danaher. His strength training is done with Chris Carlsen at Iron Lion Performance in Astoria. “I cross train MMA with fighters of different styles all over New York,” explains Gordon, “amateurs and pros alike. Anything can happen in a fight, so if I’m going against a fighter who is stronger in one art than I am, I will focus a lot of my attention on that art to fill holes. That’s why fighting is so amazing: you need to learn to adapt against different styles, which is extremely challenging. It’s like a puzzle or riddle that you have to figure out. I prepare my best against each opponent and when it comes fight night it’s time to see if it’s all going to work out.” Fans of combat sports might appreciate the draw of the electricity in the air, the sounds, the tension, the strategy and skill, but it always stops right there at the door to the cage. Only those who seek to embrace the pain, who endure the sacrifices and who live in the exhaustion can truly understand the motivation. “When they raised my hand after my first amateur fight,” recalls Gordon, “I knew right then that this was where I was supposed to be. The glory and high was better than any feeling I have ever felt. Most people in this world will never know that feeling. Any fighter that says he’s not nervous or scared before getting in that cage is lying or something is terribly wrong with him. I have butterflies in my stomach and I’m very antsy before I get in there. I feel like I have to piss a thousand times before the fight happens. Pure adrenaline. As I walk out I see fans, friends and family, and the people booing against me. As I step into that cage with the bright lights shining down on me, the audience is kind of a blur. Cameras are in my face, and athletic commission staff surrounds me. I can smell everything so distinctly, my senses heighten so much. And it’s as if I’m at home. Nothing feels as natural as being in there, the canvas under my feet, the smell of the leather of my gloves and the Vaseline on my face. Heart racing like crazy. And across the cage is my opponent who just prepared for weeks and months to try and kill me. Many men have died in rings and cages fighting. When you sign the dotted line you sign up for war.” Above all, the athlete must have an undying love for the sport. A sincere respect for its practice, continuity, and an understanding of the responsibility that comes with the opportunities it brings. “I love fighting, plain and simple,” says Gordon. “When you’re deep in the rounds bleeding, sucking air and swallowing your own blood, I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. I know I’m very good at it and I’m making a living out of it. My biggest fear is being mediocre. But at the end of the day I want to help people, especially young kids and addicts. When I make a name for myself, I will have a platform and I can make a difference in the world. I would help anyone in any way I could as long as it’s positive.” And help he does, every moment he is not immersed in his own training, Jared spends coaching and teaching clients, students and other fighters. His free time is often spent supporting the career pursuits of his fellow fighters. “I love teaching and coaching. Martial arts are what I love to do. So teaching and doing private lessons isn’t work for me. Coaching fighters allows me to grow as a fighter. You experience mistakes from a different perspective and you learn from it. When my coach corrects something that I cannot visualize, and I see my students make the same mistake, it all clicks. All of this makes me better as a martial artist. I’m a martial artist before I am fighter. A fighter only fights for so long. Martial arts is a lifestyle. It is forever.” Saturday, July 9, at The 2300 Arena in Philadelphia Jared “Flash” Gordon will be making his return to the cage, fighting for the featherweight (145 lb.) belt of Cage Fury Fighting Championship, the biggest regional promotion in the country. For more information or to purchase tickets, consult 2300arena. com or cffc.tv. JUNE 2016 I BOROMAG.COM I 7
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