Investment Return

Three of Bellator MMA’s acclaimed “Fab Five” prospects will compete at Bellator 201 on June 29 in Temecula, California. Much of the attention surrounding the event figures to go to the performances of Ed Ruth, Tyrell Fortune and Joey Davis. However, another less-heralded prospect who continues to fly under the radar may prove to be the best of the bunch: American Top Team’s Jordan Young.

A rising star with an 8-0 record and six submission wins to his credit, Young perhaps deserves the same level of publicity fighters like A.J. McKee and James Gallagher have received.

“What they have that I don’t have is that they are fighting on [televised main cards] and I’m still on the prelims,” he told Sherdog.com.

Despite the promotion choosing to highlight McKee and Gallagher in different ways, Young remains content with Bellator. He understands that McKee and Gallagher have put in more time with the company. Plus, Young recently agreed to a new contract with the organization that afforded him some financial stability.

“Things are definitely better,” he said. “I was able to get a townhouse and get ahead on rent.”

Young would prefer to compete on television, if only to reward the promotion’s belief in him.

“I think it’s more in their interest to get me on the main card,” he said, “because they need to make [a] return on that investment. The faster they let me get in front of [a larger audience], the faster that investment will [pay off].”

While once again relegated to the prelims at Bellator 201, Young plans to show that the organization’s confidence in him was well-founded and aims to do so at the expense of Jamal Pogues. While he views Pogues as a “solid fighter” with “good wrestling,” Young seems unconcerned with the Joe Stevenson protégé’s overall skills.

“I think I’m just an all-around better fighter,” he said. “He’s not really a known fighter yet, so it’s a risk to fight somebody that doesn’t have a name.”

Young has competed at 187-, 195- and 200-pound catchweights in his three Bellator appearances. He has no outward anxiety about making his light heavyweight debut. Young views the move to 205 pounds as part of a natural progression as he fills out his 6-foot-4 frame. The undefeated 23-year-old appears to already have an awareness of his growing value in the sport, and it keeps him locked in ahead of a fight in which he figures to be a sizeable favorite. With that said, if Young happens to move to 9-0 against Pogues, do not expect him to use the post-fight mic as leverage.

“I don’t really like calling people out,” he said.

Young plans to spend time in California after his appearance at Bellator 201. Perhaps he can ponder his future with his bosses. “Maybe I’ll drop into the Bellator headquarters, and we’ll have that conversation,” he said. Even though the industry has entered into a period where it rewards bravado more and more, manufacturing rivalries does not interest Young. “I don’t involve myself with that type of energy, unless it’s [a legitimate dislike],” he said. “Some of these guys sell this big drama show, and that’s not what I’m doing. If you see me involved in some drama, know that it’s real and authentic.”

Young competed three times last year but has yet to appear in 2018. He hopes to fight at least twice this year and would be open to a third bout on short notice if the stars were to align. Young enters his latest assignment “happy with” his contract and the knowledge that he has made fighting a “real” career. He credits Bellator for his newfound stability: “They invested in me and they showed me they believe in me with this new contract.”