CHICAGO – Jordan Newman admits he’s not a smiley guy.
Following his Bellator 297 submission win Friday over Matthew Perry (5-4 MMA, 0-1 BMMA) at Winstar Arena, Newman (6-0 MMA, 6-0 BMMA) roared and spit in celebration. There was no visible sense of elation, though intensity was aplenty.
That’s just who he is and how he operates, Newman explained afterward.
“I’m in here and I want to hurt somebody,” Newman told MMA Junkie and other reporters during a post-fight news conference. “I want to go home and see my bulldogs, see my family. I’m just here to prove to myself why I’m here and – this sounds bad – hurt people. I don’t know. I’ve got something inside of me, and it’s good to give it to someone else for a few minutes.”
While his inherently fired-up nature is undeniable, Newman said it may be amplified by his genetics. That, he can’t be blamed for.
“‘Big’ John (McCarthy) told me yesterday before the weigh-ins. He’s like, ‘Jordan, smile. You know you can smile, right?’ I’ve been told that since I was a little kid,” Newman said – then cracked a rare grin. “I don’t know. I think it’s just my face.”
Stone-cold killer demeanor aside, Newman is racking up win after win as he ascends up the Bellator middleweight hierarchy. Although he is yet to fight a fellow member of the promotion’s long-term roster, Newman appears ready to take a crack at some ranked talent next.
“Look at my record,” Newman said. “I’m 6-0. I think it’s time I start getting pushed up. You look at the rankings and who’s ahead of me, I think there’s some winnable fights. We’re going to see where that takes me. So far, my competition has been decent. I just want to keep getting better and better competition (and) keep improving myself, improving myself, improving myself – and to everybody else while I’m here.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator 297.
