Though he’s tiptoed into contention, Myles Jury can make loud bang to kick off the New Year

One of the quieter contenders to emerge in 2014 was Myles Jury — an undefeated lightweight who does most of his talking in the Octagon. Heading into UFC 182, Jury is on the cusp of inserting himself into The Conversation. Should he beat the perennial contender Donald Cerrone, one of the most prolific ass-kickers in the game, he’ll no longer be just a blip on the radar. Should he beat Cerrone, Jury will have fully arrived.

Consider his resume. The man who has a nickname of “Fury” (because it rhymes with Jury, see) has stacked a neat row of casualties through six fights in the UFC, including victories over Michael Johnson, Diego Sanchez and, most recently, “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi. At 26 years old, Jury is still getting better.

But Cerrone is his toughest fight to date. “Cowboy” is the gauge. “Cowboy” is the showdown at high noon. When Jury meets him at UFC 182 on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas, the verdict will come back — either Jury will join the crème de la crème in 2015, or he’ll be brushing himself off after his first loss.

This is what’s known as a “pivotal” fight.

And here’s a little holiday conversation with Jury, as he gets set to compete in the biggest fight of his life.

*

You’re going up against Donald Cerrone, who had a great 2014. Do you feel like this is your toughest fight to date? And what do you have to look out for against him?

Just like any career in the UFC, the fights seem to always get tougher regardless of the fighter. It’s the nature of the business — and the business model — to see who the best in the world is. I know that Cerrone is my toughest fight to date. I feel he can be a dangerous opponent for anyone. He’s had a more impressive year than any other fighter on the roster, so as of right now, Cerrone is hands down the best lightweight fighter and the toughest test for me over anyone, including Anthony Pettis.

I’ve been getting better and better since I was 12 years old, and 14 years later, things keep getting better and better each and every day. So I’m doing everything possible and am 100 percent confident I can — and will — beat Cerrone to get one step closer to the title, and prove I’m the best in the world. Not only in the Octagon, but outside the Octagon as well, where most fighters lack. What do I have to look out for? It’s mixed martial arts, so anything can happen…I just need to worry about what I’m going to do to him and my reactions to everything he does.

The end of the year card is traditionally a big one (even as this one occurs at the beginning of the year) — what’s it like for you to fight in a co-main event on such a big PPV alongside Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones?

I plan to start the year off by being another step closer to concurring my goals and dreams. Not everything is about just the fight, it’s more about what you do leading up to your fights and what you do after your fights. But yeah, it started as a goal to get into the UFC, then it was getting on the TV prelims, then it was the PPV main card. Somehow I fought during the morning (U.S. time) in Japan on Fight Pass, and now getting my goal of a pay-per-view co-main event.

I’m doing everything in my power to make the most of it and then move towards getting a main event slot.

It feels like you’ve had a pretty quiet ascent in the lightweight division. Do you feel like Cerrone will be the one to cross you over into the “elite” class perception-wise?

Because I’m not one to sell my soul by acting a fool to make more money? I’m not a sideshow, I’m Myles Jury. I only worry about being myself, what my team and I are doing, and where we’re going. All of my talking is done with results. If anyone wants to think I’m not “elite” because I don’t try to intimidate, trash talk, look down on people, be a UFC trashy mascot — or anything of the such like a lot of fools do — that’s fine. They can think that and it really doesn’t bother me a bit. I usually only click with respectful people anyway. I’ll just continue to take the high road and let my results speak for themselves.

Does the undefeated record carry with it additional pressure?
Day to day and going into a fight, it’s really not something I think about. I go into every fight as a “must win situation,” where I’ll do anything and everything to pull out the W. The only time I even realize what my record stands at is when people bring it up, or when I see it mentioned by UFC or the media. It’s cool, but I don’t worry about things like that because at the end of the day, all that matters is success, learning, education, my dreams, my goals and where I’m going in the future.

I know that Jake Shields called his brand of jiu-jitsu “American jiu-jitsu,” because he combined wrestling’s aggression with traditional techniques. Describe “Jury Jiu-Jitsu.”

I think his is a style of jiu-jitsu. My style is an always-evolving system for MMA, that blends every martial art that I feel is the most dominate that I’ve learned over the last 14 years. Not only am I a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Caique and Don Richard, but I’ve been traveling the world training every form of striking on the feet, striking on the ground, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, all of it. So these techniques all blend together to be JJJ. They all feed each to tailor to the new era style of MMA, making this style dominant no matter where the fight goes, and unorthodox enough that opponents never know what to expect.

The jiu-jitsu in Jury Jiu Jitsu comes from jiu-jitsu being my first love in martial arts. The overall system is great outlet for anyone whether they aspire to be an elite fighter or just looking for something to bring them a better lifestyle. When I first got started, I had nothing going for me and was sleeping on couches and cleaning gyms to get by. But I was never down, because I had training as an outlet to bring me a better life — not only in the gym, but outside the gym, which is another reason why I stay humble and don’t act a fool.

Speaking of previous occupations, is it true that you used to work at the Detroit zoo? What did you do there?

Yeah, I worked at the Detroit Zoo and damn proud of it. I was young, hungry and didn’t have any money, so it was a no brainer to work there – especially since I love animals anyway. Aside from having fun every day, I wasn’t anything special because I was so young. I was just a grunt worker that helped wherever they needed me or whatever duties that needed to be done that came up. I really enjoyed it, and it was just something to get enough money to have food and basics, while training full time.

Eventually I had to move on and dive 100% into my MMA career. That’s a whole other story, because after training with Jeremy Stephens and a bunch of elite guys in San Diego [at Alliance], I literally packed up and drove to San Diego with just enough money for gas to get me there. I had to even sell some clothes to get gas money. Once I was there I just trained people and whatever I could to get by all the way until I got into TUF Live. Luckily I got a Fight of the Season bonus. So, once I was out of TUF Live and began my UFC career, I was able to put those hard days behind me.

What do you think of the UFC’s lightweight division right now?

Feels like it’s as talent-rich as ever, with Pettis at the top and Khabib Nurmagomedov coming back, Rafael dos Anjos, Cerrone, Gilbert Melendez, et al. There are a lot of great fighters in the division for sure. Cerrone, Pettis, RDA, Khabib — and so many more that aren’t even ranked — are all monsters. I would say this is the most stacked the division ever has been, but that excites me because I would hate to be in a division that only has a couple key fights.

I’ve never really got ahead of myself, so I don’t worry about that stuff. I’ll go to work and think about whichever fighter is in front of me when they’re who I’m matched up with. Until then, I don’t even watch their fights until I’m matched up and forced to study them. I focus my time in areas that interest me a lot more, like my investments and financial education with partner, Robert Kiyosaki of RichDad.com.

When you fight Cerrone, you’ll be closing in on seven years competing as a pro fighter. What do you remember about your first pro fight against Brad Johnson at MFL in Feb. 2008?

That I was young, had a lot to learn but would do anything at all cost to do what it takes to get to UFC and then UFC champion. There was literally nothing else to it and I looked at it as one step closer which is the same thought process I’ve had in every fight.

One of the quieter contenders to emerge in 2014 was Myles Jury — an undefeated lightweight who does most of his talking in the Octagon. Heading into UFC 182, Jury is on the cusp of inserting himself into The Conversation. Should he beat the perennial contender Donald Cerrone, one of the most prolific ass-kickers in the game, he’ll no longer be just a blip on the radar. Should he beat Cerrone, Jury will have fully arrived.

Consider his resume. The man who has a nickname of “Fury” (because it rhymes with Jury, see) has stacked a neat row of casualties through six fights in the UFC, including victories over Michael Johnson, Diego Sanchez and, most recently, “The Fireball Kid” Takanori Gomi. At 26 years old, Jury is still getting better.

But Cerrone is his toughest fight to date. “Cowboy” is the gauge. “Cowboy” is the showdown at high noon. When Jury meets him at UFC 182 on Jan. 3 in Las Vegas, the verdict will come back — either Jury will join the crème de la crème in 2015, or he’ll be brushing himself off after his first loss.

This is what’s known as a “pivotal” fight.

And here’s a little holiday conversation with Jury, as he gets set to compete in the biggest fight of his life.

*

You’re going up against Donald Cerrone, who had a great 2014. Do you feel like this is your toughest fight to date? And what do you have to look out for against him?

Just like any career in the UFC, the fights seem to always get tougher regardless of the fighter. It’s the nature of the business — and the business model — to see who the best in the world is. I know that Cerrone is my toughest fight to date. I feel he can be a dangerous opponent for anyone. He’s had a more impressive year than any other fighter on the roster, so as of right now, Cerrone is hands down the best lightweight fighter and the toughest test for me over anyone, including Anthony Pettis.

I’ve been getting better and better since I was 12 years old, and 14 years later, things keep getting better and better each and every day. So I’m doing everything possible and am 100 percent confident I can — and will — beat Cerrone to get one step closer to the title, and prove I’m the best in the world. Not only in the Octagon, but outside the Octagon as well, where most fighters lack. What do I have to look out for? It’s mixed martial arts, so anything can happen…I just need to worry about what I’m going to do to him and my reactions to everything he does.

The end of the year card is traditionally a big one (even as this one occurs at the beginning of the year) — what’s it like for you to fight in a co-main event on such a big PPV alongside Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones?

I plan to start the year off by being another step closer to concurring my goals and dreams. Not everything is about just the fight, it’s more about what you do leading up to your fights and what you do after your fights. But yeah, it started as a goal to get into the UFC, then it was getting on the TV prelims, then it was the PPV main card. Somehow I fought during the morning (U.S. time) in Japan on Fight Pass, and now getting my goal of a pay-per-view co-main event.

I’m doing everything in my power to make the most of it and then move towards getting a main event slot.

It feels like you’ve had a pretty quiet ascent in the lightweight division. Do you feel like Cerrone will be the one to cross you over into the “elite” class perception-wise?

Because I’m not one to sell my soul by acting a fool to make more money? I’m not a sideshow, I’m Myles Jury. I only worry about being myself, what my team and I are doing, and where we’re going. All of my talking is done with results. If anyone wants to think I’m not “elite” because I don’t try to intimidate, trash talk, look down on people, be a UFC trashy mascot — or anything of the such like a lot of fools do — that’s fine. They can think that and it really doesn’t bother me a bit. I usually only click with respectful people anyway. I’ll just continue to take the high road and let my results speak for themselves.??Does the undefeated record carry with it additional pressure?
Day to day and going into a fight, it’s really not something I think about. I go into every fight as a “must win situation,” where I’ll do anything and everything to pull out the W. The only time I even realize what my record stands at is when people bring it up, or when I see it mentioned by UFC or the media. It’s cool, but I don’t worry about things like that because at the end of the day, all that matters is success, learning, education, my dreams, my goals and where I’m going in the future.

I know that Jake Shields called his brand of jiu-jitsu “American jiu-jitsu,” because he combined wrestling’s aggression with traditional techniques. Describe “Jury Jiu-Jitsu.”

I think his is a style of jiu-jitsu. My style is an always-evolving system for MMA, that blends every martial art that I feel is the most dominate that I’ve learned over the last 14 years. Not only am I a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Caique and Don Richard, but I’ve been traveling the world training every form of striking on the feet, striking on the ground, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, all of it. So these techniques all blend together to be JJJ. They all feed each to tailor to the new era style of MMA, making this style dominant no matter where the fight goes, and unorthodox enough that opponents never know what to expect.

The jiu-jitsu in Jury Jiu Jitsu comes from jiu-jitsu being my first love in martial arts. The overall system is great outlet for anyone whether they aspire to be an elite fighter or just looking for something to bring them a better lifestyle. When I first got started, I had nothing going for me and was sleeping on couches and cleaning gyms to get by. But I was never down, because I had training as an outlet to bring me a better life — not only in the gym, but outside the gym, which is another reason why I stay humble and don’t act a fool.

Speaking of previous occupations, is it true that you used to work at the Detroit zoo? What did you do there?

Yeah, I worked at the Detroit Zoo and damn proud of it. I was young, hungry and didn’t have any money, so it was a no brainer to work there – especially since I love animals anyway. Aside from having fun every day, I wasn’t anything special because I was so young. I was just a grunt worker that helped wherever they needed me or whatever duties that needed to be done that came up. I really enjoyed it, and it was just something to get enough money to have food and basics, while training full time.

Eventually I had to move on and dive 100% into my MMA career. That’s a whole other story, because after training with Jeremy Stephens and a bunch of elite guys in San Diego [at Alliance], I literally packed up and drove to San Diego with just enough money for gas to get me there. I had to even sell some clothes to get gas money. Once I was there I just trained people and whatever I could to get by all the way until I got into TUF Live. Luckily I got a Fight of the Season bonus. So, once I was out of TUF Live and began my UFC career, I was able to put those hard days behind me.

What do you think of the UFC’s lightweight division right now?

Feels like it’s as talent-rich as ever, with Pettis at the top and Khabib Nurmagomedov coming back, Rafael dos Anjos, Cerrone, Gilbert Melendez, et al. There are a lot of great fighters in the division for sure. Cerrone, Pettis, RDA, Khabib — and so many more that aren’t even ranked — are all monsters. I would say this is the most stacked the division ever has been, but that excites me because I would hate to be in a division that only has a couple key fights.

I’ve never really got ahead of myself, so I don’t worry about that stuff. I’ll go to work and think about whichever fighter is in front of me when they’re who I’m matched up with. Until then, I don’t even watch their fights until I’m matched up and forced to study them. I focus my time in areas that interest me a lot more, like my investments and financial education with partner, Robert Kiyosaki of RichDad.com.

When you fight Cerrone, you’ll be closing in on seven years competing as a pro fighter. What do you remember about your first pro fight against Brad Johnson at MFL in Feb. 2008?

That I was young, had a lot to learn but would do anything at all cost to do what it takes to get to UFC and then UFC champion. There was literally nothing else to it and I looked at it as one step closer which is the same thought process I’ve had in every fight.