Jai Herbert | Dolly Clew/Cage Warriors
Herbert looks to make his first title defense against UFC vet Cain Carrizosa on Saturday night in Birmingham.
One of Cage Warriors’ major selling points to athletes is the clear and proven path that they provide to the UFC. With 93 previous fighters from the European promotion receiving the call up to the world’s leading MMA organisation, that claim can’t be disputed. If you hold Cage Warriors gold and are able to fend off all challengers, the UFC will come calling. A fighter who many believe is extremely close to becoming number 94 is current lightweight champion, Jai Herbert.
Herbert (9-1) grew up on a rough council estate where he spent a lot of time on the streets during his teenage years. He could quite easily have made a series of negative choices and been led astray by the wrong crowd but he steered clear of these options before finding his way into a MMA gym. It was there that he could channel his energy in a positive way and give his life a real focus. Herbert doesn’t hide from the fact that the sport turned his life around and hopes that others who are currently in the position he was once in, can take inspiration from his story.
“I am thankful to MMA for keeping me focused and on a good path in life,” said Herbert. “It gave me direction in a time where I really needed it. I’m from a tough city and a tough area so the sport and my family have helped me massively. I am glad that I’m still on this journey but I’ve got a long way to go. Hopefully, I can pass on the knowledge which I’ve amassed over the years to the younger generation when I’m done with fighting myself.”
The 31-year-old from Wolverhampton, England made his professional MMA debut in 2015 and quickly moved up the ranks on the regional scene before making his Cage Warriors debut last year. Herbert is undefeated inside the promotion and earned himself a lightweight title shot within a year of donning the famous, yellow gloves. The man who is also known as ‘The Black Country Banger’ due to his striking heavy approach which has seen him finish 7 of his 9 victories due to strikes, faced Jack Grant for the vacant title at the Night of Champions event and arguably put on the best performance of the evening.
Herbert spent a lot of the first round trying to defend the takedown while attempting to land big shots on the feet. Although Grant was successful in getting Herbert to the ground and establishing top position, Herbert did an extremely good job at working back to his feet and gaining separation. As the fight wore on, Grant was becoming increasingly fatigued with all of the grappling exchanges and Herbert was punishing him on the feet at range. The stoppage came in the third round when Herbert got back to his feet after being taken down and landed a huge right hand which led to a standing TKO. Herbert was as impressed with his display as all of the fans were and noticed some important developments in his own game.
“My last fight where I won the title was a great performance,” stated Herbert. “I kept my composure really well and stayed disciplined. I didn’t get involved in a shootout with Grant as I knew he was a powerful guy. Also, I kept it at a long range and every time we hit the ground, I looked to get back to my feet. I didn’t want to spend too much time grappling with him as I knew he was dangerous in all positions on the ground. I learnt a lot from that fight. It brought my game on tenfold and I felt that my fight IQ was really good. I used strategy really well so I was delighted with myself to be honest.”
When Herbert was in the cage after the fight during his post-fight interview, he called for an international opponent for his first title defense which is exactly what the promotion gave him. He will face UFC veteran, Cain Carrizosa (11-3), in the headliner of Cage Warriors 109 at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England. The American was unsuccessful in his two UFC appearances against Chris Wade and Leonardo Mafra but is currently riding a five-fight winning streak, just like Herbert. ‘The Black Country Banger’ intends to halt Carrizosa’s momentum and make a big statement in-front of a partisan crowd.
“We wanted an ex-UFC fighter and an international name which is what we got,” discussed Herbert. “Carrizosa’s fought at the top level so I’m excited to test myself against him. I’m expecting him to come out and be crafty. I think he’ll be solid everywhere so I’ve got to be switched on in every situation and scenario. He’ll be looking to hit me on the counter I believe and he’ll be sound off of his back. I’m going to go in there, stay calm and be calculated. I believe the stoppage will come. I’m not predicting a round and I won’t force anything but I think I will get the finish quite early.”
Herbert trains out of Team Renegade in Birmingham, which is one of the fastest rising gyms in the country, and works alongside top-tier fighters including Leon Edwards, Fabian Edwards and Tom Breese to constantly develop his game. In fact, he is so highly thought of inside the gym that he was one of Leon Edwards’ main sparring partners when the top UFC welterweight was preparing to fight Donald Cerrone last summer. Being around such high level talent daily, it is no surprise that many are suggesting a win on Saturday night could provide Herbert with a UFC contract shortly thereafter. However, Herbert isn’t letting this talk distract him and says that his focus is 100% on Cain Carrizosa.
Top lightweight contender, Mason Jones, is coming off of a huge win in Wales at the last Cage Warriors event and made it clear that he believes he is next in line for the title shot. In fact, when Bloody Elbow spoke to him leading up to that show, he made it known that he believed he was the superior fighter to Herbert. Despite the high praise and plaudits that Jones has been receiving, Herbert isn’t buying into the hype and isn’t particularly interested in the match-up.
“The best person in the division is the one who has the title and that’s me,” explained Herbert. “There is no one else around in the continent at lightweight who is on my level and that’s why we’ve had to get an international opponent in. After this one, if I don’t get into the UFC, I’m looking for another international opponent who is at that top level because no one currently in the division can face up to my skills.”
Cage Warriors 109 can be viewed live on UFC Fight Pass at 9pm BST on Saturday night. Fans in the US can tune in to watch the card at 4pmET/3pmC.