In a rare milestone for Jesse Boldt's career, the fighter will finally get to headline a card in his hometown.
Boldt (2-2), a native of Saskatoon, will host Grande Prairie's Randy Mahon (4-4) in the main event of Modern FC 3 on Friday night. The lightweight matchup takes place in Saskatoon, SK.
Boldt, 30, says competing in the main event on home soil has been a major source of motivation throughout his training camp.
"It's really kind of fuelled the fire and made sure I'm extremely prepared to put on a good show and get the W," Boldt said during a recent interview.
"It's been kind of cool just having that in the back of my mind and has given me the little extra added push in my training sessions."
Though Boldt hasn't fought in over three and a half years, he never paused his preparation.
The fighter explained he doesn't feel compelled to compete multiple times per year, but he still trains daily and steps into the octagon whenever the urge strikes.
"I'm one of those guys that's always at the gym year-round; I don't take time off. But every now and then I'll get an itch to fight and if I feel like testing myself and getting back in there, which is right now," Boldt said.
"There was no real big reason why I took the time off. I was definitely in the grind, but just wasn't competing."
Pumped by his dedication to MMA and training, Boldt made a major life shift slightly more than a year ago.
He sold his home and moved into a van that he now calls home, giving him maximum flexibility to train at the gym.
"I owned a house for nine years and ended up just really falling in love with training at Modern Martial Arts and teaching, so I just wanted more of it," Boldt said.
"I sold everything I owned, moved into a van, and here we are getting ready for a fight."
Cage Time in Mahon's Favour
While Boldt sat on the bench, Mahon, 34, stayed busy with seven fights in that same window.
Mahon believes his in-ring activity compared to Boldt's absence will be a decisive element on fight night.
"There's a difference when you're inside there that you just don't get unless you are inside there," Mahon said during an interview.
"I definitely think I'm going to have the edge just dealing with the pressure, and the stress your body feels being in there."
Over the course of his career, Mahon has proven he can finish bouts both on the ground and standing, recording one strike finish and three submission wins.
While he initially competed as a stand-up fighter, Mahon now views his grappling as his strongest attribute—and the area where he expects to gain the upper hand against Boldt.
"Even though I came into this sport as a striker, I had to adapt and kind of went all in on grappling the last four years," Mahon said.
"I think that grinding, dirty boxing, wrestling-style fight will be where I have the advantage for sure."
As the main event fighter, Mahon is looking for redemption following his previous headlining appearance.
Mahon previously faced Tom O'Connor in the main event of XFFC 16, a bout he lost via submission in just 44 seconds.
Now preparing for his second career main event, Mahon welcomes the chance to prove he can deliver when the stakes are highest.
"It definitely feels good considering the last time I was in a main event I completely choked and shut down," Mahon said.
"It's a little bit of redemption for me to show I can perform under that pressure where in the past I've failed."
Boldt's Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank my coaches Kurt Southern, Adam Lorenz, Tyson Steele, and Duane Peters. I'd also like to say a big thank you to all my sponsors." Follow Boldt on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
Mahon's Shoutouts
"I definitely want to thank family, teammates, coaches, and everyone who stayed behind me after the injury I sustained." Follow Mahon on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
