Veteran mixed martial artist Jeremy "Ponyboy" Pender (17-14), hailing from the United States, boasts 31 professional bouts under his belt. The bantamweight champion is set to defend his belt against Canadian contender Terry "Good Time" Lemaire (5-2) in the headline bout of B2 Fighting Series 125 on Saturday evening in Dayton, Ohio.
The 34-year-old last stepped inside the octagon during a stunning submission triumph against James Porter at Colosseum Combat 51 in 2019.
During his extended layoff, Pender has dedicated himself to sharpening his craft and expressed enthusiasm about returning to competition and demonstrating those improvements on fight night.
"Honestly, regarding my skill development and career overall, I genuinely believe COVID was a blessing in disguise," Pender told MMA Empire in an interview. "I had the chance to step back and focus on learning and getting better. I truly enjoy fighting—it's always a challenge."
"The hardest part is finding the discipline to prepare properly. At the regional level, things don't happen as frequently, and there aren't many big names or marquee matchups. It takes more effort to get hyped for those cards. Recently, though, I've discovered the discipline to really concentrate and train like every single bout is the most significant one I've ever had."
Pender's recent form has been impressive, stringing together three consecutive victories via submission along the way, securing both the Colosseum Combat and HRMMA bantamweight championships in the process.
The freshly minted B2 Fighting Series bantamweight championship is now on the line in this upcoming matchup, and Pender is eager to enjoy himself while handing Lemaire a loss.
"I believe I perform at a higher level across every single aspect of MMA, and hopefully he shows up as a completely different fighter, otherwise I don't think this will be particularly competitive," Pender remarked.
Pender will surely walk to the cage surrounded by supporters on Saturday night, yet he's long held the belief that once the cage door secures shut, the crowd's presence becomes irrelevant.
His sole focus remains on securing his fourth consecutive victory—nothing more, nothing less.
"I've competed in front of numerous different crowds many times, and it truly makes no difference," Pender stated.
"I spent the first half of my career traveling to other people's cities and dominating opponents, so I know exactly how Terry will feel. But for this particular event, it's much closer to my hometown. It's going to be my night, everyone will be cheering for me, this is my show."
Pender anticipates Lemaire will follow a similar approach to most of his previous opponents, and while he admits he'd welcome a straight-up kickboxing bout, he expects Lemaire to be the one to attempt a grappling exchange first.
"That's typically everyone's game plan—they come in wanting to strike," Pender explained.
"I don't usually get submissions because I don't pull guard or chase takedowns. I find submissions when I've damaged someone or caught them off-guard standing. They're often already hurt by the time we hit the mat. I think Terry will be quite surprised when he attempts to stand with me and things don't go the way he envisions. I expect within the first three minutes he'll try to push me against the fence, hunt for takedowns, and hold on. I'd say he gets hurt and shifts to trying to make it a grappling match, and that's where I'll catch him."
At 34, time may be running out for Pender if he hopes to earn a shot at the premier stage.
Pender admitted there came a point when he stopped believing he'd ever get a UFC opportunity, but his recent winning streak and peak physical condition have rekindled that ambition.
"For a couple years I tried to make peace with never getting a shot, with the idea that I'd never fight in the UFC. But the last few fights, and especially this camp, my body is transforming. I'm in the best shape of my entire life," Pender shared.
"I've figured out how to train without destroying my body, and it's produced massive results. I'm not looking past any fights right now, but I truly believe after this camp that I can absolutely compete and win in the UFC."
Pender's Shoutouts
"Training partners, coaches and family at Vision MMA and Fitness, and all my sponsors." Follow Pender on social media: INSTAGRAM
