Jason MacDonald is a man with something to prove. Many people believe that his rise to the UFC has been meteoric and under-rate him both as a fighter and a serious contender for Rich Franklin. This hasn’t been helped by the statement of Franklin that he will knock Jason out in the first round.

“In almost thirty fights I’ve never been knocked out so it’s like every fight I go into my opponents are threatening to knock me out. Obviously that hasn’t happened and Rich’s predicting to knock me out in the first round and if that happens that happens. Everybody wants to knock me out.”

Being on everyone’s hit list can’t be much fun, especially as there’s nowhere to run in the Octagon. Like Tim Sylvia, it seems that fans and ‘experts’ alike aren’t giving Jason his due as a fighter and Jason agrees, "I’m not an unknown and I’ve had a number of wins over MMA veterans but it is certainly amazing to be sitting where I am today as it means that I’m living my dream. I’m going to fight my arse off so that I continue to live the dream and do everything in my power to stay in the UFC!”

Dana White was also quick to come to Jason’s defence with regard to his ‘quick rise to fame’ saying, “We’ve had our eye on Jason for some time, Jason was nearly in Ultimate Fighter season one. To get so close and to not get in and then to see how successful it was but to keep training shows what type of guy he is.”

Whenever someone steps into the Octagon there is a reason for them doing it, a motivation beyond just liking to fight and Jason agrees, “I can’t speak for Rich but I’m sure that like all fighters he’s a competitor and will want to continue through the UFC so I’m sure he’s motivated to get back in there and back on the winning track.” Having actually spoken for Rich, he went on to explain why he’s entering the Octagon, “I’m motivated to get back in there and continue my winning streak and stay with the UFC.”

Surely there’s more to it than that Jason? With a bit of digging the truth comes out, “I’ve made too many sacrifices to get where I am and I’m not going to let it go!”

It is clear that Jason is amused, bemused and slightly annoyed by the constant assertions that he’s a stepping stone and this has been demonstrated by him stating that he wasn’t a stepping stone for anyone after winning his last two fights.  Does he think he’s being used as a stepping stone for Rich’s come back?

“I like to think I’ve proved myself that I’m not a push over for anyone. I really don’t think that the UFC, Dana and the guys see me as stepping stone for Rich. I proved myself against Ed Herman and Chris Leben. I don’t see this fight as a stepping stone for Rich,  I see it as a great match up with two separate fighters with two complete different motives. I want to further my career in the UFC and Rich is trying to get back on track." 

Finally we move on to Jason’s skills on the ground and whether he thinks that this might prove to be an advantage, “I’m not fooling myself that Rich isn’t well prepared to fight on the ground, I think that I have the ability to capitalise on mistakes. I don’t train to be a JJ fighter and that’s never my claim to fame. I like to push the pace fast and hard and I like to make my opponent make a mistake.”