Dave Jansen was riding high. He was the Bellator Season 7 lightweight tournament champion and preparing for his title fight against then champion Michael Chandler.
Amongst the crowded Bellator lightweight division, Jansen had a chance to be the man on top. Then, he tore his ACL and pulled out of the title fight. 18 months later, he returns as something of a forgotten man.
He acknowledges, “I’m under the radar screen. I feel it. It doesn’t concern me though. I don’t need to be a household name.”
While some take injury layoffs as a time to get healthy and re-energize, Jansen’s experience was a little more of a rollercoaster. Dealing with the stress and rehab of the injury was difficult enough, but when other external issues popped as well it pushed him into what he describes as a “dark period.”
“The ‘dark period’ was just because this sport can be extreme highs and extreme lows. And that was a low. I was bedridden and coming off surgery … it was tough. I had some disputes with people at the gym, and ultimately I ended up leaving the gym I was at.”
Eventually, Jansen was able to wade his way through the challenges and come out the other side.
“I kind of started my own thing and you really figure out who your friends are when something like that happens. So I left Sports Lab and they kind of re-branded things. And I’m totally happy with the way Rose City FC is going. Guys like Mike Pierce, Tyson Nam, Pat Healy and Ian Loveland are all there now, who used to be at Sports Lab.”
During his extended time off, he honed in on his strengths at his new gym, aiming to become an even more dangerous grappler than he was before the injury.
“I’ve always been good with guillotines, anacondas and D’arce chokes, and now I’ve been working on some Japanese neckties. From the front headlock, if my opponent defends then I can grab a kimura grip and transition to armbars. Just kind of put that lock flow together; maybe more of a catch-wrestling style.”
Although he may be the forgotten man in the division, his return fight is no tune up. Jansen takes on former #1 contender in two weight classes, Rick Hawn, Friday night at Bellator 130. He understands the perception out there and thinks people are underestimating him going into the bout.
“It’s kind of crazy … it’s weird to think that I’m such an underdog in this fight, and how many people are so sure that Rick Hawn is going to beat me. I’ve had a year to do nothing but work on things and revamp my style.”
Jansen is aware of the magnitude of his fight on Saturday and the impact it can have on his career. Against Hawn, he vows to do everything in his power to ensure people remember his name.
“It’s a huge fight, and I feel like I’m at a great point in my career. I don’t really care one way or another, but I think the fans will take notice in this fight, especially after I finish Rick Hawn within 15 minutes.”