11/09/2024
๐๐๐ง๐ฃ๐๐ฎ ๐ค๐ฃ '๐๐๐ 60' ๐ฉ๐๐ฉ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ๐ฉ ๐๐๐ง๐ง๐: "๐๐'๐จ ๐๐ค๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฉ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐จ๐ค ๐๐ข ๐."
Winning a Toughman contest and his first mixed martial arts title, both in the space of six months and all before graduating from his teenage years, felt like almost heaven to Jordan Varney of Ravenswood, West Virginia.
Next, Varney (2-0) will try to add New England Fights heavy metal to his growing trophy case. Heโs set to square off with Jake Ferri (3-0) for the NEF amateur flyweight title tonight, Saturday, November 9.
โWhen I won my first title fight, I worked really hard for that. When I had my hand raised, it felt like all my work had paid off,โ Varney said in a recent interview with Maddox Brown of New England MMA News. โIt was a huge milestone for me. I had so many people in my corner and so many people helping me out and supporting me. It felt good to let those people that have a strong belief system in me know that they can count on me to get the job done and not slack out there.โ
The bout is a key component of โNEF 60: Open Season,โ which is scheduled for the open arena at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. Doors open at 5 p.m., with an opening bell time of 6 p.m.
A high school and college wrestler, Varney, 19, caught a break when he met Mike Sheppard between bouts at the two-night Toughman, a decades-old genre that has produced the likes of actor and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) hall of famer Mr. T and 1990s boxing personality Eric โButterbeanโ Esch.
Sheppard, a nine-time world champion kickboxer who also slugged it out against boxing world titleholders Antonio Tarver and James Toney, runs Dawghouse Gym.
โI won that in February. From then on, I continued to train and continued to fight, and I knew I could do something with it. Thatโs what grew my love for the sport,โ Varney said. โAfter the first Toughman fight, (Sheppard) came up to me and invited me to come out and everything. He gave me some pointers on what to do the next night. Iโd heard of that gym before, but thatโs when I knew Iโd be welcome there.โ
Combat sports have been an ever-present inspiration for as long as Varney can remember. Theyโre even more of a labor of love since the untimely death of a close friend.
โI had a buddy of mine who passed away a few years ago. Weโd always just box each other, roll around, jiu-jitsu and everything,โ Varney said. โHe taught me wrestling, really just gave me a love for the sport. When he passed away, it just made me want to continue to do it more and more and more.โ
Varneyโs connection to Maine is none other than NEF mainstay Matt Denning, who also will fight on the pro segment of the Bangor card against Nathaniel Grimard.
Denning moved from Maine to West Virginia less than a year ago to further his new career path of flipping houses. Varney walked through the doors at Dawghouse not long after and found himself a prolific, experienced training partner.
โMatt and I have been working every day for months, ever since I met him and started training,โ Varney said. โThere are some professional boxers at my gym, kickboxers, MMA guys. We spar. We roll. We do it all. Thereโs a lot of young guys I work with that are talented. Those guys are a big help, too. Theyโre all super young, but theyโre all good.โ
Ferri also comes from a wrestling background, and Varney wonโt even try to dispute that the resume and pedigree are stronger with his opponent out of New Hampshireโs Karasu Tengu Academy.
Among more than 300 wins Ferri celebrated on the mat in his scholastic career include two NCAA Division I Championship appearances while representing Kent State (Ohio) University.
โHeโs good at wrestling. So am I. I wrestled Division II for a couple of semesters,โ Varney said. โThatโs nothing compared to what heโs done, but I have a good wrestling background as well. My striking is on point. Iโm really not too worried about anything. Iโm comfortable wherever the fight goes.โ
That said, Varney makes no bones about his goal to keep the fight standing up for as long as it persists.
โUsing my range, my length, and keeping him out of the pocket is definitely what I need to do, and my shot defense,โ Varney said. โIโm sure heโs going to want to wrestle. Iโm going to want to use my length, and heโs going to want to get in close and try to wrestle.โ
Height and reach are columns that go comfortably to Varney, who lived up to his nickname, โThe Show,โ with a stoppage via strikes against Nathan Gill in the third round of his June MMA debut.
โI want to try to use my advantages. I think that will be my main thingto do is not let him get it on the ground,โ Varney said. โHeโs a good wrestler, and if I can defend the takedown, I donโt want to go on the ground with him. If it happens, it happens. I know I can hold my own. I just need to use my advantages and try and catch him on something.โ
Varney stayed unbeaten in August with a second-round technical stoppage at the expense of Preston Starcher.
Both those bouts took place down in Mountaineer country. Heโll be a few hours north of Ferriโs backyard in New England for this title tilt.
โIโve watched him fight a couple times, seen video of him. Iโm excited about it,โ Varney said. โItโs definitely going to be my best fight yet. I think itโs going to be a great fight. Heโs a great competitor.โ
Ferri fashioned his three wins by KO or TKO, including Nathan Wright and Rudy Lopez in less than a minute.
โIโm definitely going to have to push my limits more than I have. I havenโt really had good competition down here in West Virginia, but I have gotten to showcase some of my skills,โ Varney said. โIโm ready for this. Iโve trained harder than I have for any other fight. Iโm all-around just really excited. Itโs going to be a great fight. Heโs going to bring it to the cage, and so am I.โ
Varney canโt say if he detects any weaknesses in Ferri, who floored Matt Sousa at 15 seconds of the second round in his other scintillating win.
โI donโt really know. I donโt have enough to go off,โ Varney said. โHe looks like a sharp fighter, looks really good. I took the fight I knew was going to be a tough fight and a good opponent.โ
Like many folks paying their first visit to Vacationland, Varney hopes it wonโt be a one-and-done experience.
If he wins the belt, donโt expect him to drop it without a title defense or two.
โIโd love the chance to do that. I love the chance that Iโm getting right now,โ Varney said. โBut Iโd love to come back up there just to expand my talents a little bit more and take them somewhere else. It would definitely be a big step up for me.
West Virginiaโs population of 1.79 million is several hundred thousand more than Maine on paper, but Varney said the presence of NEF makes Bangor a benchmark for his budding career.
โWe donโt have a lot of things to do here. I think fighting in different states gets my name out there more to further my options out there,โ Varney said. โIโd love to win a title for this promotion. Itโs just a step stool up. Itโs going to help boost my career and help my career take off. Even though itโs amateur and it doesnโt really mean much, itโs good for the mind to know Iโm doing something right and that I have the skills to do what I need to do whenever I go pro.โ
Amateur belts and even won-lost records are forgotten quickly once a fighter progresses to the pay window, but Varney doesnโt discount what a victory tonight would do for his youthful aspirations.
โIt means a lot. Iโm very thankful for the opportunity. Itโs another belt that Iโm trying to win,โ he said. โAt the end of the day, win or lose, Iโm good mentally. To get opportunities like this, itโs only going to help me out. Itโs going to be a better fighter, get me experience, and thatโs all I need at this point. I need experience to know that Iโm able to make it as a pro.โ
Asked for a final message to Ferri before somebodyโs proverbial โ0โ has to go, Varney wished him well without any bulletin board material.
โNot cocky or anything, but I want to see you at your best,โ Varney said. โLetโs get in there and put on a show for the people, man.โ
What should those fans anticipate when they welcome the rookie sensation to the Queen City?
โThey should expect a really good fight, and for me to bring my best,โ he said. โI feel great right now, man. I feel like Iโve got the tools to get the job done and knock this guy out. Thatโs what Iโve been working on, and thatโs what they can expect.โ
โNEF 60: Open Seasonโ is scheduled for 6 p.m. tonight, Saturday, November 9 at Cross Insurance Center in Bangor, Maine. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com. Tickets will also be available at the door. In addition, the event will stream live at www.CombatSportsNow.com.
