UNCASVILLE, Conn. – Like everyone else on the Bellator roster and beyond, the COVID-19 pandemic had a big effect on life for Jason Jackson.
The Florida native was left unable to fight to provide for his family, but he was able to lean on his day job away from the cage to help keep things steady during the lockdown period.
Besides being a rising contender in Bellator’s welterweight division, Jackson (11-4 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) also owns a tree services company, which wasn’t too badly hit by the pandemic. It gave Jackson the opportunity to stay active and provide for his family while he endured his enforced sporting hiatus.
“I wasn’t getting any government assistance or anything of that nature (so) I had to continue working,” he said. “Trees still have to be pruned. Trees still have to stay healthy. Trees are still falling off people’s roofs. It doesn’t matter what pandemic’s going on, what virus is going around. That’s something that still has to be done and every single day I got up and got it.
“Trees still need to stay healthy, because hurricane season still comes around. It doesn’t matter what pandemic, what virus, hurricane’s still gonna come. It’s not gonna stop a hurricane from coming.”
Jackson usually trains for his fights at Sanford MMA, but admitted that, partly because of the concern about contracting COVID-19, he hasn’t been at the Hard Knocks 365 facility as frequently as usual in the leadup to Friday night’s fight.
“I stayed away from the gym as much as possible,” he revealed. “One thing I tried to do is stick to my roots: My ginger, my garlic, my onion, my turmeric, spirulina, all that. My roots, to keep my immune system up. Wickedness can’t come around my immune (system).”
Jackson returns to action in the co-main event of Bellator 242 against former UFC welterweight Jordan Mein (31-12 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) and said he’s looking forward to testing his mettle against a veteran of the sport.
“I’ve watched Jordan Mein fight way back before I even got into MMA,” he said. “The guy can fight, so I’m excited to match up with him, so we can get it on and put on a good show. Good fighters make good shows.
“It’s gonna be an exciting fight. No matter where the fight goes, we’re gonna fight,” he continued. “He’s been doing it since he was a kid, and I’m a fighter by nature, so there’s gonna be some fireworks, and I’m excited.”
Bellator 242 takes place Friday at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn. The main card airs on Paramount following prelims on YouTube.
