LAS VEGAS – Montel Jackson is taking it step by step.
With no fight on the books at the moment, Jackson (13-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) isn’t sure what the future holds in terms of opponents, locations, or dates for his next outing. However, he’s confident the next 18 months will be a period in which he solidifies himself as a UFC bantamweight contender.
“It’s just one step at a time, like everything else,” Jackson recently told MMA Junkie Radio on UFC X Radio Row. “We can worry about what’s in front of us right now. What’s in front of us right now is just making it to the top 15, finishing out the year in the top 15, and going undefeated the rest of this year. 2024, we’re going to start a march toward the title and hopefully work our way down.”
For Jackson, he’s had way more ups than downs in the UFC, in terms of fight results. Each of his losses he’s bounced back stronger from, racking up win streaks directly thereafter.
“It’s just not being complacent and not being satisfied,” Jackson said. “You’ve always got to have the mentality, like, ‘I don’t deserve this.’ If you have that mentality of, ‘You don’t deserve this,’ you’re going to always be humble in your approach and you’ll work hard.”
In the immediate future, Jackson will sit back and wait for a phone call from his manager Jason House. Whoever’s name is pitched, he’ll accept.
“They could give me anybody, man – whoever is willing to step up or whoever is up next for the fight,” Jackson said. “I just throw my name out there.”
Montel Jackson hopes next 18 months place him in UFC title picture: ‘We’re going to start a march’