"I’m not a champion, so every fight I’m fighting for my career." – Scott Jorgensen
Scott “Young Guns” Jorgensen was just two years old when “Gremlins” terrorized filmgoers in 1984, with the impish creatures leaving a path of destruction in their wake in the fictional town of Kingston Falls.
But he does remember the movie.
“Gremlins are nothing but fairy tales,” says Jorgensen.
That’s probably a good mindset heading into a fight with Danny “The Gremlin” Martinez at UFC Fight Night in Albuquerque, New Mexico’s Tingley Coliseum on Saturday, June 7th, where Jorgensen will need a win to stay in the conversation in the flyweight division.
“The pressure is on both of us,” says Jorgensen. “I think he’s fighting for his job, just like I am. I’m not a champion, so every fight, I’m fighting for my career. For me it’s just baby steps right now. I need to put together wins and get back to way I was.”
Jorgensen, a former Boise State wrestler and WEC bantamweight contender, has not enjoyed a significant win streak since those WEC heydays in the late aughts, when he fought for a world championship against Dominick Cruz in December 2010.
“I didn’t get into this sport to be a so-called ‘UFC fighter,” he said. “I want that belt. No matter if this is my first win, or if I lose ten in a row, I am fighting to be a champion and every fight is urgent to win. I am in this to be a champion. I’m fighting to build a legacy to carve my name in stone. I’m looking to walk away from my career with my head up.”
A win Saturday against Martinez would mark his first victory since moving down from bantamweight to the flyweight division just seven months ago.
“Man, when I moved to flyweight I didn’t take Zach Makovsky seriously, and that’s my own fault. But I was preparing for (Ian) McCall, then (John) Dodson. I didn’t even know I had a fight until a week before. And then against Formiga, I could beat Formiga during my warm-up for Martinez if he wanted to go,” said Jorgensen, his voice rising in anger with every word.
“Young Guns” suffered a controversial submission loss to Formiga at UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs Shogun on March 23rd, after an accidental head butt to Jorgensen’s chin sent him careening to the canvas.
Scottie appealed the loss, however the decision was upheld.
“I don’t even consider that a fight,” said Jorgensen. “That’s how we felt after the fight. Kit Cope and I sat there after the fight and we thought for sure we’d get the appeal and I’d be fighting Formiga right now instead of Martinez. The commission upheld the decision because they say the referee didn’t call the foul. So to me, I’ll fight Jussier any day. I want to fight Jussier again right now.”
It’s unlikely Formiga will show up in Albuquerque to “warm up” Jorgensen, so he’ll have to wait for the bell to ring before he relieves some of that frustration and faces Martinez in the Octagon.
“The Gremlin” is three years Scott’s junior and has never been finished in his eight-year career, however Jorgensen says he’s had a great training camp and is ready for a fast-paced fight, and plans to be the first man to put Martinez away, either by submission or KO.
“I’ve done a lot of things in my career,” says Jorgensen. “I grew up in the WEC and the UFC. I’ve faced tougher competition than most everybody in the flyweight division. If you look at Martinez’s record, if you take away the Benavidez fight and the (Mark) Hominick fight, who has he fought that has a record over .500? And that was when Joey B first got started in his career. He lost to Cariaso, and he’s tough, but he’s not like me at all. I’ve fought all the best fighters in all my weight classes. I’ve seen it all. You can’t put one fighter in front of me anymore that I think has more experience than me. I’ve been five rounds, it doesn’t matter to me.”
Jorgensen says his recent losses have nothing to do with his weight cut, even though the 31-year-old hasn’t had to cut too much weight in his eight-year MMA career before dropping to 125-pounds.
“The weight has nothing to do with my career slide,” he said. “I’ve been through a lot of things in my life. Ups and down in my career and in my personal life. This is something I will get through and put behind me, starting Saturday night against ‘The Gremlin.’”
Martinez may be a newcomer to the UFC, but he is a veteran of 22 fights, and is known for his stellar conditioning and KO power.
But Jorgensen has seen this movie before.
“If you ask me, gremlins are nothing but fairy tales, and he’ll melt under the lights just like in the movies. I fully expect to go out there and finish Danny Martinez.”
