On March 7, in Columbus, Ohio Jason day will be fighting his first bout as a full time fighter when he takes on season 3’s Ultimate Fighter winner Kendall Grove. In this Big House exclusive Jason discusses his fight with Kendall, talks about the experience of training with Miguel Torres, and gives us some predictions for his fight and others. All this and much more in this exciting Big House interview.

By Jonathan Brown

JB: How’s training going for your fight with Kendall Grove?

JD: It’s going great! It’s probably the longest camp I have ever had, so I’m in great shape. I don’t have any injuries. I am right on target.

JB: You had that bad elbow injury that forced you to pull out of your fight with Jason Lambert at UFC 88. How’s the elbow doing?

JD: It’s a 100%. I had surgery on it and they cleaned it all up. I mean it’s better than it ever was.

JB: I hear you have been down in Indiana training with Miguel Torres. How’s that been going?

JD: Good man. I moved my camp out here. Miguel’s been helping me put my game together. I’ve just been sparring with all his guys. It’s good; I’m isolated from all the conflicts at home. All I do is focus on fighting, and get right down to the fight, so it has been an awesome experience, and I think it’s a perfect way for me to prepare for this battle.

JB: I know there’s a size difference between you guys, but do ever spar with Miguel Torres?

JD: Yeah me and Miguel Spar, but mostly I’m sparring with a lot bigger guys like you said there’s that size difference, but he’s game he will spar with anyone. The guy is very aggressive; he throws hard, so it’s good to spar with him.

JB: For most of your career you have been a full time carpenter for your family business and a part-time fighter. Is that still the case?

JD: No, I stepped out of the family business last September. Just about the time I was getting my surgery I stepped away. It got to the point where my parents just kind of slowed it down. They’re still working, and building houses, but not nearly as much as before. I’m a full-time fighter now and that’s it. That’s all I have to do.

JB: Can you see a difference in your game going from a part-time fighter to a full-time fighter?

JD: Yeah I see a difference in every aspect: my conditioning, my ground, my stand-up are all better. Even my mental game is totally different. I can focus completely on fighting. I don’t have to worry about the business at all, so I believe it was the right choice, and I believe it’s going to help me out for what I need to do.

JB: 17 out of your 16 wins have ended within the distance. Can we expect the same with your fight with Kendall?

JD: Absolutely! I hate decisions. I go for the finish. I’m not a guy that likes to dance around. I like to go in and impose my game, and get the quick finish. Most of my wins have come in the first round. If I see an opening I’m going to take it!

JB: I hear you train at the world famous Teofista gym in Alberta, Calgary. I also hear there’s a tough guy there named Nathan Clouse that whoops your ass! How’s that going?

JD: (LAUGHS) Yeah man, he has laid a few beatings on me. He’s definitely helped me pick-up my hands. I work my boxing at Teofista. Eric De Guzman is my boxing trainer there. He’s a cool little guy. He’s like 5’6 maybe, little Philippino guy. He’s awesome!

JB: Anyone who watched your fight with Alan Belcher knows you’re a big fan of the rubber guard. You made him miss, so many times. How did you get so good at that position?

JD: (laughs) That’s hilarious! I had no idea what the rubber guard was like a month before that fight. About 2 or 3 weeks before that fight I was fooling around with my buddy Wyatt Lewis up in Calgary, and he suggested I try it out, so I tried it out and it was just a natural position for me. I’ve learned a few more tricks now, but going into that fight I barely knew anything about it.

JB: (laughs) I was expecting you to drop Eddie Bravo’s name or something.

JD: You know what’s funny man is after my fight at the hotel Eddie Bravo came up to me, and I didn’t know who he was, and he starts saying, ‘that was awesome rubber guard! I loved the way you used it. That’s the most impressive way I have ever seen it used.’ And I was like yeah thanks buddy, and he was like ‘I’ll send you some DVD’s. I was like sweet, but thinking what DVD’s? After that someone told me that he was Eddie Bravo, and Since then we have become decent friends, and I have worked a little bit more with it now.

JB: In the main event you have Rampage Jackson against Keith Jardine. Who do you like in that fight?

JD: I like Rampage. I think he’s better than he’s ever been. He had a bump in the road, but that bump has made him stronger. He’s more focused now than he has ever been. I mean he looked awesome against Wanderlei! I mean you can’t count out Jardine he’s tough, and he has got that quarky style, but I think Rampage is going to get the KO.

JB: Another guy in your weight class Damian Mia just had a nice submission win over Chael Sonnen. What do you think of him as a fighter?

JD: I think that guy is amazing. He’s definitely proved he’s on another level when it comes down to jujitsu. I think he maybe the guy that takes out Anderson Silva.

JB: Speaking of Anderson Silva he is in the main event at UFC 97 against Thales Leites. Do you think Thales has any shot?

JD: To be honest I haven’t followed Thales that much, so I can’t even give you an educated guess on it.

JB: He’s that guy that got pile drived by Nate Marquardt in his last fight.

JD: Oh yeah, Nate got a bunch of points deducted in that fight. Nate’s a real good fighter too. I remember that fight now. Well if you go by that fight I think Anderson has definitely got the edge. I don’t know what Thales can do?

JB: Miguel Torres is a World Champion and a top ten pond for pound fighter. How have you benefited the most from training with him?

JD: He has helped me put all my tools together. I mean my striking is good, but now I have transitioned it right into my jujitsu. They are the same thing to me now. The mind set too of always attacking, and having that warrior mental attitude. He has filled in all the gaps in my game for me. I like training here everyone’s got a bit of an attitude, which makes for a good training atmosphere. Miguel has made me feel more than welcomed here, so I can see myself coming out here before every fight if it works out with our schedules.

JB: Will he be in your corner for this fight?

JD: Yes, he’s coming out with me.

JB: Thanks Jason, is there anything you would like to say in closing?

JD: Just be prepared for a whole new Jason Day. This is going to be an unveiling!