Jake Lindsey on BKFC Wichita win and MMA return in December
Jake Lindsey notches a third-round TKO victory in his bare-knuckle boxing debut over Eric Thompson at BKFC: Wichita. This transpired on October 23rd at Hartman Arena in Wichita, Kansas.
I spoke with Lindsey after this BKFC debut and also got specifics on an MMA return timeline. Excerpts from our chat are below.
Jake Lindsey
Fighting in a few different martial arts as of late and if more BKFC competition is in the cards
“I would like to do more bare-knuckle. The 165-pound division, though this time I fought at 75 and my guy didn’t even make weight. He was 179. The ’65-pound division, I could dominate that division. They don’t have a champ right now. So I want to jump in there and do another Bare Knuckle fight. To be honest with you, I really enjoy straight boxing. But I have a fight scheduled for December 10th against Chance Rencountre for FAC in Kansas City. He’s a UFC vet, me and him have fought before in Bellator. He won a decision so I’m looking to get that W back.”
Jake Lindsey continued, “But no man I’ve been talking to bare-knuckle already. I said hey man, I want these three guys to fight. Just give me a date and let’s get after it. Because you know I went out there and I dominated the fight. He grazed me once or twice but he didn’t really make any clean contact and I completely dominated. I wanted to throw more volume. But when you fight a guy like that who throws heat, that guy throws hard every punch. You have to be very careful with coming in. So I dropped him twice in the first round and then three times in the third round. I feel good about it. There’s a lot I need to improve on but yeah I’m feeling pretty good.”
FAC 11
Multiple bout cancellations with Chance Rencountre taking place and this upcoming December MMA fight offering a chance to close that book
“Me and him were supposed to fight. It seems like four times this has been scheduled. Every time I have an injury, he has an injury. It’s just, we had such a good fight the first time. It’s been one I’ve been wanting to get back. Chance is a really good, talented fighter, super tough. Big Ass head on him, can take a punch really well. So yeah, I’m super pumped up to get back in there in December. I feel like I’m just kind of hitting my stride, to be honest with you now. It’s kind of weird to hear that from someone who’s 35. But I feel better physically and mentally now than I ever have. When I fought him the first time I didn’t expect him to take a punch so well.”
“I cracked him with probably the cleanest right hand I have ever hit someone with. It split his lip and he had to get plastic surgery from the cut on his face. But he just kept coming forward. So this time I think I’ll have to use a little bit more movement. Kind of like my fight in BKFC. Be a little more slick with it. Don’t try to put him down with one punch. And just counter wrestle him I think. I think it’ll be a good and exciting fight. He’s worked on his hands a lot. So he’s going to be willing to trade, he’s a longer guy.”
Jake Lindsey continued, “But there’s a couple of things that I’ve noticed from his last couple fights that he doesn’t do well. He leaves himself exposed and that’s not like… He’s becoming more aggressive which is good, and he has such a good chin. But there’s a couple of things he does, that I’m not gonna say on this, that I think I’ll be able to kind of exploit. If I get my timing down on him. I think I’ll finish him in the first or second round.”
BKFC Wichita
Lindsey’s girlfriend fighting recently and the behind the scenes dynamics with all of that
“She actually fought the same night that I fought. Yeah, she fought and she fought super well. So she’s newer in the sport. So when I met her, she had already been thinking of starting fighting. She really enjoyed it. Knew who I was just through like fighting and stuff. Had seen me in the place she worked and thought I was super hot and all that which is nice. Ironically, I thought she was really attractive too.”
“She used to work at this restaurant. She’s a cook, fantastic cook, and I’d sit at certain tables so I could googly eye her. But no, yeah, she’s new in the sport. She drove down there by herself and I had a guy, one of my teammates, who went and cornered her at the very end. But she’s tough, man. She’s gritty. It’s been very nice to date someone who does the same sport as you do. So you don’t get complained at about training too much and all that.”
The strong rapport with many at Combative Sports Center
“My trainer has been Joe Wilk. He’s been phenomenal in terms of all my career. He’s one of the guys who’s always told me ‘Dude, you’re the fucking best. I know it, everyone who trains here knows it, you’ve got to know it though. And I can’t make you go out there and play you like a video game.’ And he’s had a long fight career too. He knows the ups and downs. Knows all the stuff you’ve got to go through and the corner you’ve got to turn. Always been really supportive, always has my back.”
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
“After that Pat (Pytlik) fight, there’s a moment in that Pat fight. Almost all combat sports athletes will understand this. And if they don’t, they’re not experienced enough. It’s like once you lose once or twice, if you have a bad performance, you start to second guess yourself. There’s times in fighting where just overthinking and the pressure, you quit. I’ve never fully flat out quit before but like it comes into your head. You’re like man, fuck.”
“That’s a battle in itself and once you turn the corner. It was that Pat fight, I really turned the corner right around that time. I had a couple of fights where I’d either smash the guy or last round I would be fighting a takedown and say fuck it. Just be too tired and concede position. That’s that little give-up part. And during that Pat fight in the first round, he hit me with a really good knee. And I went back to my corner and said, man, I’m tired. I can’t see very well. And Joe’s like, well, I guess you’re gonna fight blind then.”
Jake Lindsey continued, “To answer the question, having that coach that never gives up on you really pushes you forward. It makes all the difference. And that was the fight where I turned the corner mentally. Since that fight, I have never ever had any sort of negative thought in the cage. It’s just going out there. Go through the motions, take care of business. It is what it is.”
BKFC
Fellow BKFC Wichita warrior David Rickels playing a key role in this bout preparation and Lindsey being a father
“Well, Joe’s interesting. He’s a good coach in a lot of different ways. But he’s really good at just getting you motivated. For the BKFC fight, the main event was Dave Rickels. Who’s a really good friend of mine and a teammate, super tough guy. So in his corner you have Joe and then you have his other two corners. So Joe’s not necessarily there for technical advice. He’s there to talk shit and get you going. And it works. He’s really good at that.”
“So yeah, I have been blessed in that regard. And having kids really did a lot of positive stuff for me. There’s a quote I think it was Carl Jung who said it, A man doesn’t become a man until you have children. And I believe that to an extent. It really makes you up your game and step outside yourself.”
Parting thoughts for Jake Lindsey
“I would say since we talked a lot about mental health on this and it’s a big passion of mine. If anyone out there is struggling, or you just feel like…Because everyone feels I mean, I feel like that at times still. When it feels like nothing you’re doing is making any progress. And it doesn’t matter how hard you try and all that crap. Just keep grinding.”
Jake Lindsey continued, “And remember that your ancestors struggled and toiled in situations and this is something I think about sometimes during fights. If I’m getting tired, I’m like, Man, my ancestors fought lions with sticks. You know? They struggled and it’s not for nothing. You’ll turn the corner at some point and everything is gonna get better, you know? So just keep grinding and let’s get this money.”