Bellator 301: How Jason Jackson's tree business inspired his title bid against Yaroslav Amosov

Jackson has won seven of his eight fights in Bellator

The turning point in Jason Jackson's life came when the Jamaican broke his leg during a fight in 2017.

"My wife was pregnant and was maybe a week out and my mum's house had just burned down in Jamaica," he recalled. "Fighting was my only source of income.

"I went out there and a freak accident broke my leg and I only picked up $5000 (£4,042).

"I was panicking about not having money to take care of my family and I realised I had no source of income. The only thing I knew how to do was fighting, so I realised I couldn't dwell on fighting anymore."

With a broken leg, it would be 13 months before the 33-year-old would compete again. So to provide for his family, he started a tree-servicing business in his home state Florida.

"I replant trees but I like to service a tree more because if the tree stays, then it's more money," said Jackson. "If I cut down a tree there's no money there to make in the future.

"I think it's harder than fighting because you're dealing with the sun, you're dealing with all different types of invasive animals because of the warm weather and we have gigantic trees out here.

"And I don't have any heavy equipment or major crew - I do the work myself. I have to move the heavy trees out myself, and I have to climb the trees myself."

Fighters from all codes of combat have detailed their mental struggles when not being able to train, including WBC heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, and UFC champions Tom Aspinall and Alexander Volkanovski.

Jackson says since starting his tree-servicing business he has been happier outside of training and feels reassured about his career once he retires from fighting.

The success in his personal life has also complemented his MMA career - Jackson has won nine fights since breaking his leg six years ago, with the one blemish on his record being a narrow split-decision defeat to Ed Ruth in 2019.

He has beaten two former world champions, Douglas Lima and Benson Henderson, in his last four bouts and faces Ukraine's Yaroslav Amosov on Saturday for the welterweight title at Bellator 301 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.

"I feel like I've had setback after setback but I figured it out," added Jackson. "And I want to be the one to show them, 'hey, you guys have been sleeping on me'.

"I never really had that opportunity to show my best, and this is the time."

'Every day I imagine raising the belt'

Amosov's last bout was a convincing win over Logan Storley in February to unify the division in his first fight since helping the Ukrainian army defend against Russia's invasion.

The 30-year-old has won all 27 fights since debuting in 2012, with eight of those coming Bellator.

Amosov is favourite with bookmakers to retain his title in Illinois, but Jackson is relishing the underdog tag.

"I'm the only one who's going to put that one loss on his record," added Jackson. "I tell you, I go in with the mindset that I don't fight his record, I fight him.

"I'm just showing up to show the world you can't sleep on Jason Jackson. You guys have been doing that every single time.

"There's not one day I don't [envisage] raising the belt like it's [WWE star] The Rock raising his belt and raising his eyebrow. That's my belt, remember that."

Should Jackson beat Amosov, he wants to use his platform as a world champion to help raise the profile of MMA in Jamaica.

He was born in Jamaica but moved to Florida at the age of 12.

The country has helped produce two world champions, with Britain's UFC welterweight champion Leon Edwards born there, and former UFC bantamweight title holder Aljamain Sterling born in the United States to Jamaican parents.

"I'm a prideful Jamaican because, for a small island, we make the most noise in the Caribbean," said Jackson. "So I take that to heart - I'm a Jamaican and they're not going to keep me down.

"I'd go back [to Jamaica] and give back, and do seminars, charities, stuff like that. I'd get involved rather than just carrying a flag around and representing.

"There's definitely more to it to being Jamaican when it comes to winning over the Jamaican crowd."