“Fall Forward”: Jack Jenkins’ brutally honest lead-up to UFC Perth vs Ramon Taveras (Sept 28)

“Fall upwards” after a loss

Sitting in a Crown Towers room he wrangled through relationships, Jack Jenkins isn’t pretending the road has been smooth. He jokes he might be “the first fighter in UFC history to fall upwards after a loss,” but the punchline hides something heavier: the last 6–10 weeks after that fight were some of the darkest of his career.

He was afraid to go to training. Not just on fight night, every morning. The fear didn’t evaporate; he carried it. And that was the plan.

“If I can carry this fear through the whole camp, by the time I get to the fight it’ll be familiar, and I can put it on my side of the scale.”

That’s the core of Jenkins’ approach this time: tell the truth, feel it fully, and use it.

The injury almost no one knew about

Jenkins scored a knockdown last time out, battled through a triangle, and in the escape cracked his trachea, leaking fluid into his lungs. He ended up in ICU. Most fans didn’t know. It wasn’t a dramatic post on social; it slipped out later on air. And it left a mark that wasn’t just physical.

For 6–8 weeks, the mental drag was real, life-or-death tends to rearrange priorities. Friends and family gave him space to walk away if he wanted to. His fiancée Brit asked the only question that mattered: “Cool, what do you want to do next?” No pressure. Just permission.

That freedom pushed him back to the gym—on his terms.

Risk vs reward: the math most fighters avoid

Jenkins is unusually transparent about the business end. Show money around $28k, coaches to pay, a body to protect, a future to build. He’s not complaining—he’s calculating. If he can’t realistically compete at the top, why linger for damage and diminishing returns?

“If I can’t get this one done, if I get beat and I get beat soundly, I’ve got no interest in sticking around in a sport I can’t be the best at…”

It isn’t melodrama; he says it’s been true at multiple crossroads—Contender Series, the comeback after the elbow, and now. If he remains elite, he stays. If not, he pivots with eyes open.

Turning fear into a training partner

Jenkins says the fear that used to spike on walkout stayed with him all camp. That repetition made it ordinary. Familiar. Manageable. The result? The hardest camp should have broken him, and instead he found his love for fighting again.

He credits advice from champions like Volkanovski—adversity, endured, doubles you—and reframed the discomfort as a skill: carry fear, don’t hide it.

Why Perth fits: confidence without self-talk

Sydney might be a no-fly zone for him going forward—half-joking, half-dead serious—but Perth is different. Fight week self-coaching (“I feel good, I am confident”) isn’t required. It just clicks here. Main card status, press conference, open workouts—more obligations than a typical Fight Night, but he’s leaning in.

On the open workout, expect substance over theatre: a light move-around, nothing reckless, nothing cute. On the mic, he’ll trade if there’s a reason—no forced beef. Truth over performance.

The matchup: orthodox punisher vs southpaw puncher

Jenkins has done the tape. Ramon Taveras is a southpaw who throws with intent and hunts knockouts. Jenkins is the orthodox striker-kicker who does the same. That’s why the bout sits high on the card: styles make fights, and this one practically demands exchanges that show Jenkins at his best.

He’s clear on the outlook too: ask him how it goes and he’ll tell you straight—first-round KO is on the table.

Beyond the cage: racing, giving back, and staying balanced

If you’ve seen his YouTube or the day-in-the-life clips, you know Jenkins splits time between pads and the paddock. It’s not a distraction; it’s a counterweight that keeps him sane, and sometimes introduces new fans to MMA (and vice versa). He’s also using his StreetX collab to donate proceeds to Ronald McDonald House, inspired by families who need to stay close when a child’s sick.

This isn’t branding. It’s the same realism he brings to fighting applied to life: do hard things, but do good too.

What’s truly at stake on Sept 28

He’s not threatening retirement for clicks. He’s setting a standard for himself. Win, and the trajectory is obvious: Perth momentum, a resume that re-centres around action fights, and a fan base that appreciates straight talk. Lose soundly, and he won’t pretend. He’ll choose his health and future without shame.

Either way, the performance promises clarity. And that’s rare.

Watch the full interview

Hear Jenkins—unfiltered—on fear, ICU nights, the money math, and why telling the truth sets you free. If you only watch one fight-week interview, make it this one.

“You’ve worked your whole life to get here. Don’t throw it away because you’re afraid.”

Frequently asked (and searched)

When is Jack Jenkins vs Ramon Taveras?
September 28 in Perth (local time). Check your broadcaster’s schedule for exact start times.

Which card is it on?
UFC Fight Night in Perth, with Jenkins on the main card.

What makes this fight compelling?
Opposed stances, finishing intent from both, and Jenkins’ vow to let the adversity sharpen him—not define him.

Why is this interview different?
Because Jenkins doesn’t sell superhuman mythology. He talks fear, money, risk, love for the craft, and exactly what happens if it goes wrong.

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