First Career Loss and Knee Surgery Have Jared Rosholt Itching to Impress at Legacy FC 17

Following four wins in his first four fights, heavyweight up-and-comer Jared Rosholt suffered the first loss of his career last year.

While the loss was indeed a setback, it could ultimately be more beneficial to Rosholt as he feels he’s become a better fighter for it.

“Looking back at that loss, I learned more from that fight than I did from the four wins before that,” he said. “I think maybe I made the mistake of coming back too soon after having reconstructive surgery on my ACL. I just wanted to get back in there and get after it, and I think I just wasn’t as prepared as I needed to be.”

Rather than overhaul his training following the loss, Rosholt stayed the course and with continued improving health has become a more developed fighter.

“I think with more time that has passed with the knee surgery it’s more in the back of my mind now to where I feel it’s 100-percent strong,” he said. “I’m not worried if I kick and twist on it that something is going to happen or if it’s going to tear again.”

Rosholt will be looking to rebound on Friday night against Richard Odoms as part of Legacy FC 17 in San Antonio, Texas, live on AXS TV.

“I don’t have anything bad to say about the guy or anything like that, but I think that I’ll be able to beat him at any avenue I want to take,” said Rosholt. “I’m confident right now in what I’ve been working on.

“With all the big guys I’ve had come into this camp, and prior to this camp, I’ve felt really good against them. I think that’s going to transfer over into this fight. We’ve got some big guys down here with us right now who have long range that are tall, so it’s a good feel for Odom.”

On paper it would seem that it would be most advantageous for Rosholt to close the gap against the taller, lankier Odom right away and take the fight to the ground, but he says it’s not so. Rosholt told MMAWeekly.com that he feels he can work at any distance and wait for an opening to appear rather than make a mistake trying to force it.

“I’ve been working distance a lot more, so I feel really well about staying out of range and then moving into my range,” said Rosholt. “If I need to go forward, I’m confident doing that if I need to get in closer to get a takedown.”

Following a sparse year in which he only fought once, Rosholt is eager to get back to busier times and build himself into a legitimate contender in the heavyweight division.

“I’m really thinking this is going to be my year where I’ll have a couple big wins and keep moving up and get into the biggest show I can get into,” said Rosholt. “That’s a long-term goal for the year, but I’m sure after each fight I’ll sit back and reevaluate what I’ve got to work on.

“It was a really disappointing last year, year and a half. After having those first four fights, I spent that whole year out having that surgery done, had one fight and now here we are another five or six months later. I definitely want to pick it up and get back to where it was.”

Be sure to Like MMAWeekly.com on Facebook and Follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter.