'Rare talent' Jack May wants to show he's the 'complete package' at Bellator 170

Jack May said he has a lot to offer as a heavyweight fighter. He intends to show as much when he makes his Bellator debut on Saturday at Bellator 170.

May (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) has been around the sport since a 2011 pro debut and built up a solid record that earned him a shot in the UFC, but things went downhill.

His UFC stint was a quick two-and-done; the UFC released May after he suffered back-to-back knockout losses to Derrick Lewis and Shawn Jordan. More than two years later, he makes his Bellator debut against Dave Cryer (11-2 MMA, 0-0 BMMA).

At 6-8 and more than 260 pounds, May stands out even among fellow heavyweights. He wasn’t able to make much of an impression with the UFC, but he said his Bellator run will be a different story.

“I had a lot of hype behind me when I got into the UFC, and I fought Derrick Lewis and Shawn Jordan,” May told MMAjunkie. “I lost, and then next thing you know, everybody wrote me off. It was a frustrating road, but it’s crazy to me that the guys I fought in Lewis and Jordan, they’re tough mother (expletives). It’s not like I went in there fighting the guys who have fizzled out. They were tough fights, and I feel like after that everybody just wrote me off.

“I’m back in a big show, big promotion to prove to everybody that I do belong with the big dogs.”

Bellator 170 takes place at The Forum in Inglewood, Calif. May vs. Cryer is part  of the MMAjunkie-streamed prelims prior to the Spike main card.

May said he can do serious damage in the Bellator heavyweight division and become a draw. Although countless fighters are trying to do the same, May said he has skills that set him apart.

“I think I’m a rare talent,” he said. “I think I’m very marketable. I’m 6-foot-8, 260 pounds. I think I bring something to the table that maybe not a lot of heavyweights bring. I’m here to prove that we belong here. At the end of the day, you can do all the talking, but it’s just about what happens inside that cage that’s what matters.

“I think I have the complete package. I think it’s the look, the fighting style. I think it’s the ability. I believe personally I bring the complete package to the table.”

May, 35, might believe he has a lot of positive traits, but he said the most important one is in-cage success. Injuries, inactivity and a rough UFC stint aside, May has just one victory on his record over the past three years.

“The Outlaw” said that’s all going to change at Bellator 170. Not only does he claim his training camp has been the best of his career, but he suggested he holds all of the advantages.

Cryer may have more pro fights, but he’s spent the majority of his career fighting in lighter divisions, which means he could be physically outmatched.

“When this first was brought to the table, I specifically said, ‘I don’t give a (expletive) who it is. I don’t need a name, just send me a contract. I will say yes to anybody,'” May said. “When we got the call and they said Dave Cryer, I said, ‘Who the (expletive) is he? I’ve never heard of him, but we’ll fight him.'”

May’s game plan for 2017 is to steamroll Cryer then turn his attention to the more notable names in Bellator’s heavyweight division. With the promotion planning to crown a heavyweight champion this year, plenty of opportunities remain.

May said he plans to be in the thick of the mix.

“Absolutely 100 percent that is the plan,” May said. “We’ll take care of business here and talk with Bellator, and we can work something out and get a couple more (wins), and then we’re with the big names.”

For more on Bellator 170, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.