Jeremy Kimball Intends to Use Home Turf Advantage at RFA 7 to Take Next Career Step

Following a perfect 3-0 campaign in 2012, Colorado middleweight Jeremy Kimball kicked off the New Year with a solid decision victory over UFC veteran Drew McFedries in January.

“I wish (McFedries) would have come to fight a little bit more, but it was good to start off the year with a win over a big name,” said Kimball.

“My cardio went well and I pushed the pace and I did pretty much everything I wanted to do other than get the knockout.”

The win has Kimball on a streak of eight wins in his last nine fights following back-to-back losses in his first two pro fights. He credits his recent success to being able to put everything together in a fight instead of just relying on one skill.

“The hard work is catching up,” said Kimball. “I’m finally putting things together in the cage and perform the way that I do in the gym.”

Kimball will get an opportunity to win his fifth fight in a row when he steps into the cage at RFA 7 on Friday night in Denver in a feature bout on AXS TV against fellow up-and-comer Chidi Njokuani.

“I heard Chidi’s a pretty good striker and I think I’m a pretty good striker, but I’m not thinking about that, I’m going in to just fight and beat him and the win will come with that,” said Kimball.

Everybody wants a stand-up war with me, but once they get hit they start shooting for takedowns. I’m kind of used to that. But I think he has better wrestling and grappling than people think he does. So it’s going to be a tough fight.”

Kimball also hopes the high altitude of Colorado will take its toll on Njokuani like it has so many other fighters coming into the area for a fight.

“You see a lot of those guys who come in fade pretty quickly,” Kimball said. “They start breathing heavier and heavier, and I love seeing that.”

A chance to get national exposure in the RFA could very well help take Kimball to the next level, but as he told MMAWeekly.com, he tries not to think about that and instead sets his sights on the fights themselves.

“I definitely feel like (the next step) is right there,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep winning.

“I’m always focused on the next guy I fight. I’ll fight whoever, whenever, whatever show. I love to fight, so I’m always ready for who is next.”