Jeremy Stephens didn’t burn any bridges on his way out of the UFC in 2022 but it felt like an end of an era after he spent 15 years and over 30 fights with the promotion before moving onto new opportunities.
He competed in professional boxing, continued doing MMA with the PFL and then exploded on the scene in bare-knuckle fighting with an undefeated run in BKFC, which was capped off with a jaw-breaking performance over ex-UFC champion Eddie Alvarez. That win seemed to set up Stephens for even bigger opportunities in BKFC but instead of just re-signing with the promotion, he instead opted for a one-fight deal to return to the UFC at the upcoming card in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa on May 3.
So how exactly did this actually happen?
“I never got cut from the UFC,” Stephens told MMA Fighting. “I decided to go around, search for life outside of there and I felt like maybe there was a little bit of bad blood there. I left all good with Dana [White] and things like that from the shove [against Drakkar Klose]. I just wanted to explore my options.
“I watch UFC and seeing some guys on there and I’m like I could knock that dude out who knocked that dude out. I was like I could still be there. It was always in the back of my mind. A brother of mine, rest in peace Anthony Johnson, he took a route outside of there, came back to the UFC, had some really good paydays and a title fight. My wife was like ‘why don’t you reach out to Dana?’ I was like I don’t know. Then I was like why not? I’ve dragged myself out of the ring well this far so why not keep going? Why not shoot my shot? I took a shot, I was like you know what babe, write up a message and I’ll send it to him.”
Stephens ended up messaging UFC CEO Dana White on Instagram and it didn’t take long for him to receive a positive response.
“I went to Des Moines, which is funny, all week,” Stephens explained. “Went back to handle some business, got to see some family and around town everybody is all happy. They’re like bare-knuckle, that’s crazy! You should be on the Des Moines card. I was like I shot uncle Dana a message and the day I was leaving he got back to me. He was like ‘hey man, I didn’t have your number, I’ve been meaning to get a hold of you, I’ll have Hunter [Campbell] get a hold of you.’
“It was just kind of crazy how it all came together but this isn’t far off from what I’ve been doing, all the years of hard work. I’m able to talk to the godfathers, they give me an opportunity, a one-off deal and it’s a really good deal, too. I go in there and I handle business and commit another murder on May 3 in my hometown, it’s just more buzz. I’m staying active the way I wanted.”
While his return to the UFC came with just a one-fight deal, Stephens had no hesitation signing that contract because he’s more than confident in his abilities to beat Mason Jones on May 3.
More than anything, the 38-year-old veteran really just wanted to have the chance to perform in his hometown, which hasn’t been easy to do considering Iowa hasn’t exactly been a primary target for most major combat sports promotions.
For most of his career, Stephens just had to bring a piece of home with him during his travels but now he gets to soak in the limelight while finally performing in front of a raucous audience in Des Moines.
“I bring 515 to Brazil,” Stephens said about always representing Iowa in his fights. “My last fight [against Eddie Alvarez]. There’s nobody that represents the 515 [like me]. I’m the best to ever do it out of Des Moines, Iowa.
“I’m happy for them. I’m for Des Moines people. This is a flyover state, why doesn’t anyone ever come here? It’s been like 17 or 18 years in the making to come here and I’m the card. It’s the right timing. Des Moines, they’re going to love this.”
While the current bout order has him set to open the main card for UFC Des Moines, Stephens feels more like he’s the headliner after the reception he received after signing back with the promotion.
Plus he knows the crowd is going to erupt when he walks to the octagon so he may not be the actual headliner but Stephens is confident Iowa is still going to treat him as such.
“The real f*cking main event!” Stephens said. “Listen, I had to walk through fire in Philly, get shit on by my promoters and have f*cking p*ssy [Joe] Pyfer and all these dudes trying to ring me through the mud. I just stay focused and do my thing. Now I’m getting all the love and I’m getting all this. This is still a fight. The crowd, you don’t let it come into that.
“If you know Caitlin Clark from Iowa, she’s had a lot of fans but [she has] just that dialed in focus. I’m really bringing that. Iowa’s going to bring the energy regardless but I think they know who the real f*cking main event is and what’s really coming to the table. They’re excited. I’m the best to ever do it coming out of Iowa. Hands down. It’s going to feel good walking through Philly to come over to Iowa, get that support, that love. In the meantime, it’s just tunnel vision until I get that f*cking dude out of there and the job’s finished and I’m doing a victory speech and screaming 515 and going absolutely ape shit.”
Of course, Stephens also fully admits that his final run with the UFC ended with a few tough losses and the ugly altercation where he shoved Drakkar Klose during a faceoff, which actually led to the cancellation of their fight.
For all intents and purposes, Stephens may only end up fighting in the UFC this one final time so he’s definitely going to make the most of it.
“I don’t forget about the dark days,” Stephens said. “I’ve been sat out. I kind of keep that chip on my shoulder. Really go in there and prove to myself I actually belong in there. I can still compete at a really high level and I’ll be a dangerous person doing it.
“I crawled out of that well like in The Ring, that movie, right? I was at the bottom of that f*cking well. I crawled out of that motherf*cker. They had the cement over the lid and I had to crawl out bare-knuckle. Really prove my f*cking worth. Put my shit on the f*cking line and now I’m getting all my tools back and it’s just going to be f*cking havoc on these motherf*ckers. I get to create myself another opportunity.”
