Jai Herbert’s 'game plan went out of the window' in comeback win at UFC Winnipeg

Jai Herbert believes his will to win made all the difference at UFC Winnipeg.  Herbert (14-6) took on promising debutant Mandel Nallo (14-4) in a lightweight clash at Canada Life Center in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, on Saturday. Nallo hurt Herbert early on with head kicks, even partially dropping him with a right hand. However, Herbert survived the onslaught and returned favour by dropping the Canadian with a right hand. While Nallo managed to return to his feet, “The Black Country Banger” dropped him again with a clean combination and rained brutal ground-and-pound to secure the finish.  Herbert admits that his game plan went out of the window in the wild affair that lasted barely over two minutes. Herbert claims he had decided to win when he entered the Octagon against Nallo. Even when Nallo hurt Herbert early, the Englishman knew he would come from behind and get the win unless he was knocked out cold.

‘I Just Had the Will’

“I have never had a fight like that before, crazy fight,” Herbert told the UFC. “I got dropped like three times. I got dropped about three times, come back and got a win… Game plan went out of the window. What was in my head was, ‘I have come here to get a win.’ So when he was hitting me, I just knew I was gonna go and get a win. I was waiting for my opportunity, I cracked him and he went. I still had my wits about me when he was hitting me. But I just had the will. I made a decision when I got in there, I was gonna win. So when he hit me and kept on dropping me, he had to put me clean out, because if he didn’t put me clean out, I was gonna come back and get a win.” Herbert is now 2-2 in his last four outings and rebounded from a split decision loss against Chris Padilla with the win over Nallo.  

“I just had the will (to win).”

Jai Herbert (@jaiherbert2) reflects on his wild comeback win over Mandel Nallo and hopes the knockout victory is the start of a run of success.