A return to Jamaica was a long time coming for Bellator MMA Welterweight Jason Jackson. The 34-year-old former Bellator Welterweight Champion is currently on the island doing some preparation for his next fight and giving knowledge back to the next generation of Jamaican fighters in the process.

Born in Spanish Town on October30, 1990, Jackson migrated to South Florida where he attended the Miramar High School and competed on the wrestling team.

He started training mixed martial arts at 19 and made his professional debut in 2012.

Now, Jackson boasts an impressive record of 18 wins and five losses in 23 bouts.

A veteran of the sport, Jackson’s travels have seen him fight in some of the top MMA promotions in the world, appearing on a season of the UFC’s Ultimate Fighter before competing in Titan Fighting Championships and then Bellator.

His next bout, scheduled for April 3 at universal Studios in Florida, will be part of the first round of the PFL Welterweight World Tournament.

On Saturday, Jackson held an open workout and a brief press conference at the Funrobics Fit like a Fighter Gym in Portmore, St. Catherine and spoke about being back on home soil after so long.

“This means the world to me,” he told Sportsmax.tv.

“I’m sorry it took this long to get back and connect with my roots but guess what? I’m here and I’m going to make it worth your while, trust me,” Jackson added.

Jackson’s opponent on April 3 will likely be Russian former Bellator Welterweight Champion, Andrey Koreshkov who has a record of 28 wins and five defeats.

After that fight, Jackson plans to fight two more times this year before August and then return to Jamaica to continue to pour into the sport in the country.

In addition to the workout and press conference, Jackson held a fighter seminar for the young fighters at the gym, teaching them various techniques as well as how to stay mentally and physically strong to tackle the rigors of MMA.

“After April 3 when I beat up this guy, I’m going to fight another fight and then another fight for three fights in four months. The eyes are going to be on me and I’m going to bring the spotlight right back onto Jamaica and tell them yeah, I spoke this into existence,” he said.

“I’m going to make it work for everybody that needs a way out and start the most seminars and the most shows so the youths can get visas and go abroad and do their thing,” Jackson added.

He also delivered a number of inspiring messages to everyone present including what it means to him to represent Jamaica on the global MMA stage.

“We are proud people from Jamaica. We are number one on the leading charts and the heart of the Caribbean so, anywhere we go in the world, we are taking over,” he said.