In a new interview with the Bloody Elbow site, Jardine talks about his release for the UFC, his upcoming fight, and his goal to return to the UFC as soon as possible.

The 34 year-old spent five years in the UFC, and he says that since getting his walking papers in June he’s not had much of a chance to feel sorry for himself.

“You know, I haven’t had much time to think about it, really, because once the UFC released me, I was basically– first of all, all the offers that came in for fights were just incredible and made me feel pretty good. And I just wanted to get a fight as quick as possible, and then Shark Fights called right away – I mean, like, the next week – and I accepted the fight.”

So now he faces former UFC and current Strikeforce fighter Trevor Prangley, not exactly the easiest opponent he could have chosen to get back to winning ways.

“If I was a smarter guy, then I’d go beat up a couple guys and get a couple knockouts and get back in there,” he confesses.  “But, yeah, my ego gets in the way and I’m not that smart sometimes when it comes to my career.”

To Jardine, Prangley represents a tough challenge, and that’s something that Jardine appears drawn to.

“it’s not quite the way it was supposed to happen, but, you know, that’s why I fight. I wanna fight all the best fighters, and Prangley’s an incredible fighter. He’s not the most exciting fighter in the world – that’s why he’s not beating up people in the UFC – but he’s definitely a tough guy.

The Shark Fights event is scheduled to be shown on pay-per-view on the 11th of September, but regardless of whether it’s a success or not, if he wins Jardine doesn’t plan on sticking around for future shows.

“I’m not saying I wouldn’t like to fight for these guys again, because I’ll never forget this opportunity they’re giving me, but my goal is always to get back in the UFC and get back in the title picture.”

When he was released from the UFC Jardine was given assurances that if he could get get a few wins under his belt then they’d bring him back, though the fighter isn’t quite sure how many it will take.

“You know, I figure two. But if I have an impressive showing in a couple weeks, it could happen as fast as that. But I’m not preoccupied right now with that because I’m in training mode and this one fight is so big for me. But if I take myself out of that a little bit, I see two fights and I’m back in.”

It won’t be easy, but Jardine believes he’ll get the first win under his belt against Prangley, who he sees as similar in style to his recent opponents in the UFC.

“This is my third wrestler in a row and he’s very similar to some of the guys I’ve fought. He’s got very good boxing, but just nothing really special. He’s just really almost boxing by the numbers, real orthodox, and he’s a good wrestler. He just wants to find a clinch and take you down. And that’s the third wrestler in a row I’ve fought, and he’s not quite the caliber of the last two wrestlers I fought.”

I think he’s correct in his assessment.  Prangley is a tough, durable veteran, but he’s no more challenging than his recent opponents like Matt Hamill who he went to a split decision just a few months ago, or Ryan Bader who is a younger and significantly better version of Prangley.

It is still a risky fight though, particularly as at this stage of his career Jardine’s chin, which was never strong to begin with, has let him down on a regular basis over the past few years.

I still think he can defeat Prangley though, and if he does so he won’t be far off a recall to the big stage.

Jardine was cut from the promotion last month after losing to Matt Hamill, his fourth consecutive defeat inside the octagon.  According to Dana White ‘The Dean Of Mean’ could work his way back into the fold if he can get back to winning ways however.

Prangley won’t be a pushover for the fighter as he looks to get back to winning ways though.  The South African, who’s record stands at 22-6-1 has recently been plying his trade in Strikeforce this year, but prior to that he become Shark Fights light-heavyweight champion.  It is believed that his belt will not be on the line on this occasion.

Sherdog reports that Shark Fights will be looking to make the most of this featured bout by using it to step into the pay-per-view market.  Despite his recent record Jardine is still a recognizable fighter and in fact his last bout in the UFC was billed as the headline fight at The Ultimate Fighter 11 Finale.

It’s expected that Shark Fights will put together a solid card for the show with several marquee names to be announced soon.

It didn’t come as a great surprise given that he had just lost four fights in a row, but having been a mainstay in the promotion’s light-heavyweight division since appearing on The Ultimate Fighter Season 2 back in 2005, and having notched up 13 fights and wins over the likes of Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, some believed he would be kept on regardless of his record.

It appears that ‘The Dean Of Mean’ himself is taking the news fairly well though judging by his latest blog in which he discusses his feelings on the matter.

“Last week I was let go by the UFC. I was sad to get the news but it was expected. I’ve always been proud to be a UFC fighter and they have been real good to me. I can’t help but to feel a bit like I’m losing a family.

As for now, I’m more motivated than ever. I’m going to take a vacation for a week then get back to work. Already, there are a lot of offers for fights coming I’m. Some are exciting. Starting over doesn’t sound so bad to me. Although my career is at a crossroads my story is only half written. I have a lot of fight left in me and I continue to improve with every fight. Anyway, I’m best when the chips are stacked against me and I will make it to the top. Thanks to all of my fans.”

Despite his poor record of late, Jardine should still be able to handle himself outside of the ultra-competitive UFC light-heavyweight division, and if he can string a few wins together in the smaller promotions then Dana White has already said that the door is open for him to return.

“It sucks,” Dana White told MMAfighting.com. “I have nothing but respect for him and I hope to see him back soon,” he added, indicating that the 34 year-old may have an opportunity to return if he can get back to winning ways.

Jardine has been with the promotion since competing on The Ultimate Fighter season 2.  He had his first official fight in the octagon in November of 2005, claiming a victory over Kerry Schall.

Since then Jardine has claimed victories over top opposition like Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin and Brandon Vera, but his recent form has dipped drastically with four consecutive losses which leaves his UFC record at 6-7, and his overall career record at 15-8-1.

His record, and the fact that he’s been knocked out four times in the past three years had led to speculation that he was on the verge of being cut, and after his  latest decision loss to Matt Hamill at last weekend’s TUF 11 finale that has indeed proven to be the case.

Despite his losses Jardine is still a recognizable figure in the sport, as was proven by the fact that he was chosen to headline the TUF 11 finale, and therefore he should not have any difficulty in finding an alternative promotion to ply his trade with.

All eyes will surely turn to Strikeforce who are in dire need of more 205lb fighters.  At the same time it should be noted that Scott Coker has previously stated that he is not interested in simply becoming a place where ex-UFC fighters go to play out the remainder of their career.

Even if they were interested it’s not certain that Jardine would himself want to go down that route as he may burn his bridges with the UFC in the process.

An alternative could be Japanese promotion DREAM who as it happens are currently putting together a light-heavyweight tournament.

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Jardine was not the only fighter to be released at the conclusion of the TUF finale. David Loiseau also received his walking papers, bringing an end to his third spell in the UFC after just one fight.

Jardine started out looking sharper, keeping his opponent at bay with leg kicks and good movement.  Round two began in similar fashion, but the complexion of the fight changed when Hamill connected with some heavy blows that opened up a cut below his left eye, followed up by a high kick, leaving Jardine dazed.

Hamill smelled blood, but as the two exchanged he got poked in the eye causing a stoppage, and though it was accidental Jardine was deducted a point.  Rattled by the decision Jardine appeared to lose  his composure and got into a brawl with Hamill at the restart that he came off second-best in.

Both men looked winded coming into the third round, but Jardine was considerably worse off and his work now had a feeling of desperation about it.  He managed to land a few solid shots during the round but Hamill has a cast iron jaw and pressed forward regardless.  With Jardine’s face now covered in blood and Hamill pushing the pace an otherwise close round, and the fight, was swinging in the wrestler’s favor.

One judge saw the fight as a draw despite Jardine’s point deduction, but the other two awarded Hamill  the contest 29-27 to give him the majority decision victory.

Earlier in the evening wrestler Aaron Simpson made the mistake of brawling with a specialist in the that field, Chris Leben.

He paid the price when ‘The Crippler’ started landing heavy leather in the second round, sending him staggering across the cage to escape the onslaught and forcing the referee to call an end to the contest.

Before that Spencer Fisher and Denis Siver were involved in what was essentially a three-round kickboxing bout.  In an extremely close fight Fisher just about did enough to win the first, while Siver’s rapid-fire kicks and right hand gave him the second.

The third was closer still, leaving the final decision in the hands of the judges.  It could have went either way but in the end Siver had his hand raised.

In the opening bout of the main card TUF 11 bad boy Jamie Yager started off strongly against Rich Attonito, showing his fluid stand-up skills and doing well to stuff his opponents takedowns.

In the second his early work-rate appeared to be catching up with him, and as the round wore on and Attonito started to find a home for his strikes the fight seemed to go out of Yager, allowing Attonito to take him down and pound out a TKO victory.

Bader had looked to be in control in the first round, mixing up his striking and wrestling while appearing unfazed by Jardine’s awkward style.  To his credit Jardine came back into the fight in the second, stuffing his opponents takedown attempts and finding more success on his feet.

As had been evident in his previous fight, Bader started to look a little winded in the final round, but he continued to load up his punches.

Midway through the round that tactic finally paid off as he staggered Jardine with a straight right, and then rushed forward with a flying knee, and finally a powerful left hook that folded ‘The Dean Of Mean’ onto the octagon floor.

The victory takes Bader to 11-0 (4-0 in the UFC) and confirms that he can be a threat in the hotly contested light-heavyweight division.  On the evidence of this performance there’s still significant room for improvement in Bader’s game though, and at 26 years of age he has time on his hands to do so.

As for Jardine, the stats make for grim reading.  He now has only two wins in seven visits to the octagon, and four of those losses have been by KO.  Without a win in three fights it appears that his best days are now behind him, and there must surely now be a risk of him being cut from the roster.

Both fighters are a product of The Ultimate Fighter, with 34 year old Jardine being a semi-finalist in season two, while 26 year old Bader won the eighth season.

As for their more recent form, Bader has won all four of his UFC bouts, while Jardine has emerged victorious in just one of his last four outings.

For Bader this fight will be seen as an opportunity to prove his worth in the upper half of the light-heavyweight division, while Jardine will hope to serve a reminder that he’s more than just a gatekeeper for the UFC’s up-and-coming talent.

The fight should also be an interesting style match-up as the fighters themselves discuss below:

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Wanderlei Silva:

With a crowd-pleasing ‘all or  nothing’ approach to fighting, a famous history in the PRIDE organization and an easy-going, fan-friendly persona outside of the cage, there’s no question that Silva is one of the most beloved stars in the sport.

That being said there’s no disguising the fact that his 1-3 record since returning to the UFC in 2007 is very poor, and if it wasn’t for his past achievements then it would be reasonable to assume he would have already been let go.

How likely is he to be cut if he loses to Michael Bisping?

A loss to Bisping would be his third in a row, which normally equates to a cast-iron guarantee that a fighter is set for the chop.  The fact that this will be Silva’s first fight at 185lbs will more than likely give the UFC an excuse to give him a stay of execution however.

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Keith Jardine:

Jardine doesn’t have the star power of Silva, but he has gained respect as a solid main card fighter who’s fought many of the light-heavyweight divisions best, and holds notable wins over Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell and Brandon Vera.

Unfortunately, all-too-often in recent times he’s left the octagon with another loss on his record – four times in his last six fights to be precise, with three of those ending with him being knocked out, including in his last bout against Thiago Silva.

How likely is he to be cut if he loses to Ryan Bader?

The manner of his defeat may have a part to play here.  If he were to be KO’d for the fourth time in three years then that brings up concerns over his health as well as his ability, and I believe would lead to him being released.  A closely fought decision loss may convince the UFC to keep him around for one more fight, but it’s not something that the 34 year old can count on.

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Mirko Cro Cop:

After his loss to Junior Dos Santos last time out at UFC 103 even Cro Cop himself suggested that retirement was a distinct possibility.  The Croatian has achieved legendary status in the sport thanks to his time in PRIDE however, and a desire to prove he still has what it takes at the age of 35 has convinced him to get back in the cage again.

Cro Cop has found the going tough in the UFC however, and admits to suffering from a crisis of confidence in the octagon that has played a part in three of his five bouts ending in defeat, one by KO.

How likely is he to be cut if he loses to Ben Rothwell?

Having threatened to retire after his last fight, a similar performance may see Cro Cop taking matters into his own hands and make it official this time round.  I also believe he’s in the last-chance saloon with the UFC, and if he doesn’t turn in a performance that at least hints at his former glories in PRIDE then I think he’ll be fighting in the promotion for the last time.

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Ben Rothwell:

Cro Cop’s opponent Ben Rothwell is also fighting for his future in Australia.  Despite being a 37 fight veteran, the 28 year old has only just reached the big stage, and so compared to the other fighters on this list he doesn’t have the star power that could afford him extra time to claim a much needed win.

Rothwell does have a solid career record of 30-7 that includes wins over current UFC fighters like Roy Nelson and Krzysztof Soszynski, but in the UFC his only fight so far ended in defeat after being dominated by Cain Velasquez.

How likely is he to be cut if he loses to Mirko Cro-Cop?

It’s a distinct possibility.  It’s rare for UFC fighters these days to be given more than two fights to get a win under their belts and Rothwell will surely view this fight as a do-or-die moment in his brief UFC career.

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Stephan Bonnar:

Bonnar is of course famed for fighting in a bout with Forrest Griffin at the culmination of TUF season 1 that many people, including Dana White believe is the most important bout in UFC history.  The fight has helped ensure that the 32 year old has remained part of the company despite more downs than ups in recent years.

Bonnar’s record in the UFC currently stands at 5-5, and he has just two wins in his last six fights.  His last outing was a disappointing decision defeat to a 45 year old Mark Coleman. Adding to his woes he was banned for 9 months in 2007 after testing positive for steroids in the aftermath of his rematch with Griffin.

How likely is he to be cut if he loses to Krzysztof Soszynski?

He’s lost his last two fights, and if it wasn’t for his legendary fight with Griffin it’s doubtful that Bonnar would still be around to compete at UFC 110. If he loses again it would be difficult to argue why he should stay. Despite that, Dana White has publicly stated that Bonnar will always have a place in the UFC, so only time will tell what the future holds for him.

Firstly various sources are reporting that Josh Koscheck will be given a chance to avenge a recent knockout loss to Paulo Thiago at UFC 95, with a rematch being planned for UFC 109 in early February.

Koscheck has since won two more fights, against veteran Frank Trigg and most recently Anthony Johnson, taking his record to 14-4. Thiago on the other hand dropped to a unanimous decision loss against Jon Fitch in his next fight before getting back to winning ways against newcomer Jacob Volkmann at UFC 106, leaving him at 12-1.

Also in February, at UFC 110 in Australia it is believed that Ryan Bader will get a step up in competition against Keith Jardine.

Since winning the light heavyweight part of The Ultimate Fighter Season 8 Bader has claimed two unanimous decision victories against Carmelo Marrero and Eric Shafter to maintain his unbeaten record of 10-0.

His rumored opponent Keith Jardine (14-6-1) meanwhile has a more chequered record of late, having won only two of his last six fights. He is currently coming off back-to-back defeats to Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson and Thiago Silva.

The match will be seen as a crossroads for both fighters with Bader looking to prove that he can match-up with the divisions more established fighters, while Jardine needs a win to ensure his future in the promotion.

Alongside these fights Matt Hughes has also announced on his blog that he may be set to return to the octagon in April, 2010 against an as yet unconfirmed opponent.