[ENGLISH] Jack Hermansson ready for war at UFC 317: ”It’s going to be a blast!”

After 16 months away, Jack Hermansson is back – and ready to make a statement. On Saturday night, he faces Gregory Rodrigues, and Frontkick has spoken to the Swede ahead of his long-awaited return to the octagon.

It’s been a long road back for Jack Hermansson.

In February 2024, ”The Joker” Hermansson delivered a strong performance against Joe Pyfer, defeating the American via unanimous decision in the main event at UFC Vegas 86.

But the victory was followed by an unexpected setback – a shoulder injury that forced him into surgery and lengthy rehab.

”It feels good to be back. It’s only when you’ve been away from something for so long that you realize how much you’ve missed it. It feels really good to be able to compete again,” Hermansson tells Frontkick.

Now, the Swedish veteran is ready to reset and rebuild his momentum.

In the last bout of the UFC 317 prelims, Jack Hermansson takes on Gregory Rodrigues, a dangerous middleweight who is looking to bounce back after a brutal knockout loss to Jared Cannonier in February.

Hermansson takes ”Robocop” Rodrigues very seriously and knows that he has a tough test in front of him.

”Yes, I’ve seen his previous fights and probably have his fight against Cannonier freshest in my mind. I see him as a big challenge. He’s a giant middleweight, super big, hits hard, constantly moves forward, and is aggressive. He’s definitely a tough fighter.”

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UFC 317: Jack Hermansson vs Gregory Rodrigues

For Jack Hermansson, who was born in Sweden but lives in Norway, it is crucial to find his rhythm inside the octagon quickly.

The fight against Rodrigues is three rounds, which requires a different strategy than the five-rounder he went against Pyfer.

”Gregory is strongest at the beginning of the fights, just like Pyfer, but maybe drops a bit as the fight goes on. I’m the opposite and grow as the fight goes on.”

”But at the same time, this is three rounds, so you don’t have quite as much time. You have to do well early in the fight.”

During the year of rehab, he has had to stay away from martial arts training, but not from the gym. He has maintained his physical fitness, and once he was able to resume training, he focused on developing his boxing skills, among other things.

”People can expect a slightly different game plan in this fight. I think I can offer some good, clean boxing.”

Jack Hermansson lost his place in the UFC middleweight rankings due to inactivity, but now sees 2025 as a new chapter.

”The plan is always to be active. That was the case after Pyfer, but it doesn’t always work out that way. As long as I’m fit and healthy, I want to fight as many times as possible. I hope to get two or more fights this year; that would be great.”

When asked about potential future opponents, Jack Hermansson mentions several names – but notes that many already have fights booked.

He considers Abus Magomedov and Brendan Allen as potential contenders, as well as Paulo Costa and Roman Kopylov, who were initially scheduled to clash this weekend but will now face off at UFC 318 on July 19.

The most important thing now, however, is to deliver a performance that reminds everyone why he has been at the top of the middleweight ranking for so many years.

– It’s going to be a blast! I will come out and give my heart and soul, as I always do, and take it as far as I can. I will go to war, but I will also be smart and technical. It’s going to be a blast!”

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