MMA fighter and Urbandale native dies at age 27

Jordan Youthful, a specialist mixed martial arts fighter at first from Urbandale, died this weekend at age 27.
A trigger of dying was not declared, in accordance to MMA publication MMA Junkie. Young was at the time a growing star in Bellator MMA, the next-biggest MMA promotion in the U.S.
He was centered in Florida in which he fought for American Top rated Group MMA. The workforce was stunned by Young’s demise, according to a tweet Sunday.
“Our staff is shocked and deeply saddened by this news,” the assertion mentioned. “A fantastic teammate, he will be deeply missed by all of us.”
Youthful informed the Des Moines Register in a 2019 interview that he was thrilled about his early MMA vocation.
“I truly feel that I am in the lead ideal now for (combined martial arts) fighters coming out of Des Moines, other than Jeremy Stephens,” Young mentioned in July 2019.
From 2019:Urbandale native Jordan Youthful rising as up-and-coming MMA star
In contrast to quite a few MMA fighters, Youthful by no means wrestled in higher school. At age 14 he dabbled in jiu jitsu. But his big break came after his sophomore football year at Urbandale when he received a jiu jitsu match in Las Vegas. There he submitted semi-expert and skilled fighters in his remaining two matches.
“I received that match in Las Vegas, and that genuinely opened my eyes,” Young stated in 2019. “I noticed that there was cash to be produced accomplishing this, and I started off to develop a improved comprehension of what I was able of.”
Blended martial arts appealed to Youthful mainly because he was on his individual. Win or shed, anything was on him and him on your own.
“There’s a good deal a lot more manage in your arms as much as conclusion generating,” Young reported in 2019. “Other athletics like soccer or basketball, you’re relying on people today to be in the correct positions.”
Youthful went 12-2 just after his debut in 2014, according to MMA Junkie. Ten of his 11 wins came without being determined by judges.
Younger signed with Bellator in January 2017 . He went 6-1 in fights for the promotion, together with 5 straight submission finishes. At one position he was rated the No. 70 best fighter across all leagues by Fight Matrix.
He left Bellator right after voicing his displeasure more than how little he fought. In March 2020 Young signed with the Expert Fighters League. At the time he thought of heading to the UFC, but did not experience ready nevertheless.
“When I go to the UFC, I want to be prepared to be there to remain,” Young told MMA Junkie in 2020. “It’s not that I really don’t believe I’m prepared now, but I truly feel I have more methods to choose. I do not want to be a man in the UFC that does not have a property yet, that does not have his (expletive) alongside one another, and then I’m compelled to just take various methods and check out distinct issues out since I want the income. When I go to the UFC, I’m likely to be established. I’m going to have what I need to have, and regardless of what takes place in my fights, I’m heading to be taken treatment of.”
Philip Joens covers breaking news for The Des Moines Sign up. He can be arrived at at 515-443-3347 at pjoens@registermedia.com or on Twitter @Philip_Joens.