Johnson City’s Pearce preparing for upcoming UFC fight

Jonathan Pearce has been on a roll with his Mixed Martial Arts career. However, he’s always looking at the next challenge ahead.

The next challenge is just a couple of weeks away for the Johnson City native now living in Arizona. Pearce is scheduled to take on Makwan Amirkhani in a featherweight bout at UFC Fight Night 208 in London on July 23.

While Pearce (12-4) has a three-fight win streak and eight wins in his last nine fights, he’s totally focused on Amirkhani (17-7), who scored a first-round submission in his last bout.

“I’m not one to sit back on my wins and get comfortable,” Pearce said. “I feel I need to prove myself each time and show my growth as a fighter.”

Pearce, 30, had the work ethic from an early age, helping with his family’s construction business. The former state runner-up wrestler at Science Hill feels he’s gotten a lot stronger over the last year and is now getting into his prime. Living in the Phoenix area, he’s also getting some of the most advanced coaching in the world.

To prepare for the July 23 bout, he’s done a lot of sparring with one of Amirkhani’s former opponents. It has given Pearce a lot of confidence going into the fight.

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Although he’s not as big on breaking down film as some fighters, he does like to study to see tendencies when a fighter is tired, hurt and trying to mask it, or when a fighter goes for a big move.

The film is valuable in seeing how opponents try to finish their fights.

Pearce’s last three victories came by different methods. He scored a second-round TKO over Kai Kamaka in November 2020 and won by rear-naked choke against the highly touted Omar Morales in September 2021.

In February, he went the distance to score a unanimous decision over previously unbeaten Christian Rodriguez.

He’s not taking the 33- year-old Amirkhani lightly.

“He wrestled in Finland on the national team,” Pearce said. “He’s a good wrestler with good chokes. I can’t put myself in a bad spot. I have to fight the fight, apply the pressure because I feel my pace is what beats people, that and being able to walk through the fire and having the will to fight.”

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