JUNE 17 — Jason High Looking to Finish Mike Ricci at WSOF 31

Looking back on his win over Estevan Payan in his World Series of Fighting debut last November, veteran lightweight Jason High couldn’t be more pleased with his performance.

After an initial feeling out process, High was able to implement his game plan against Payan and come out with an impressive TKO victory.

“It took a round for me to get the timing, and I was able to catch (Payan) in the second,” High told MMAWeekly.com. “It felt good to be back in there, especially after everything that had gone on before that fight. I wasn’t taking damage and I was able to get the finish, so it went as well as it could go.”

Prior to his WSOF debut, High had seven months off following his release from the UFC. For him, getting the opportunity to work on his game without the pressure of a fight was a definite positive.

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“Anytime you’re able to have time off like that, you’re able to go into the gym and kind of have fun and just do what you want to do,” said High. “I’ve been working on things and am always trying to improve for sure.”

High (19-5) will seek to pick up his second straight win when he returns to WSOF on June 17 at Foxwoods Casino and Resort in Connecticut against fellow veteran Mike Ricci (11-4) in a 155-pound main card bout.

“He’s real long, has a good jab and comes from a good camp,” said High of Ricci. “I feel I’ll be able to work around him and I don’t really see him being (a threat). I’m ready for 15 minutes, but I’ll be going in there looking for the finish.”

With a solid resume of work behind him, and the possibility of two straight wins in WSOF, High could find himself in the lightweight title picture in 2016. For now, however, High’s focus is firmly on June 17.

“Of course (a title shot is) always on my mind as a competitor, but there’s nothing I can really do about it right now,” High said. “I have Mike Ricci in front of me, so that’s what I’m focused on for sure.”

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