Rising Aussie UFC fighter names the AFL star who’d be a natural in the boxing ring

Rising MMA and now UFC star Jack ‘Leg-Breaker’ Jack Jenkins is now training with an AFL star he believes would easily transition into boxing and become a success.

Remarkably able to break the legs of five opponents during his whirlwind and lightning fast MMA career, Jenkins trains regularly with Collingwood midfielder Jordan De Goey and knows his talents first hand.

Speaking Fox Sportsthe up-and-coming Aussie featherweight UFC boxer was full of praise for De Goey’s abilities.

“In training we go hard and Jordie is really talented,” said the UFC featherweight.

“If he wanted to look at a different career after footy… yes, he has great hands and is super explosive.

“It just means I have to put him down every now and then, wrestle a little bit, just to remind him who’s who.”

Jenkins was asked to work with De Goey after his Bali scandal last year and happily obliged, forging a friendship with the Collingwood star

Former Bulldogs and Sydney Swans firebrand Barry Hall was the last AFL player to move to the boxing ring, pictured battling former NRL star Paul Gallen

Their old-fashioned pairing as training partners came about when Magpies management decided De Goey needed time away from his teammates after an incident abroad.

Twelve months ago, De Goey, 27, ran into trouble after visiting Bali during his farewell from the club, resulting in a $25,000 fine and ban from club training.

It even put some of Collingwood’s board members in doubt and his future at the club was discussed.

A contract offer made to him before the trip to Bali was reportedly torn up unless he immediately got his act together and turned over a new leaf.

So, abandoned and isolated for three weeks, he entered the Absolute MMA gym to stay fit and strong and that’s where he first met Jenkins.

Jenkins, who wasn’t in the UFC at the time but was literally fighting his way through the MMA fights, took him under his wing and they became training partners – and then friends.

“When he was out, someone contacted his manager and said, ‘Hey, I think it would be worth it for Jordie to meet this guy and do some work with him,’ Jenkins explains.

So eventually I had a meeting with his manager who asked if I was interested and I said yes, absolutely.

“I just told them that because I didn’t know Jordan, if we trained and didn’t get along, I wouldn’t continue because it wouldn’t be worth my time.

‘But the first session we got on very well; we laughed, took apart the p… – he couldn’t have been a better guy.

And we’ve been buddies ever since.

“We started out having private sessions — running together, boxing together — and it’s now turned into a great friendship where we hang out together, go out and I watch most of his matches.

“We were able to really help each other and that’s great.”

De Goey (above with mystery woman) was fined $25,000 and banned from his teammates for three weeks last year after a trip to Bali

Aussie UFC star Jack Jenkins (right) will fight American Jamall Emmers on June 25 in Florida

About the football Ekster De Goey, as a damaging, scoring midfielder who often leaves opponents in his wake

This year, after coming of age and developing a new and seasoned attitude towards his football career, De Goey comes into his own with the ‘Pies’. After finally signing an extension with the club, he has become a first class midfielder.

As for Jenkins, he’s something special.

Ranked among the most exciting MMA contenders in the country, Jenkins will continue his historic and deeply disturbing record of eight fights – from five broken legs – against American Jamall Emmers on Sunday, June 25 at UFC Florida.

“If I see that leg over there on Sunday, I’ll break it,” the fighter said this week from his camp in Jacksonville, Florida.

‘He [Jamall] is 100 percent aware — he must be aware,” he continued.

And if not, I’ll keep kicking it.

“If an opponent is positioned so that I can reach that leg, I shoot at it.

“And everyone knows if I bang it, you don’t move right.”