Ryan Janes (photo via Tapology.com)

By Kelsey Mowatt

Ryan Janes recently found out he’ll be making his Octagon debut at UFC on FOX 21, and while he was understandably thrilled by the news, it came somewhat unexpected.

The upcoming event will go down on August 27th in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is a ferry ride away from Janes’ hometown of Victoria. Although Janes is one of Canada’s top middleweights and is from B.C., he wasn’t thinking he was a shoo-in for the event.

“Not really,” Janes said on Full Contact Fighter Radio, when asked if he was thinking he might receive a call from the promotion, after learning the UFC was returning to Vancouver. “Where I haven’t fought….Before my last fight with (Brendan) Kornberger, I would probably have been like ‘yeah, definitely’, I would expect it. But where I really haven’t fought, I was kind of like ‘I don’t know’, I don’t know if I’m still on their radar.”

Janes last fight took place last July, under the Battlefield Fight League banner, and he submitted Kornberger in the fourth round. Janes fought a few months before that in March, 2015, and also submitted David Perron.

“I was thrilled, excited,” added Janes, while discussing his reaction to the news he’ll be competing at UFC on FOX 21. “I can’t even describe how it felt. It was insane.”

Janes will be taking on Adam Hunter, who will also be making his UFC debut. The New Brunswick fighter arrives in the promotion having won seven straight fights, since he lost his pro debut.

“My thoughts; I don’t know. He’s a big puncher. That’s clear. But, I mean when you’re dealing with 4oz gloves, everyone can be a big puncher,” the ZUMA fighter said, when asked for his assessment of Hunter. “You can’t underestimate that. So, I approach this fight like I approach most fights. I’ll worry about what I’ve got to do to win this fight, and not care too much what he does…When you get to this level you have to be decent at most things.”

UFC on FOX 21 will be hosted by Vancouver’s Rogers Arena. In the main event, Demian Maia will battle fellow welterweight contender, Carlos Condit.