Sandpoint native Jared Rosholt ready for chance at $1 million

NEW YORK — Sandpoint native Jared Rosholt is one victory away from capturing the Professional Fighters League heavyweight championship and the grand prize of $1 million.

It all goes down Tuesday night on New Year’s Eve starting at 7 p.m. live on ESPN 2.

The former Bulldog wrestler made it to the PFL playoffs finale as the No. 7 seed by winning two fights in one night on Oct. 31.

First, Rosholt took down No. 2 seed Muhammed Dereese in the quarterfinals of the playoffs by TKO in the first round.

The 33-year-old then faced No. 4 seed Kelvin Tillers in the semifinals and defeated him by unanimous decision to earn a spot in the championship match against No. 5 seed Ali Isaev.

After falling in the PFL semifinals last year, Rosholt said he felt a rush of relief come over him once he realized he had advanced to the title fight which is something he was confident he could do before the playoffs began.

“I always thought that I could make it,” he said. “A lot of times I thought I was the favorite, at least in my mind I was, especially with where I was in the bracket I absolutely thought it was doable and that it would be an upset if I didn’t make it through to the final.”

Rosholt said tons of support rolled in after he made it to the final especially from friends and family in the Sandpoint area. His phone blew up with calls and texts congratulating him and wishing him luck in his next fight.

“It’s kind of eye opening how many people were paying attention,” he said. “I usually kind of block everyone and everything out during the time leading up to my fights so I don’t pay attention to what people are saying.”

Rosholt said he thinks it’s great that people are following his career and he hopes they appreciate what he’s been able to accomplish so far.

The title bout will take place under the lights inside the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden. But Rosholt isn’t worried about the spotlight getting the best of him having fought in New York just over a year ago.

When Rosholt isn’t training or fighting, he works full-time as an elevator mechanic apprentice and he realizes what $1 million could do for him and his family.

“I used to really worry about winning money whenever I was fighting when that was my full-time career,” he said, “and how I fed my family and I put a lot of pressure on myself to make sure I won and now with working another career at the same time it takes that pressure off.

“I can’t complain about the money I’ve made in my fighting career but I’ve never come close to making that in a fight that’s for sure.”

Rosholt hasn’t thought about what he would do with the money if he won or if he would consider retiring from fighting afterwards mainly because he is focused on winning the title.

But he is grateful for the journey that has got him to where he is today.

“I’m very appreciative of the steps of going from when I first started fighting in casinos and making a couple thousand dollars to making six figures,” he said.