MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. – Kevin Ferguson Jr. may have gotten a late start in the fight game, but he believes he’s coming along nicely in his young career and is ready to make an even greater impact going forward.

Since he suddenly showed up on the fight scene for his first amateur bout nearly two years ago, Ferguson Jr. (2-1 MMA, 2-1 BMMA) has had expectations. As the son of deceased street brawler turned MMA fighter Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson, “Baby Slice” is the proprietor of a fighting legacy. And he’s said numerous times he wants to live up to that legacy while crafting his own.

Although Ferguson Jr., 26, said his father never wanted him to fight, he knew he would get into it eventually. He’s won two of three pro bouts so far, with his fourth scheduled to take place Friday at Bellator 197 vs. Devon Brock (1-0 MMA, 1-0 BMMA).

For the first time in his career, Ferguson Jr. will fight an opponent with fewer bouts, but he said he’s not using that as an assumption he knows more.

“I’ve only been a year pro,” Ferguson Jr. told MMAjunkie. “I’ve only been training for a year and a half. I have a lot of room to grow, a lot of learning to do. I feel like most of the guys I’ve fought have more experience than me. I only had one amateur fight and maybe one smoker, and then I turned pro. I’m still learning. I’m beating guys with way more experience.”

For Ferguson Jr., it’s important to manage his career carefully. He lost his debut fight but has rebounded with a perfect year in 2017. He got two-straight wins – a submission and a knockout – and Ferguson Jr. said that, as long as he doesn’t get reckless, the success should continue.

“I think the sky’s the limit for me as long as I stay on track,” Ferguson Jr. said. “I let my manager and my coach and the Bellator staff – I let those guys handle everything. If they think I’m ready and prepared, then I’ll be ready. Once I put in the work, the fight will be simple.”

Bellator 197 takes place Friday at The Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo. The main card, which includes Ferguson Jr. vs. Brock, will air on Paramount following prelims on MMAjunkie.

After some struggles with discipline and dedication, Ferguson Jr. said he’s all in on MMA. He’d like to be as active as possible, but Ferguson Jr. said keeping focus on the next fight is key. If he does that, he doesn’t foresee Brock giving him much problem at Bellator 197.

“I don’t want to blow my load or nothing, so I’m going to pace myself, but when I do strike, I’m looking to put some power behind it, and then he’ll go down. And if he doesn’t go down, he’ll be hurt for sure. He’s going to get on his bike.”

For more on Bellator 197, check out the MMA Rumors section of the site.