Illinois native Justin Wetzell makes his LFA return in just nine days against Jordan Mapa, and the Team Elevation prospect envisions big things ahead.
“I’m looking forward to obviously gettin’ the win, but after that I’m hoping I can move out of the LFA and get a short-notice fight for the Contender Series or get on a UFC card man.”
The 28 year old Wetzell has been apart of Team Elevation in Denver, Colorado for almost four years now. Being able to train alongside other elite mixed martial artists everyday has Wetzell feeling confident heading into LFA 92.
“I’m glad that I got this match-up… I’ve been staying ready and I’ve been helping Cory Sandhagen get ready for Marlon Moraes,” he said. “I’m in fight shape right now and my weight’s already good.”
Wetzell’s match-up versus Mapa is set to take place at featherweight, but the plan is to pursue greatness at bantamweight.
“I’ll take 145 if the match-up makes sense, but as far as like my professional weight and my UFC weight if you will… the weight I want to compete at and be the best in the world at… it’s definitely going to be 135.”
Wetzell particularly likes how he stacks up heading into his fight on Oct. 2nd.
“Weight’s gonna be even easier to make, but I like everything about it,” he told me. “My opponent’s a little bigger than me, but I see that as only an advantage.”
One advantage Wetzell will almost always have over his opponents at bantamweight is height. At 5’9″, he would be the second tallest bantamweight in the UFC’s top-15; behind only his teammate Cory Sandhagen.
Height will not be an advantage in the octagon if you don’t know how to use it. Luckily Wetzell has been able to learn how to use his height as a weapon from working with Sandhagen.
“When you’re taller and longer like me you have to be able to use those advantages, and a lot of that comes from your footwork,” he explained. “That’s something I’ve really learned from Cory himself is being able to use the reach, use the length by moving around… switching stances and staying active.”
He shared some insight on how to avoid letting the height become a disadvantage.
“If you have that long reach, but you’re standing still, your feet are flat, you’re not switching stances,” he continued. “It’s gonna be a lot easier to target, grapple with you, and take you down.”
Wetzell credits Team Elevation for allowing him to reach new heights as a fighter.
“I don’t even know if words can describe it man,” he responded. “I came out here thinking I was an OK, decent fighter, but I quickly realized I was not,” he chuckled. “When you surround yourself with people who are a higher level than you there’s no choice but to catch up to them. The time I’ve spent out here, it’s really helped me evolve my game, it’s really helped me move passed my background of just being a wrestler.”
Year-round diligence has Justin Wetzell in a great state of mind heading into LFA 92. You can count on him being accompanied by his scouter at each weigh-in as he analyzes his opponent beyond the surface.
“Oh my scouter?” Wetzell responded when I asked what it was. “Yeah it’s a device that detects other people’s power levels,” he said. “Wearing that out before I go f*** them up and just gives me a little more confidence.”
Catch Justin Wetzell make his LFA return on Oct. 2nd against Jordan Mapa!
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