Justin Wetzell “The 1st PFL bantamweight champion lives on forever”
Justin Wetzell has embarked on a journey in the last 15 years that has seen him finally sign to a major promotion in the sport, and he is grabbing the opportunity with both hands.
Justin Wetzell also has a chance to grab 500 K against Marcirley Alves as well as claim the PFL Bantamweight Tournament Championship in the coming days. This will be part of the PFL 2025 World Tournament on August 15th.
Wetzell was a recent guest on Bowks Talking Bouts, and while discussing what a journey it has been in the context of not just the broader 15 years of MMA experience, but the journey within this particular PFL season on route to now vying for this PFL tournament title, Wetzell said,
“Yeah, the journey within the journey, right? Yeah, this has been a wild ride these past four months. It’s three fights in four months. It’s a grind, man. I got called up on short notice, got thrown right into the fire against the Russian killer [Kasum Kasumov]. Came out on top, and then it’s right back into it. You know, you got eight weeks, you’re into the next fight.”
“I won that fight, made it to the finals, and it’s another eight weeks. It’s a quick turnaround, man. So, your body gets banged up. You go through bumps and bruises with training camps. But that’s all part of it, man. That’s a hidden part I think a lot of people don’t see is the quick turnarounds. You have to be a warrior to go through this. The winner of this tournament is a world champion.”
When speaking to the appreciation and mutual understanding of his opponent Alves’ arduous path to the finals, considering he has also faced the rigors of the PFL tournament schedule, Wetzell stated,
“Yeah, I mean he went through two decisions as well. We both have fought for 30 minutes to get to this point. So I know he’s got some bumps and bruises and has been banged up a little bit too. So it is what it is, man. It’s part of it. But we’re we’re both going to get in there and I’m gonna win this fight though. I’m gonna be the champion.”
PFLÂ Bantamweight Tournament Finals Overview from wetzell
When spotlighting Marcirley Alves’ road through this Professional Fighters League tournament as well as the X’s and O’s of his opponent’s skill set and resume, Wetzell quipped,
“He’s a beast, dude. That dude’s terrifying. You see his last fight? I was there cage side. I heard the body punches landing, man. He’s a scary fighter. That being said, dude, I got to go in there. I got to take him out and that’s what I’m going to do.”
“I just got done doing interviews, man. I saw that gold belt. I held it, took some photos with it. I am not leaving here without that, man. The prize money’s cool. Prize money can change your life, but money comes and goes. The first PFL bantamweight champion lives on forever.”
Also, when explaining how the legacy stamp of winning this Professional Fighters League championship would mean more than the cash prize given to the tournament victor, Wetzell said,
“Money comes and goes. Like, you know, you can win 500K and it can be gone within a month. It can be gone tomorrow. But the title, that is immortalized. That can never be taken away from you ever. That means way more to me, man.”
