Australia's top-ranked featherweight, Justin Van Heerden, is making headlines again as he gears up for a critical fight in his career. Known as "Lockjaw," Van Heerden has been unstoppable since relocating from Brisbane to Windang three years ago. In this period, he has secured five consecutive wins, claiming and defending the Eternal featherweight title within just 18 months.
Van Heerden recently signed with HEX Fight Series, another major Australian promotion. Last month, he achieved a unanimous decision victory over Michael Barber, a Melbourne-based fighter, in his first fight under the HEX banner. This Friday, Van Heerden returns to action, contending for the HEX featherweight title against George Mangos in Melbourne. A win here could bring him tantalizingly close to a UFC contract.
However, Van Heerden's journey has been marked by more than just his fighting prowess. The 30-year-old demonstrated remarkable loyalty to his Freestyle MMA teammate, Jarrett Wilbraham. Wilbraham faced a potential match against Semakadde Kakembo, who became a possible opponent for Van Heerden after original contender Abdalla Biayda was pulled due to a knockout injury.
Despite being on the brink of a significant career milestone, Van Heerden was prepared to withdraw from his title bout if it meant Wilbraham would lose his spot on the card. "The first thing I said was 'I don't care how this gets sorted, I'm not going to leave Jarrett without a fight and just shaft him'," Van Heerden asserted.
He made it clear to HEX officials that Wilbraham's fight needed to be secured, or he would refuse to compete. Fortunately, the situation resolved favorably, and Wilbraham will now return to the ring after a year-long injury hiatus to face Kakembo.
"Justin really held his ground and said he wasn't going to fight," Wilbraham said, acknowledging his teammate's loyalty. Despite wanting Van Heerden to pursue his UFC dreams, Wilbraham appreciated his friend's steadfast support.
Van Heerden's upcoming fight against the undefeated Mangos, who boasts a 6-0 amateur career, is highly anticipated. Having ended the longest hiatus of his professional career with his victory over Barber, Van Heerden is confident he will continue his winning streak and strengthen his case for a UFC debut.
"I'm focused on next week, and I'm going to go out there and do my thing, but I've paid my dues, I've done the work," Van Heerden said. He is determined to make his UFC aspirations undeniable with a seventh straight win.
For the complete story and more details on Justin Van Heerden's journey, visit the original article here
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