Top Lightweight Prospects Set to Clash at Legacy FC 7; Interview with MTW Fighter Justin Reiswerg

HOUSTON, TX, July 8, 2011 – For those of you that pay close attention to the development of up-and-coming prospects, you may want to pay close attention to one specific fight on the undercard of the July 22^nd Legacy Fighting Championship. The lightweight bout pitting Justin Reiswerg against Marc “Mongoose” Ramirez pits two of the most promising 155ibs fighters in the city of Houston against each other in a bout that could skyrocket the winner to a title shot as early as this year if things go as planned.

On the road to this matchup, both fighters boast significant fights that have brought them to the attention of fans and prognosticators alike.

For Justin Reiswerg, that fight was a January bout with former Legacy FC lightweight Rey Trujillo. Taking on “Tru the Champ” at a time when he was known as one of the most devastating strikers to grace the Legacy cage. Reputations aside, Justin wasn’t afraid to take it to the champ and mix it up on the way to a fight-finishing armbar that reinforced his pre-fight statements here on TXMMA.com. “I use every piece of my body as a weapon,” he said before the fight. “I will be dominating the former champion and I plan on finishing him.” Big words backed up in the cage.

For Marc “The Mongoose” Ramirez, his landmark fight wasn’t a win but a close decision loss in a war with now-Bellator fighter Adam Schindler this past December in the IXFA organization. Prior to the fight, nobody was giving the 1-0 Ramirez a snowball’s chance in hell at being able to compete with his highly-touted opponent. Yet throughout the course of the five round fight, he fought within himself and took it to Schindler, winning the stand-up portion of the fight en route to the very close decision. Moreover, with the momentum of that fight, “Mongoose” rebounded with a February win against tough San Antonian Cody Hoffstatter via TKO to reaffirm himself as one of the city’s top prospects en route to his Legacy FC debut.

Rest assured that we’ll talk to Marc Ramirez soon, as we will with most of the fighters on the Legacy FC 7 card as we seek to bring to the most in-depth coverage of this event to our TXMMA.com readers. For right now though, we hope you enjoy our conversation with one-half of this super exciting bout, Justin Reiswerg.

Justin, thanks for talking to us as always. It looks like you’ve got a huge fight and another big tet coming up at Legacy FC 7 against Marc Ramirez. How are you preparing for this fight?

I practice on being well-rounded and training everywhere. I was going to work my standup a lot more b/c I heard that I was fighting a Muay Thai instructor originally that was supposed to be really good but injury took him out. I’m still going to be training a lot of standup for Ramirez. Obviously he knocked out his last opponent and went through a five-round war with Adam Schindler so the kid is well-rounded and tough so I just have to be even more so and make sure I’m better than everything he’s good at.

A lot of hype went on him after he fought Schindler and took him to a split decision. I know he (Schindler) is a common opponent between you two. Did you get to watch that fight?

As soon as I got the nod that I was going to be fighting Ramirez, I went and watched that video. The kid has a lot of heart, that’s for sure. Schindler had him in a really bad spot in the first-round. I think a crucifix where he was dropping some elbows. He stuck it out and ended up getting out of it. He has good cardio and he was getting the best of Schindler in the standup for sure with good crisp punches. His takedown defense wasn’t that great but he was getting away from a lot of takedowns when Schindler got tired and got a little sloppy, not taking anything away from Schindler obviously – he’s a great wrestler. Bottom line, I did watch the film and I was impressed by the performance Ramirez put on for five rounds.

After having watched him, how do you feel you guys match up?

I feel like he’s a well-rounded fighter but I definitely feel like I am better. Not a whole lot… but I definitely feel like I’ll be better in every aspect of the game. I’m sure I’ll be stronger than him and I’ll probably be bigger than him, which has been the case for me with most 155’ers. We’re just going to go in there and find out. I can say all this and look at all the tape I want but when we get in the cage is when all those questions really get answered.

Throughout the course of the last half year, you and Ramirez have garnered a lot of hype as two of the up-and-coming young lions at lightweight here in Houston. How do you plan on beating him and what do you think is on tap for the winner of this bout?

I don’t really like to make predictions except to say that I think the fight WILL finish. I don’t like letting it go to the judges and have it be debated like that. Two guys like us, we’re both full of pride and want to go in there and put on a good show so I’m sure he doesn’t want to leave the fight in other people’s hands either. I think we both want to win knowing we actually finished the other guy and beat him, not just won because somebody says we did. As for the winner of this fight, I really do think there is going to be a whole lot of surge in terms of hype and bigger fights. I could even see the winner going on to fight the winner of Rivera / Trujillo, and the winner of that going on to fight for the title.

Any last words for Marc Ramirez before July 22nd?

No man, no words. Let’s just get in there and fight.

Would you like to make any acknowledgements to everyone that’s been helping you prepare?

I’d like to thank all my fans, family, friends, and students. Of course the people over at the gym (Bam Bam Martial Arts) – Cody Phillips, Scott Sullivan, Brett Boyce with Made to Win Management. I’d like to thank Furia Fightwear, who’ve been with me forever and I’d like to thank all my sponsors – ProFormance Mouth Guards, MyFitFoods, and everyone else. If I forgot you I’m sorry.

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