Jake Childers plans to push Justin Gonzalez to his limit in LFA 84 title bout

After picking up his eighth win in a row to start off his career this past February, with a win over Nate Richardson at LFA 82, featherweight Jake Childers was looking to keep his momentum rolling when the novel coronavirus put a halt to those plans.

For Childers one of the most difficult things during lockdown was trying to keep his training going. After a bit of difficulty, he was able to find a workaround and do his best to stay active.

“I was excited to keep the ball rolling after that big win (over Richardson), and get something going really quick and everything, but the coronavirus happened and all of that,” Childers told MMAWeekly.com.

“It was hard finding areas to train. It was a difficult time. It had been probably about two or three weeks after that, then I started to kind of take things into my own hands and invite people over and just keep the training going myself.”

Difficulties with training aside, Childers managed to stay hopeful of a return, so when the call finally came to get back to fighting he was ready for it.

“I was just hoping (to return) as fast as possible, but I wasn’t really sure (when that would happen),” said Childers. “Once the UFC started putting on stuff and getting stuff going, I knew sooner than later other promotions would be getting stuff going too. I was a little more excited (when I got the call to fight) because I wasn’t sure when it would come.”

On July 10 in Sioux Falls, S.D., Childers (8-0) will look to claim his first major MMA championship when he faces Justin Gonzalez (10-0) in the featherweight championship main event of LFA 84.

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“I just think I need to fight my fight and go out there and make it a grind and make it dirty, (and) just push (Gonzalez) to his limit,” Childers said. “Push the pace until he’s not comfortable. I think he’s a powerful guy, is a good wrestler, with knockout power, so I have to stay on my game and put it on him.

“The more belts you have the better it is, but at the same time I’m more excited to be in there for a five round fight. I feel like in a three round fight you can really going and then it’s over, so if I have those extra two rounds to show everybody what I can do I’m a problem for a lot of people.”

While taking an LFA title could open a lot of doors for Childers, he’s going take each opportunity as it comes and not look too far ahead of what’s directly in front of him.

“I’ve always taken it one fight at a time,” said Childers. “When I fought (Josh) Marsh and when I fought Jamey (Simmons), after I was getting these wins everyone was saying something big was coming – yeah I feel like something big is coming around the bend – but at the same time I’m just taking the fights one at a time and am trying to win them.”