Over the past two years, bantamweight Jerrell Hodge has not only been active in MMA, but has been pursuing avenues in multiple combat sports like boxing at the same time.
For Hodge, doing so many different things has been a boon to keeping him ready to fight and preventing any stagnation in his game.
“I feel it helps keep you in shape,” Hodge told MMAWeekly.com. “MMA takes a lot; you use your upper body, your lower body, so sometimes it’s good to take a break and focus on individual things like your hands, your boxing, or doing a Jiu-Jitsu tournament or just go wrestle. I feel like it’s good to mix it up and focus on one thing at a time.”
The boxing Hodge has done has been especially advantageous to his MMA game.
“I feel like it makes you feel more comfortable in the pocket, move like reading distance and everything, so it compliments MMA pretty good,” said Hodge. “It made me feel a lot more comfortable with my stand-up and being more comfortable in there.”
On March 24 in Niagara Falls, New York, Hodge (9-3) will look to add a title to his resume when he faces Rafael do Nascimento (8-1) in the 135-pound championship main event of LFA 155.
“I’ve just got to be me, be focused, play my game and don’t feed into his game, and I should come out with the W,” Hodge said. “I don’t think (do Nascimento) really got anything that can stop what I bring to the table. I’ve seen the opponents he’s been against; I’ve seen his record, so I’m not too scared of this man.”
With a history of the LFA sending its champions to the next level, Hodge could be on the verge of making that move up in 2023, which to him has been a long time coming.
“I already feel like I’m on the next level and I should be there,” said Hodge. “I’ve had some calls before, but they were last-minute, so I’m hoping that I can get a contract and get put on a regular fight plan, and not a short-notice (fight). I like to have a full training, not any short-notice stuff.”
Jerrell Hodge ‘not too scared’ of Rafael do Nascimento heading into LFA 155 main event