Jornel Lugo looks to keep his winning streak going at Bellator 252 and beyond
For 4-0 Jornel Lugo, his future in the fight business is bright. Lugo is preparing for his second bout in the Bellator cage this Thursday night as he looks to take on Schyler Sootho at Bellator 252. The event takes place in the Mohegan Sun Arena as have all of Bellator’s U.S events since returning from break due to the coronavirus pandemic. Now that the fights have resumed, Lugo is looking to leave his mark and that begins on Thursday night.
Lugo’s first Bellator bout was last October, but he has seen action since then. Having fought in August, Lugo had a plan to stay prepared to return to action if called upon, and it just so happens that Bellator was the one calling.
“Since my last fight was three months ago and I took two weeks off just to rest my body and hen I got back to training hard in preparation for a fight because at this stage I feel like we don’t have the luxury to take off time and then start a training camp in case anything pops up,” Lugo said. “So, I was ready to get in good shape. I found out about the fight about five weeks ahead of time, but I probably got ten weeks in still.”
Having been under the bright lights of the Bellator stage before, this time it is business as usual for Lugo in this familiar setting in Connecticut.
“The first time it was just exciting because it was my first time,” Lugo said. “It was the big stage, but now, for me, I don’t want to say it’s just another fight but it feels no different than anything that is normal for me at this point. I’m defiantly appreciative to be here but it’s just normal.”
Obviously, things will be looking quite different this time around. Last October for Lugo’s debut the seats were filled with screaming fans. Lugo won via unanimous decision and set the place on fire. This time will be much quieter.
“With the quarantine, it doesn’t really make a difference to me,” Lugo explained. “What would I be doing if I wasn’t quarantined, you know? That one (no fans in attendance) was starting to get me a little bit sad. It’s just exciting when your friends and family can come and watch, and it’s fun. As far as the actual fight itself, it makes zero difference. It’s just cool to be able to have your friend see you win.”
The objective is always to win but there is more behind Lugo’s motivation this time around. He is looking to continue on his underfed path in hopes of becoming one of the all-time greats.
“I hope that after this fight I’ll be getting a contract,” Lugo said. “I defiantly want to win this fight and get back in. I think February would be a good time for me. In five years I defiantly want to be fighting for a world championship. I’m not sure where I want to go but I just know I do want to prosper in my sport. Wherever that takes me I’m going to keep winning.”
Bellator 252 takes place on Thursday, Nov. 12 live from Mohegan Sun in CT. The event is headlined by a featherweight championship matchup between Patricio Pitbull and Pedro Carvalho.
