Lucas Neufeld has one thing on his mind: a fight.
The Lethbridge native, Neufeld (3-1), steps into the cage against Abbotsford's Gagan Gill (2-0) in a featherweight matchup at Fight Night 9 in Lethbridge, Alta., this Friday evening.
At 25, Neufeld says he plans to adapt to whatever Gill brings to the table and deny his opponent the chance to play to his advantages.
"I'm going to make this a brawl," Neufeld declared during a recent interview.
"Sure, I consider myself a martial artist, but this is going to get ugly. If Gagan wants to box it out as a stylistic kickboxer, I won't allow that."
The loss to Jordan Leavitt by unanimous decision at Tuff-N-Uff: Fight Night in Las Vegas, NV, back in September, marked Neufeld's first defeat as a pro.
Even with that setback behind him, Neufeld insists he absorbed plenty of lessons from a contest where patience was the missing ingredient.
"I needed to use my footwork better. I let him close distance, clinch, and pull me to the mat," Neufeld reflected.
"I should've kept him at the tip of my jab, worked my angles, and carved out a minute or two each round just to create space and pepper him. The fight certainly tested me. My heart was racing the whole time."
An Unrelenting Training Camp
Like many fighters, Neufeld balances a regular job alongside his MMA commitments. But not this time around.
He stepped away from work entirely to dedicate himself to this camp, which means daily sessions at the gym throughout.
"I've invested more preparation time than ever before," Neufeld shared.
"I'm excited. This was a complete, genuine professional fight camp."
Fighting in his hometown adds another layer of motivation—a city where he's built a track record of success and commands a devoted fanbase.
Home advantage, he says, gives him a noticeable surge of adrenaline, and he thinks the packed crowd can unsettle visitors.
"There's so much support here, they fuel me, and I've seen opponents struggle with it before," Neufeld explained.
"I hold the advantage. He's walking right into hostile territory."
Neufeld's Shoutouts
"I want to thank my gym Progressive Fighting Academy, my coaches and training partners, my sponsors Southern Chiropractic Family Wellness, Lafarge Lethbridge, East Meets West, and the great fans that always come out and support. Go to enmaxcentre.ca, find the Fight Night event and use promo code WILDTHING when you get your tickets."
