Justin Likness prepares for his fight at Spirit Lake Casino by practicing ground-and-pound striking. (Photo by Andrew Benjamin - DLJ Reporter)
Devils Lake High School 2009 graduate Justin Likness’ life could be a movie. The MMA fighter has faced personal adversity in his life that could make the average person capitulate. But Likness is not the average person. As he hits the pads at Lopez Boxing in Minot, the 33-year-old Minot resident is looking to make his MMA fighting comeback.
Likness grew up all over North Dakota. He’s lived in Fargo, New Rockford, Devils Lake, and Minot. The 5-7 fighter stumbled upon the sport not because he was a high school wrestler or boxing ace. While in New Rockford he saw a poster for a one-night MMA tournament where the winner would get $1,600. Without any hesitation, he signed up and managed to win the first fight. He couldn’t continue after due to breaking his thumb. He impressed coach Jordan Calavera who offered to train him. “He asked if I wanted to go pro.” He joined Calavera Martial Arts in Minot and his fight career took off.
Likness had a rough start at first. “My first MMA fight didn’t go my way,” he recalled. “My ground game wasn’t that strong.” After he lost his second fight, he was determined to not give up. He went back to the gym and in his words “trained and trained.”
He snagged his first win when he got a 28-second TKO ground and pound victory in 2013. After that, he won four more fights in a row finishing all of his opponents. He then had his biggest fight when he got to challenge King of the Cage featherweight champion Jordan Griffin for the championship. The fight did not go his way. He got TKOed in the second round. Winning a championship on the regional circuit opens doors to UFC and other major organizations. That loss closed those big doors.
Likness by his admission “wasn’t training” and was “getting into things I shouldn’t be.” Then another personal whammy hit him. Two weeks after his championship challenge, his wife filed for divorce. “This can’t be happening to me,” Likness recalled. Going through the proceedings affected his mental health negatively.
Just like a fighter, he had to push through with strong perseverance. He got a new job at Terhorst Manufacturing which he said “saved my life.” He remarried and credits his wife, Shay, as “one of the biggest parts to pulling myself together for a comeback and putting myself back together.”
Likness makes his return to the cage to rematch Andres Murray. The two already fought last year with Murray finishing Likness by TKO. During the fight, Likness threw an inside left kick and broke his foot. “I couldn’t move sideways anymore. I threw a head kick with the same foot. He caught me and clipped me on the chin.” Despite the loss, he has nothing but respect for Murray. “There’s no bad blood. We’re both game fighters and we’re competitive fighters,” he said.
Despite the ups and downs of the sport, Likness feels stronger than ever and doesn’t see himself leaving it behind. “I enjoy the competitiveness, the way you have to push yourself to get ready. It helps show what you’re made of. The more you beat yourself the more you want it,” he said. Along with competing, he will soon be opening his own gym in Minot. He is looking forward to training the next generation of fighters from North Dakota.
He promises his fight is going to be an exciting battle and he is looking forward to fighting in front of his friends and family who have been with him along on this journey.
Justin Likness takes on Andres Murray for Throne MMA on February 24 at Spirit Lake Casino.
