Featherweight, Javier Reyes (21-5) Vs. Justice Torres (12-3)
Notable Notes
- Torres is getting this fight on short notice
- Both lost in less than a year ago
- Reyes went 2-2 in LFA
- Torres went 12-3 in Fury FC
- Torres has never been finished
- Reyes has three losses by finish
- Torres has five finishes in rounds two-three
- Reyes has been finished and finished fights in rounds one, two, and three
Javier Reyes
-Good jiu-jitsu
-Submission threat
-Goes body-head well
-Throws in volume
-High work rate
-Well-conditioned
-Mixes up striking patterns
-Scrambles well
-Active ground and pound
-Poor hand positioning
-Naked kicks
-TDD needs work
-Chin up
-Easily backed up
-Telegraphs takedowns
At 31, it would’ve made more sense to sign Reyes straight to the UFC rather than funneling him through the Contender Series. Since joining LFA last year, he’s exceeded expectations—going 2-2 with losses to UFC-level talent and both wins coming over Contender Series alumni.
Reyes is a gritty, durable fighter who’s dangerous everywhere and never easy to prepare for. He’s most effective in grappling exchanges, though his wrestling remains a weak point. He often looks for single legs or clinch work against the cage, but his setups lack polish. Still, if he gets fights to the mat, he’s effective. Sometimes his best work even comes after being taken down, as he’s active from his back with scrambles, submission attempts, and sweeps. On top, he’s a real finisher—mixing aggressive ground-and-pound with constant RNC threats. He could use more discipline in picking his shots, but his pressure and activity are relentless.
On the feet, Reyes is serviceable but flawed. He throws a decent jab, works in solid volume, and mixes body shots nicely into combinations. Offensively, he’s capable, but defensively, he’s a liability. His chin stays on the centerline, especially when retreating, and his reaction time isn’t sharp enough to avoid extended combinations. As a result, he’s hittable, and at his age, with two knockout losses already, durability will only decline.
To beat Reyes, opponents need to crowd him and strike first. Skilled strikers with sharp combinations will likely piece him up, but fighters with limited cardio or striking fundamentals may find themselves overwhelmed by his pace and persistence.
Reyes is a tough, dangerous test—an ideal opponent for measuring whether prospects are ready for the next level, even if his own ceiling seems capped below the elite tier.
Justice Torres
-Good elbows
-Well-conditioned
-Good cage wrestling
-Durable/Good chin
-Good feints
-Good jab
-Active ground and pound
-Combination striker
-Sits in the pocket too long
-Lacks phycality
-Poor head movement
-Gives up his back
-Terrible TDD
Torres is the kind of short-notice opponent you can rely on for action—if it’s up to him, the fight won’t be dull. He’s not a power puncher, which has limited his ceiling, but he does have solid boxing fundamentals. Torres throws in high volume, mixing shots from both sides and straight down the middle, though he tends to headhunt and doesn’t commit much to the body. He’ll use leg kicks here and there, but when his striking narrows into one direction, it becomes easier to read.
He’s most effective when allowed to dictate pace. If you let him settle in, he’ll put hands on you and stay busy. On the flip side, opponents who push the tempo can take the fight from him. Defensively, he’s very hittable—especially on his back foot, where his head remains on the centerline. Nearly every opponent has managed to take him down, though Torres is good at scrambling back up against the cage. The issue is that in those scrambles, he often leaves his back exposed. Offensively, he’s a capable cage wrestler, but his lack of jiu-jitsu limits his effectiveness once things hit the mat.
What truly carries him is his cardio. Torres can push a pace for three rounds, often breaking opponents late or simply winning by doing more over time. His defensive flaws are always present, but his work rate and durability keep him competitive. On the regional scene, he’s exactly the kind of fighter who serves as a tough test for prospects looking to prove themselves.
Prediction: This is a tough one to predict because I can see it going different ways. On the feet Torres is the far better striker. Reyes though is gonna push forward and that could very much overwhelm Torres. Reyes excels when he get the takedowns but doesn’t have much wrestling. Still, it doesn’t take much to get Torres down. I believe even when taken down Torres has good submission defense and will get back to his feet.
In my opinion, Reyes best chance in this fight is to catch Torres with something. As Torres is easy to hit, he’s never been knocked out, and Reyes has. The technical gap between the two strongly favors Torres, and I believe it becomes clearer as the fight goes on. I got Torres by decision by doing more damage and wearing on Reyes as the fight goes.
