PEMBERTON—Justus Cheatom, 22-year-old resident of Pemberton Township, has been awarded a certificate of excellence by Pemberton Mayor Matthew Bianchini at a July 1 Township Council meeting following Cheatom’s June 6 victory against Isaiah Herring, solidifying both his spot as Mixed Martial Arts’ (MMA) No. 31 amateur middleweight in North America and an unbeaten 4-0 record.
“It is a dangerous man I’m having come up here,” declared Bianchini at the meeting’s start, standing before the public. “Luckily, he is on our side.”
Cheatom has lived in Pemberton Township all his life and currently works part-time for the township as a code enforcement official and spends his off-time training as a mixed martial artist. He told this newspaper that the job has been great for him, noting it provides stability while guaranteeing time to train.
“It is my honor to have you here,” Bianchini told Cheatom before boasting his accolades. “He is the No. 9 amateur middleweight in the Northeast region and No. 5 in Pennsylvania … And he is ours, which is a good thing.”
The mayor continued that, “Justus is quickly establishing himself with an undefeated 4-0 record and the prestigious title of Art of War middleweight champion,” referring to the promotion Cheatom competed within.
“He continues to demonstrate that hard work, discipline and determination are the keys to success,” Bianchini added. “When he steps into the cage, Justus proudly represents our community, showcasing not only his athletic talent, but also the dedication and perseverance it takes to compete at the highest level.”
“His passion for sport and relentless pursuit of excellence has earned him respect both inside and outside the cage,” he concluded.
Cheatom, in response to the honor, declared, “I just want to thank you guys so much for giving me the opportunity to work here. I love my city, I love Pemberton … This is where I put the hard work in. This is where all the greatness happens.”
Later he told this newspaper “I feel like I’m putting on for my city and leading by example, being a great role model,” adding, “It’s awesome to be able to do that – I love promoting a positive message.”
Kenneth Gerber, Pemberton’s director of Community Development, later said he had the “distinct pleasure” of seeing Cheatom fight on June 6.
Cheatom’s match was one of thirteen to take place that day in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, as part of Art of War Cage Fighting 48’s event at Valley Forge Casino Resort.
During Cheatom’s match, he defeated opponent Isaiah Herring in the first round after only one minute, fifty-nine seconds.
“It didn’t take long,” Gerber remembered, before telling Cheatom, “I’m proud to have you as a member of our team. You are going places.”
Cheatom hopes to continue fighting while maintaining his undefeated record, planning to fight again in November as part of Cage Fury Fighting Championship’s lineup in Atlantic City.
He joked that his township job is useful to him as a fighter, saying that it can give him fuel.
“Some people get on my nerves and later I get to take that frustration out,” he declared.