Promoting MMA on the regional scene is a different beast. For many promoters, it’s a hobby and a labor of love. Many have tried and very few have been successful. It takes tremendous investment and even more work to put on a show with no guarantee there will be a profit at the end of the show. The only people that actually know and understand what it takes to put on a professional MMA show are those that do it.
The UFC is back in Canada. On September 14, Vancouver will host UFC Fight Night 158 at the Rogers Arena. It’s the third UFC event to be hosted in Canada this year, and it’ll feature 12 fights in total.
One of those fights will be between Kyle Prepolec (12-6-0) and Austin Hubbard (10-3-0). The two men will fight in the 155 lb. weight class, and their preliminary fight will open up the event.
It’s a fight that Prepolec is pumped up for.
“I think for me and him fighting, it’s a great stylistic fight,” he said. “Not only just for both of us, in terms of how fun and exciting it could be and potentially grow to be. But also for the fans and all of the viewers.”
The native of Windsor is coming off of a loss to Nordine Taleb via unanimous decision. The defeat came in his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night Ottawa on May 5. It was Prepolec’s first loss since 2017.
Prepolec has only used the defeat as fuel to better himself. He predicts that he’ll put in a better showing this Saturday.
“I think we’ll see a new-and-improved, better version of myself,” he said.
Our own Jason Hagholm talks to Prepolec about his UFC debut, the growth of MMA leagues in Canada, and how he’s preparing for his UFC Fight Night 158: Vancouver bout against Hubbard.
If there’s one fighter that has earned the nickname “Maverick”, it’s Burlington’s Adam Assenza.
The 31-year-old is as independently-minded as they come; per his own words, he “doesn’t really care much about what anybody does.” His only focus is on preparing himself, both mentally and physically, and he only worries about doing his own thing.
That’s the perfect mentality to carry into his August 24th fight against Josh Wick for the BTC Lightweight Championship at BTC 7: Annihilation in Ottawa.
Our own Jason Hagholm talks to Assenza about how he handles preparations, how he gets over bad results, and his love for mixed martial arts.
For most fighters, there’s nothing sweeter than fighting a professional fight in their hometown. But while most fighters fail to realize that dream, 36-year-old Dan “Daniel-San” Lariviere is only weeks away from experiencing it.
Although Lariviere was born in Halifax, Nove Scotia, the Lightweight fighter was raised in Ottawa, Ontario. It’s a city that remains number one in his heart, and when he fights Patrick Connors at BTC 7: Annihilation on August 24, he expects a special performance from himself to cap off a special event.
Our own Jason Hagholm speaks to Lariviere about the importance and gravity of such a moment.
Dustin Joynson could be a name on the lips of every Canadian mixed martial arts viewer very soon, if he isn’t already.
The native of Victoria, British Columbia, is one of the top Canadian Heavyweight prospects in MMA. He boasts a 5-0-0 record, and if he defeats the Australian Ben Sosoli on the season finale of Dana White’s Contender Series on August 27th, he could be rewarded with a UFC contract.
The MMA Chronicles’ Jason Hagholm speaks to Joynson about the opportunity to fight in the Contenders Series, his love of video gaming, and his wrestling roots.
You would think that the worst part of being a professional mixed martial artist is actually stepping into the cage and fighting another human being. After all, few people would prefer to eat punches and takedowns for a living. But for many MMA fighters, the real fight is preparing for weight cuts… [READ MORE}
