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.
Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic touch gloves before their second UFC heavyweight Championship bout at UFC 241. (Credit: Josh Hedges/Zuffa)
Daniel Cormier’s future in UFC is at a stand still after losing his heavyweight title to Stipe Miocic in shocking fashion at UFC 241.Cormier, 40, was defeated in a fourth-round knockout by Miocic after receiving a dozen punches to the skull in Anaheim, California on Sunday night.
Following the devastating loss, the former UFC Heavyweight champion posted on Instagram to apologize to his coaches and fans as well as his wife and children.
“I am so sorry to all I have let down,” Cormier posted. “To my wife and kids I am so sorry you guys had to experience that, I never wanted y’all to see that and the hurt you guys showed breaks my heart every time I think about it.”
Cormier also took the time to congratulate Miocic and his team on an impressive victory.
“Stipe Miocic and his team, congratulations on a tremendous victory, you showed so much heart and grit, you are the definition of Cleveland tough.”
197.2k Likes, 11k Comments - Daniel "DC" Cormier (@dc_mma) on Instagram: "It's been a couple of days and I can't stress the disappointment, I am so sorry to all I have let..."
Miocic’s comeback victory Sunday night saw him become the fourth fighter in history to recapture the undisputed UFC heavyweight title as he avenged his loss to Cormier in July 2018.
The heavyweight’s previous encounter saw Cormier defeat Miocic by knockout in the first-round to become the UFC heavyweight champion and the second fighter in history to hold two championships simultaneously in separate weight classes.
At the post-fight press conference, Miocic explained the difficulty he had connecting shots in the first two rounds.
“In a fight anything can happen, he gave me some good shots, but I wasn’t really worried about it,” Miocic said. “He’s (Cormier) an amazing wrestler and like I said I started off slow in the first few rounds; I wasn’t me.”
“I was fighting like a bitch, I really was. I take nothing away from D.C (Daniel Cormier) he’s tough. He’s fought the best in the world and beat the best in the world. It took me sometime to get my mojo and I couldn’t feel it.”
“My one coach told me that when I walked in the fourth round he knew it would be over. He’s like, ‘I just see your face, the way your sweating, your hips are moving.’ he said he knew it would be good.”
Despite losing his momentum in the third-round, Cormier says that he was content with his performance early on in the bout. While talking to ESPN MMA’s Brett Okamoto after the fight, Cormier expressed his regret of not utilizing more wrestling takedowns in his game plan.
“I think when the first round started and we started finally trading (strikes), I was able to hit him,” Cormier explained. “In the second round everything was landing, but I was also taking shots and I just didn’t wrestle.”
“That’s what I should’ve continued to do…. I should’ve continued to wrestle and try and take him to the ground. On the ground I was controlling the exchanges and I was able to keep him down for three and a half minutes. So it never really felt that he was going to get away from me until the very end of the first-round where I ended up in a front headlock or something.”
While speaking with ESPN MMA, Cormier also spoke about a possible rematch with Miocic in the future. Although the former heavyweight champions future in MMA in uncertain, what is certain is that his decision for a third fight with Miocic will depend on if his coaching staff and family are on board.
“I think I can get a rematch if I wanted to,” Cormier said.” It’s something I’ll have to discuss with my team, my wife and my kids. My son, little Daniel, just asked me, ‘Dad are you retired?’ and I said, ‘Well, I don’t know Pop.’ I said, ‘Will it make you upset if I am?’ and he said. ‘No.’ He said I could spend more time with them.”
“So, I just have to take my time and figure it out.”
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.
