Tag: Canadian Content

With today’s announcement that the Ontario government will legalize mixed martial arts events in 2011, the Maximum Fighting Championship – Canada’s undisputed leader in MMA – is excited and cautiously optimistic about the prospects of holding events in the province.

The MFC has long been a front-runner in proposing MMA events in Ontario, and was the first legally sanctioned organization in Canada outside of Quebec dating back to the company’s inception in 2000. Having already built up a number of ties to various venues in Ontario, the Maximum Fighting Championship is eagerly anticipating formerly announcing its first of many shows in the province.

“The MFC will be in Ontario, there is no doubt about that,” stated MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich, who grew up in the Windsor area of southern Ontario.

“For well over a year we have been in contact with numerous venues in Ontario about hosting an MFC event and all have been very eager to work with us as the most-reputable and star-studded show in the nation.”

Negotiations with the MFC’s preferred venues have already resumed with the recent announcement from the Ontario government.

“I’m excited, our whole organization is excited, and we have heard from hundreds of MFC fans in Ontario already in the first few hours of this becoming a reality,” noted Pavelich. “But we have to be cautious about this. There has to be smart business decisions made.

“It would be foolish to think that any mixed martial arts organization could march into Ontario and just sit back and watch the money roll in. It is going to take a sound business approach, logical planning, and hard work. Mixed martial arts is our business, not a hobby. We are not going to just take the first available date and run into it blindly.

“That being said, we have had fantastic talks already with the venues we like and the reception we’ve received has been incredible. I expect we will have a full schedule of Ontario events in 2011. It is important to note that the MFC will not just pop into Ontario and run. The MFC will be a regular fixture in Ontario, and our plan is to have a full, year-long schedule of shows in several locations within the province.”

Few people outside of hardcore fans following mixed martial arts will know the name Douglas Lima.

But the Brazilian-born, Atlanta-trained fighter is aiming to change all that with one eye-popping first impression in his organizational debut at MFC 26: Retribution. It certainly won’t be an easy task as Lima, who represents the American Top Team, takes on one of the most popular fighters reared on Canadian soil in Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford, a two-time challenger for the MFC’s welterweight championship.

But “The Phenom” believes that MFC 26 is the perfect occasion for a massive coming-out party.

“I like that the winner of this fight is line for a title shot. Ford has his chance. It’s my time now,” said Lima, who has only let two of his victories get to the judges’ scorecards. Eight of his wins have come via submission with four more coming by way of knockout.

“The MFC is a great organization and I would be honored to get the opportunity for a title fight.”

Lima, who trains and coaches alongside Roan Carnerio at ATT’s Atlanta headquarters, isn’t coming into the Ford fight as a household name or, for that matter, even as a narrow underdog. The native of Goainia, Brazil, is just fine with the fact that the Ford camp didn’t view him as a name enough rival and he doesn’t care that there are many insiders who are predicting that Ford’s recent path of destruction will continue on Sept. 10 in Brandon, Manitoba.

Instead, Lima is inviting the live audience in the Keystone Centre and those watching on HDNet Fights to give him the opportunity to make a name for himself.

“We’ll see what Ford and his people have to say after the fight,” said Lima. “This is a big opportunity for me and I’m going to make the most of it. I’m ready to show the world what I can do.

“I’m not (Pete) Spratt, (LaVerne) Clark or (Tommy) Speer. I am a different fighter than those guys. It doesn’t matter to me who he beat before. I like that people think Ford will have no problem with me. The pressure is all on him.”

Lima certainly does present different – and likely more difficult – challenges than anyone Ford has faced before. He’s more multi-dimensional than those in Ford’s past, and while opponents have never come right out and said it, it didn’t go unnoticed that at least a couple have been intimidated by the Edmonton, Alberta, product’s tough demeanour.

But Ford’s rough presence and rugged in-ring aggression hasn’t fazed Lima, a brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and a dangerous Muay Thai practitioner.

“I train with people tougher, stronger, and bigger than him,” said Lima. “Nothing he will do will intimidate me. I’m a fighter. I won’t back down to anybody. Man, if I get intimidated by looks or how tough somebody is I might as well not fight.”

And Lima is not concerned about what type of fight the encounter with Ford turns out to be. Styles make fights and Lima will take Ford head-on any way he wants.

“September 10 is on!” declared Lima.

“Game plans always change. I train everything. The ground is my favorite but I love to keep the fight standing too. Wherever it takes place, I’ll be comfortable. I have been training for a long time, my camp has been great, and I’ll be ready for a stand-up war and to do some good scrambling on the ground.”

There’s little doubt that Luciano Azevedo will give reigning lightweight champ Antonio McKee a stiff challenge when they meet at MFC 26: Retribution.

But Azevedo has proven to be a worthy contender when it comes to meeting McKee head-on in a war of words as well. Given the chance to fire back at the verbose McKee, Azevedo armed himself with the biggest gun he could get his hands on and took aim at the belt-holding veteran.

Told that McKee planned to bring a blanket to the ring and tuck him in after a devastating knockout, Azevedo delivered his first strike.

“I’ll have 25 minutes to answer everything he’s said about me face to face. However what I’ve got to say won’t take that much time. It’ll be a quick chat,” said the Brazilian, who meets McKee on Friday, Sept. 10 in Westman Place at the Keystone Centre in Brandon, Manitoba.

Knowing that McKee vowed to wrap up his career and leave his gloves in the ring if Azevedo took him the full five rounds, the 29-year-old declared his own intentions – a second shot across the bow.

“Tell McKee I’m waiting for him … and I want his gloves!” offered Azevedo. “As a fighter it’s obvious he must be respected. He’s been undefeated for seven years and holds the MFC belt. But he’s really crazy and needs to retire. Old men have lapses of memory all the time. It’s not his fault.”

While Azevedo comes in eyeing the belt, the young gun figured the pressure is much heavier on the champ thanks to his brash statements – a third direct hit.

“My responsibility is to beat him with all my strengths,” explained the Sao Paulo native who now fights out of Rio de Janeiro. “Because of what he has said his responsibility is to beat me plus get the knockout or the submission because if it goes to a decision he’s going to retire. Do you know what kind of weight that is on him?

“The guy is a veteran who plays like a rookie. He’s added more and more pressure on his own back. Now he’s got a heavy boulder to carry because each minute that goes by and he hasn’t reached his goal of finishing the fight it becomes more of a concern for him.

“My answer for everything he has said will be in the ring. I’m going to fight and then I’m going to celebrate with my new belt.”

Azevedo has shown no problem stepping into the limelight of big fights before. He holds a career victory over veteran Din Thomas but only eight months before that encounter, he earned a win over Jose Aldo. To this day Azevedo is the only man to ever defeat Aldo, a clear-cut listed member of best pound-for-pound fighters in the world today.

That feat serves as a massive confidence builder as Azevedo sets his sights on taking McKee’s championship belt and putting a sudden halt to his lengthy winning streak.

“The Aldo fight was eighth fight for both of us,” recalled Azevedo. “I remember people talking about the way he crushed guys in his prior seven fights and that my destiny would be the same. The insiders didn’t believe I could submit him even though I had beaten Brazilian black belts. All the odds were against me, but I was very well trained and I won (rear-naked choke in the second round). He even came in overweight and I still accepted the fight despite the disadvantage.”

Despite a solid career fighting all over the world, this will truly be Azevedo’s coming out party. In his first fight on North American soil, he gets a title shot live on international television.

“I started training at 10 years old in the same neighborhood I live in today. The outcome of my hard work is going to be rewarded again coming to the MFC and getting a title shot.

“I’ve never stopped training and I’ve only improved. I’d like to tell the fans that I’ll make the show worth watching. They’ll see a great fight. I’m going to show that my stand-up skills are sharp and I want to get a knockout.”