In less than a month, an Abbotsford-trained fighter gets a chance to win gold inside the Battelfield Fight League cage.
Mission native Liam Stevenson, who trains out of Abbotsford’s Mamba Mixed Martial Arts Academy, takes on Saied Mirzaei for the amateur welterweight title on Jan. 22 at BFL 41 at the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver.
Stevenson has an MMA record of six wins and zero losses, including a record of 1-0 inside the BFL cage in his career. Mirzaei has compiled a record of seven wins and three losses, with a record of 3-1 in BFL competition.
Stevenson last fought with BFL at BFL 37, when he defeated Ryan Leask in the third round by submission. His last amateur match was at Mamba MMA’s Fight Night 2 on Oct. 24, when he beat Kenny Pope by TKO in the first round.
Abbotsford’s Mamba MMA Academy has a long history with the BFL, as the academy’s fighters have an overall record of 11 wins and eight losses. Amateurs have posted a record of 9-8, with the club sporting a 2-0 record with its professional fighters.
The next big local event for the club is a jiu jitsu tournament scheduled for Jan. 30 at the academy on South Fraser Way. For more details on the club, visit facebook.com/teammambamma.