Abbotsford’s Kultar Gill is taking the 11th edition of his successful Mamba Fight Night event to Surrey next month, debuting at the Aria Convention Centre on Friday, Nov. 4.
It’s the second straight MFN to occur outside its origin city of Abbotsford, as MFN 10 occurred in Langley at Cascades Casino on May 6, 2022.
Gill is an Abbotsford combat sports legend, who created the Mamba Martial Arts Academy in 2011 and competed all over the globe in MMA and kickboxing. Gill fought twice for the Asia-based K1 kickboxing promotion, both times in front of crowds of 10,000-plus.
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His retirement bout occurred at MFN 6 inside the Abbotsford Centre when he defeated Anthony Ruiz by submission. Gill finished with a 13-8 MMA record.
The past decade has seen Gill flex his promoter’s muscle, launching the MFN events in 2014. The first edition ran at the Ag-Rec Building, with the second show taking place at the Abbotsford Banquet Hall. MFN 3 returned to the Ag-Rec, but the fourth edition saw several thousand pack the Abbotsford Centre. MFN returned to the AC for the sixth edition and has also hosted events in Burnaby, Coquitlam, Richmond and Langley.
The Surrey show will feature MFN’s highest amount of kickboxing fights ever. Gill stated that he believes kickboxing to be slightly more fan friendly and exciting than MMA, which is why he loaded up the Surrey debut with several high-level bouts.
Victoria resident Phil Engeroff challenges Ontario’s Nick Naccarato in a three-round pro kickboxing fight at the 170-pound weight limit. Engeroff has a kickboxing record of 29-8-1 and is a two-time champion in Thailand’s Bangla Stadium. Naccarato is also a veteran in the ring and has trained and competed all over the world.
Former Canadian Football League player Terence Harris battles Chilliwack’s Jody Blakeway in a three-round pro MMA bout set at 195 pounds. Harris played college football at Vanderbilt University and the University of Connecticut before a five-year career in the CFL with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Saskatchewan Roughriders, Calgary Stampeders and the BC Lions. He currently has a pro record of 1-0.
Blakeway competed at MFN 9 and won a boxing bout. He also won a kickboxing bout at MFN 8. He runs the Kings of Cultus Tattoo Co. shop in Chilliwack.
One of the featured advanced kickboxing five-round bouts will be Saanich’s Suraj Bangarh vs. Yellowknife’s Grey Patino at 142 pounds. Bangarh has a record of 19-7-1 and is a former North American and World Kickboxing champion. Patino has an amateur MMA record of 7-9.
The other five-round fight is Jesse Bull vs. Amir Ghassemi in an advanced kickboxing bout set at 155 pounds. Bull lost a unanimous decision to Ian Stuart at MFN 10 and has an amateur MMA record of 3-7. North Vancouver’s Ghassemi is 3-0 as an amateur and 1-0 as a pro in kickboxing.
Gill said another match to watch for is Abbotsford’s Ashley Watkins vs. Surrey’s Sonia Blade in a three-round advanced kickboxing match set at 115 pounds. He said there is hatred between the two women and a lot of build-up after the bout was delayed.
Watkins has a 1-1 record in amateur kickboxing, last picking up a second-round knockout win at MFN 10. Blade has a 3-0 record in amateur kickboxing and last won a unanimous bout at Battlefield Fight League 72 on April 28, 2022.
Other Abbotsford talent booked for the card includes: Kulvir Khosa (fighting Gurnek Ghatarora in a three-round advanced kickboxing bout at 132 pounds), Andrew Barnbrook (fighting Michael Swierzewski in a three-round novice kickboxing bout at 230 pounds)and Niko Sahamis (fighting Bardia Rafsanjani in a three-round novice kickboxing bout at 163 pounds).
Gill stated that he hopes to bring MFN back to Abbotsford next year.
Gill said the event is close to a sell-out with more than 100 businesses buying tables for the event. He expects more than 1,000 people in attendance, but said there will limited tickets available online or at the door in the coming days.
The event will also be streamed on FITE TV at a cost of $24.99.
For more information, visit mambamma.com.