When Austin Batra last stepped into the BFL cage, he was the aggressor. This time around, he's the one with the target on his back.
Batra (4-1) is set to put his amateur welterweight championship on the line for the first time when he meets Perry Hayer (5-7) Saturday evening at BFL 57 in Coquitlam, B.C.
Now wearing the title, the 23-year-old Batra anticipates Hayer will come out swinging hard and "trying to take his head off," but he's not planning to hand over the gold on Sept. 22.
"The strategy last time was kill or be killed, but heading into this bout, my mindset is kill or kill," Batra explained during an interview.
"I'm not ready to risk my life inside those ropes. My objective is simple — go in, take him out, and walk out victorious."
Given Hayer's solid kickboxing foundation, Batra, representing Surrey, B.C., figures his opponent will aim to keep the action on its feet and make use of his superior reach and build.
Though Batra has the wrestling chops to dictate where the fight goes, he noted he's devoted plenty of attention to his stand-up game and is eager to demonstrate it.
"I've got to exercise patience and select my openings carefully," Batra said.
"Everything hinges on that initial exchange and whoever craves it more. That opening exchange will establish the entire tone."
Across his five amateur bouts, Batra hasn't gone the distance in any of them, with three of his four victories landing in the first round.
Hayer shares that same instinct for avoiding the judges' scorecards, so Batra anticipates a wild, back-and-forth brawl.
"My entire attention is focused on Perry Hayer. We're going to dance on Sept. 22 and there's going to be fireworks," Batra said.
"He'll come in wanting to keep it standing, and I'll have my own approach to keep it standing while sprinkling in some takedowns. It's going to feel like a preview of Khabib versus Conor."
A More Complete Hayer
Aware of Batra's wrestling pedigree, Hayer, 32, said he's put extra effort into his wrestling and ground game during this camp.
Hayer, also representing Surrey, B.C., recognizes the threat Batra's wrestling poses and wants to be fully equipped to defend against takedown attempts, though he stressed it ultimately isn't a wrestling contest.
"We're doing MMA. Ultimately, his wrestling might be strong, but I'm going to be landing punches on his head every time he shoots and every time we clinch," Hayer told reporters.
"From what I've heard, he doesn't care for getting struck much."
Hayer ranks among the most seasoned amateurs in Western Canada with twelve professional bouts under his belt before this matchup, facing tough competition like Chris Anderson, Achilles Estremadura, and Christian Tremayne.
The sole gap in his amateur résumé is a championship belt, and he said capturing the title Saturday night would be the cherry on top of a rewarding amateur run.
"It's going to serve as the perfect capstone to wrap up my amateur career," Hayer said.
"This will be my final amateur bout, and I'll be aiming to dominate the professional ranks afterward."
Even though he's known for his kickboxing, three of Hayer's five amateur victories have come via submission.
Whether through strikes or his jiu-jitsu, Hayer promised he'll exit the cage Saturday night with a finish.
"I intend to hurt him, and I'm confident I will. I'm taller than him, I move better, and my striking is several tiers above his," Hayer said.
"Regardless of how it ends, it'll be a knockout or a submission, and I'm taking this fight."
Batra's Shoutouts
"First and foremost, I'd like to thank my coaches and my family because without them, I'm nothing. I'd also like to thank my sponsors: Collab Premium, Delush Bath and Body, Seva Wellness Clinic, Sukhi Dhanda from Dhanda & Company Chartered Accountant LTD, High and Buy Abbotsford, and Studio Green. Finally, I'd like to thank my best friend, Carly, for putting up with everything from the moment we started this fight camp 12 weeks ago till now.
Hayer's Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank my team at World Kickboxing XTRM and Revolution Martial Arts and everyone who's supported me throughout the process."
