BFL 68 and BFL 69 have wrapped up following two thrilling evenings of mixed martial arts competition across Vancouver, B.C.
The main event of BFL 68 saw Serhiy Sidey (now 5-1) put an end to Gio Platon's (now 2-1) momentum with a first-round triangle choke submission, claiming the newly vacant BFL bantamweight championship.
This triumph represents the first time Sidey has held a professional title, and he admitted the reality of the achievement is finally setting in.
"It's slowly sinking in, but it felt absolutely wild in the moment," Sidey shared in a conversation with MMA Empire. "I had been picturing it for a while after that initial fight fell apart."
"What makes it surreal is that I use float tanks regularly and constantly run through different outcomes in my mind, including this exact scenario. Whether I'd end up on the bottom after eating a clean shot or getting taken down, I pictured that transition and the triangle finish specifically. When it actually unfolded, it took me a moment to register what happened. It felt almost dreamlike—I wasn't sure if I was awake because it played out exactly like those float tank visualizations."
Sidey wasted no time learning his next opponent, as Ali Wasuk was brought into the cage during an intermission at BFL 69 for the matchup announcement and face-off.
Per the announcement, Sidey and Wasuk are slated to clash at BFL 70 on Dec. 3, originally intended for June 4 before Wasuk's weight cutting troubles forced a cancellation.
"I'm eager to step in, man. I put together an entire training camp preparing for him, and I'm confident I can defeat him. I see it as a solid matchup," Sidey explained.
"I believe that's the right direction to take things, so December 3 appears to be when they're planning to lock in the bout. Either way, I expect Ali to be my next opponent."
The main event of BFL 69 featured Caio Machado (now 6-1-1), who continued his winning streak and successfully defended his BFL heavyweight championship by submitting Lee Mein (now 11-16) inside the opening round. Mein took the fight on short notice—less than a week—after Machado's original opponent, Randy McCarty, withdrew because of travel complications.
Machado expressed appreciation for Mein stepping up to save the contest, yet insisted he operates at a higher tier than any heavyweight currently competing in Canada.
"To be honest, I'm fighting at a pace that's different from what the typical heavyweight does. That's exactly how I train. I carry the power of a heavyweight, but I move with the footwork of a middleweight or welterweight," Machado told MMA Empire during an interview.
"He was hurt and threw that hook at me, but I've absorbed much heavier shots than that. It was just business as usual."
Before facing Mein, Machado knocked out Christian Larsen at BFL 67 in a clash between two of Canada's most exciting heavyweight prospects. Larsen returned to the cage last weekend at Unified MMA 41, where he defeated Grayson Wells to retain his Unified MMA heavyweight title. After that bout, Larsen publicly challenged Machado to a rematch and issued an invitation for him to pursue the Unified MMA championship.
Machado indicated he would entertain a rematch with Larsen if it proved to be his sole viable path forward, but noted he's focused on other Canadian fighters—and on a larger platform.
"I'd accept that fight if it were the only one available, but I'm not particularly drawn to it. What really interests me is his teammate. I want to thoroughly dismantle Tanner Boser. Put that fight in front of me," Machado stated.
"Christian's a large man, but he's simply a large man. I'm a genuine fighter and martial artist—I can outclass him in any facet of my game. I'm looking ahead, not backward. My objective is the UFC, Tanner is already there, so give me that opportunity."
In the BFL 69 co-main event, jiu-jitsu black belt Nicolas Ouellet (now 2-0) quickly established his grappling advantage, defeating Mike McAloon (now 4-3) with a first-round rear-naked choke.
Ouellet acknowledged he anticipated a striking-heavy start to the contest, but ultimately everything unfolded as expected.
"I honestly wanted to throw more strikes. That's typically what I prefer," Ouellet remarked during an MMA Empire interview.
"Grappling tends to emerge naturally in the octagon. The fights usually wind up on the ground. Once we got there, why not pursue the finish?"
Following a standout amateur career that included capturing an amateur title, Ouellet has displayed no weakness whatsoever since turning pro.
Despite having only two professional bouts under his belt, Ouellet feels a championship opportunity may be approaching in the featherweight division.
"I know the featherweight title is currently vacant, and I've picked up quite a few rumors from the promotion and others suggesting this bout positioned me as a top contender," Ouellet shared.
"I actually anticipated my next fight being for the belt."
To view complete results from both BFL 68 and BFL 69, click here.
