Every month, MMA Empire will bring you a comprehensive list of any and all Canadian fighters who will be competing in MMA events outside Canada. Check back every week to keep up to date with all the results.
This month we’ll see another stacked month of Canadian fights. There are more than 20 Canadian fighters in action including the long-awaited returns of Aiemann Zahabi and Kyle Nelson, as well as a handful of other big fights in UFC, PFL and more.
Twenty-plus fighters in one month puts July 2022 among the busiest stretches in the column's history — and the quality matches the volume, with a former UFC title challenger's PFL run, two UFC veterans making their returns, and a wave of title fights on the regional circuit. This is what a mature Canadian scene actually looks like on paper.
PFL 6: 2022 – Atlanta – July 1
TV: TSN
170 lbs – Sadibou Sy defeats Rory MacDonald (23-8-1) by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
MacDonald's decision loss to Sy was another hard playoff result for the veteran — a competitive scorecard that went the other way and closed out his second PFL season short of the title run he came for. At this stage of his career every season carries real stakes, and this one ended in the kind of fight that keeps analysts arguing.
UAE Warriors 30 – Abu Dhabi – July 2
TV: UFC Fight Pass
145 lbs – Jesse Arnett defeats Ali Alqaisi by TKO (doctor stoppage) in round 2, 3:08
***Arnett captures featherweight title
155 lbs – Michael Dufort defeats Wilson Varela by unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
185 lbs- Juscelino Ferreira defeats KB Bhullar by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Arnett's doctor-stoppage TKO to take the UAE Warriors featherweight title was the month's biggest regional result — a championship belt on the promotion's Abu Dhabi stage is a genuine credential, and Arnett getting there by finish underlined how ready he was.
UAE Warriors 31 – Abu Dhabi – July 3
TV: UFC Fight Pass
135 lbs – Xavier Alaoui defeats Fabricio Sarraff by KO (punches) in round 2, 3:42
***Alaoui captures bantamweight title
Alaoui's KO of Sarraff for the bantamweight title made it back-to-back Canadian belts on consecutive UAE Warriors cards — two title wins in two days is the kind of weekend a whole country's regional scene gets to claim.
UFC on ESPN 39 – Las Vegas – July 9
TV: TSN
135 lbs – Aiemann Zahabi defeats Ricky Turcios by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Zahabi's shutout of Turcios was the month's headline UFC result — a long-awaited return that went 29-28 across the board and announced that the layoff hadn't dulled him. Wins on a UFC undercard are the currency that buys the next step up.
247 FC: Brawl in the Burgh 12 – Pennsylvania – July 9
TV:
145 lbs – Nayimi Ferdaws defeats Chance Grillot by TKO (punches) in round 1, 2:15 *Amateur*
132 lbs – Lucas Seibert defeats Andy Ssutu by TKO (punches) in round 2, 1:58 *Amateur*
Ferdaws's first-round TKO and Seibert's stoppage gave 247 FC another double-Canadian night — the Pennsylvania promotion continues to be one of the most reliable regional homes for the country's developing fighters.
UFC on ABC 3 – New York – July 16
TV: TSN
145 lbs – Shane Burgos defeats Charles Jourdain by majority decision (29-28, 29-28, 28-28)
Jourdain's majority-decision loss to Burgos was the month's toughest UFC result for Canada — a wild fight that went the scorecards against him in New York, and the kind of fan-favourite bout that still raises a fighter's profile even in defeat.
B2 Fighting Series 170 – Michigan – July 16
TV:
170 lbs – Myles Robinson defeats Robert Protomani by KO (punches) in round 1
Robinson's first-round KO was the month's quickest Canadian finish on the regional ledger — a one-round stoppage on a Michigan card is the kind of result that keeps a welterweight prospect's highlight reel growing.
Invicta FC 48 – Denver – July 20
TV:
135 lbs – Auttumm Norton defeats Maria Djukic by TKO (punches) in round 2, 1:02
Norton's second-round TKO of Djukic kept the Invicta pipeline producing — the promotion's Denver cards have been a regular stage for Canadian women, and finishes there get watched.
ONE Championship 159 – Singapore – July 22
TV: YouTube
170 lbs – Marat Gafurov defeats Ariel Sexton by TKO (punches) in round 3, 4:15
Gafurov's third-round TKO of Sexton added a Canadian result on ONE's Singapore card — the promotion's deep card format keeps giving the country's veterans and prospects international cage time.
Cage Warriors 141 – London – July 22
TV: UFC Fight Pass
145 lbs – Steve Aimable defeats Jeremy Petley by unanimous decision
Aimable's decision win in London was the month's quiet UK result — Cage Warriors is Europe's most-watched regional promotion, and any Canadian win there travels well.
UFC Fight Night 208 – England – July 23
TV: TSN
145 lbs – Jai Herbert defeats Kyle Nelson by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Nelson's decision loss to Herbert closed the month's UFC ledger on a tough note — the returning veteran took a competitive scorecard against a dangerous striker, and the 29-28s tell you it was closer than the loss column shows.
OKTAGON 34 – Prague – July 23
TV: OKTAGON.tv
145 lbs – David Moon defeats Michal Konrad by TKO (elbows and punches) in round 1, 4:55
Moon's first-round TKO in Prague extended the month's European thread — OKTAGON's Czech cards have quietly become another landing spot for Canadians, and finishes there make tape that matters.
Cage Wars: Mike Tyson Fight Night 1 – New York – July 23
TV:
135 lbs – Teshay Gouthro (5-1) vs. Chris Disonell (6-5) **CANCELLED**
135 lbs – Diego Dejesus defeats Alex Gluzman by unanimous decision
***Dejesus captures Amateur Bantamweight Title
XMMA 5 – South Carolina – July 23
TV: YouTube
135 lbs – Jason Faglier Jr defeats Tyler Wilson by unanimous decision
170 lbs – Xavier Nash (6-5) vs. Tanner Saraceno (8-6) **CANCELLED**
205 lbs – Karl Williams defeats Simon Marini by TKO (punches) in Round 1, 3:50
Compass Fight Series 1 – Illinois – July 23
TV:
145 lbs – Kelton Sneve submits David Madriz by guillotine choke in round 1, 2:32
***Sneve captures Amateur Featherweight Title
Sneve's first-round guillotine for the amateur featherweight title was the night's belt-level result — regional amateur titles are the building blocks the next tier gets built on.
Warrior Games 13 – Wisconsin – July 30
TV:
145 lbs- Zachary Gehl defeats Justin Breiwick by TKO (punches) in round 1, 0:07 *Amateur*
Gehl's seven-second TKO was the month's fastest Canadian finish — a blink-and-it's-over stoppage that says more about readiness than a dozen decisions.
New England Fights 48 – Maine – July 30
TV:
115 lbs- Maria Clinton submits BJ Garceau by guillotine choke in round 1, 2:21 *Amateur*
Clinton's first-round guillotine in Maine closed the month with another Canadian finish — NEF's cards have been a productive Atlantic-border stop for the country's amateurs.
