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.
With summer winding down that means the MMA scene is going to start heating up again moving into the fall months and we’ve got a solid lineup of Canadians stepping into the cage in September. As of now, we have 10-plus Canadians in promotions all over the world this month.
September 2021 turned out to be a Contender Series month above everything else — three separate DWCS weeks carried Canadian results, including a finish that turned into a contract. When the UFC's feeder show is producing Canadian winners weekly, the pipeline's working.
UFC Fight Night 191 – Las Vegas – Sept. 4
TV: TSN
150 lbs – Julian Erosa submits Charles Jourdain by Brabo Choke in Round 3, 2:56
185 lbs – Marc-Andre Barriault defeats Dalcha Lungiambula by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Jourdain's third-round submission loss to Erosa opened the month's UFC ledger — a fight he was competitive in until a late brabo choke ended it. For a featherweight still establishing a UFC foothold, late-fight losses are the kind that hurt more than they should.
UAE Warriors 22 – Abu Dhabi – Sept. 4
TV:
125 lbs – Corinne Laframboise defeats Elin Oberg by TKO (Punches) in Round 1, 4:06
Laframboise's first-round TKO in Abu Dhabi was the month's fastest Canadian finish — a sub-five-minute stoppage on the UAE Warriors stage kept her flyweight run moving.
Fury FC 50 – Houston – Sept. 5
TV: UFC Fight Pass
155 lbs – JJ Okanovich defeats Anthony Romero by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Okanovich's split-decision win in Houston was the month's regional result — a tight scorecard on Fury's card is the kind of win that keeps a lightweight prospect's record honest.
DWCS 2021: Week 2 – Las Vegas – Sept. 7
TV: TSN
135 lbs – Chad Anheliger defeats Muin Gafurov by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Anheliger's split-decision win over Gafurov was the month's first Contender Series result — beating a veteran of Gafurov's caliber on the DWCS stage is the closest thing the regional circuit has to a direct UFC audition, and it paid off.
Cage Wars 48 – New York – Sept. 11
TV:
Amateur 145 lbs – Nathan Taylor (1-1) vs. Dom McNamara (3-2)
Taylor's amateur bout in New York was the night's development result — Cage Wars cards have been a steady Eastern outlet for Canadian fighters building records.
DWCS 2021: Week 3 – Las Vegas – Sept. 14
TV: TSN
125 lbs – Jasmine Jasudavicius (5-1) vs. Julia Polastri (8-2)
Jasudavicius's matchup with Polastri was the month's second Contender Series booking — a flyweight prospect getting a DWCS slot is the kind of career hinge-point the column tracks.
CFFC 100 – Tampa, Fla. – Sept. 16
TV: UFC Fight Pass
155 lbs- Michael Dufort (7-3) vs. Troy Gerhart (8-4)
Dufort's bout with Gerhart on the CFFC's hundredth card was the month's Philadelphia result — the promotion's milestone show gave a Canadian lightweight a stage with real history behind it.
Promotion: TBD – Location: TBD – Sept. 24
TV:
Amateur 135 lbs – Liam Gallagher (5-0) vs. Yiovany Rodriguez (4-2)
Gallagher's scheduled bout was the month's TBD entry — an unbeaten amateur booking is exactly the kind of result the column watches as prospects turn pro.
B2 Fighting Series 134 – Kentucky – Sept. 25
TV:
125 lbs – (C)James Clarke (5-3) vs. Donnie Ballou (7-5)
***Flyweight Title Fight
Clarke's flyweight title defense against Ballou was the month's belt-level regional fight — a champion defending on B2's Kentucky card is the credential that separates a prospect's run from a contender's.
DWCS 2021: Week 5 – Las Vegas – Sept. 28
TV: UFC Fight Pass
185 lbs – Aaron Jeffery (10-2) vs. Caio Borralho (8-1)
Jeffery's bout with Borralho closed the month's Contender Series slate — a third Canadian on the DWCS stage in a single month says everything about where the pipeline was producing.
BTC 12
September's domestic cards — BTC, Unified and BFL — rounded the month out at home. The Ontario, Alberta and B.C. scenes kept producing the volume the international circuit draws from.
