Every fight—win or loss—delivers new lessons, and both James Cardinal-Lauzon and Adam Sproule are eager to demonstrate the growth they've gained from recent bouts.
Montreal, QC's Cardinal-Lauzon (3-1) meets Toronto, Ont.'s Sproule (2-1) in a middleweight matchup at MFL 18 in Montreal, QC this Saturday evening.
The 29-year-old Cardinal-Lauzon most recently competed at Fightquest 47, where he secured a third-round TKO against Todd Elvrum.
That bout taught Cardinal-Lauzon a great deal about his own resilience, showing him he can endure adversity and still leave with victory.
"Round one was solid—we were executing our game plan nicely—but then suddenly in the second I hit an adrenaline dump, and he dominated that entire frame," Cardinal-Lauzon explained in conversation with MMA Empire.
"Folks often draw comparisons between me and the Diaz brothers. I'm built to brawl and absorb punishment, even though that's not my intention going in. I survived that storm in round two, then returned in the third and finished him within 20 seconds."
At 27, Sproule's most recent appearance came earlier this year at War of Gods 2, where he fell to unanimous decision against one of Canada's elite amateur middleweights, Dorian Dokaj.
From that contest, Sproule extracted a crucial takeaway: maintain forward pressure and stay aggressive throughout.
"I need to dial up my intensity. I was enjoying the fight too much—I genuinely believed I was ahead the whole time—so I failed to chase the finish hard enough," Sproule told MMA Empire.
Cardinal-Lauzon mastering his reach
Towering at 6'5", Cardinal-Lauzon rarely encounters middleweight opponents who can match his stature and arm span.
Earlier in his career, he struggled to leverage his physical advantages, but now that he's developed that skill, it's become a formidable asset.
"Height and reach are massive advantages when applied correctly. What held me back early on was that I fought like a shorter man despite my frame. Only in the last year or so have I had coaches who drilled into me the importance of managing distance," Cardinal-Lauzon noted.
"My reach is going to play a major role here. I'm unsure of his exact measurements, but I genuinely hope he's sparred extensively with tall opponents—because if not, this could be a difficult night for him."
Cardinal-Lauzon prepares at Montreal's celebrated Tristar Gym, which houses champions such as Georges St-Pierre, John Makdessi, Rory MacDonald, and numerous other elite fighters—all under head coach Firas Zahabi's guidance.
Training at a camp of Tristar's caliber has proven invaluable to Cardinal-Lauzon's development, with measurable improvement evident week after week.
"The exposure to new concepts is a huge benefit—things I'd never had access to before. Firas is brilliant. You can pick his brain endlessly, and he's incredibly generous with his knowledge," Cardinal-Lauzon shared.
"The camaraderie is outstanding. Everyone supports each other, and sparring sessions are always fierce."
Regarding his matchup with Sproule, Cardinal-Lauzon says he's studied his opponent thoroughly.
After reviewing Sproule's last outing, he spotted several weaknesses he plans to exploit.
"He got taken down repeatedly. His sprawl looks weak. Hopefully he's been drilling takedown defense, because if not, it's going to be a long night. He also drops his hands frequently, leaving him vulnerable to straight shots up the middle," Cardinal-Lauzon observed.
"On the positive side, he's a real competitor—he fights with heart, lands some quality kicks, and has solid fight experience."
Sproule confident in his striking
Sproule enters with a striking-heavy foundation and a lengthy kickboxing record behind him.
He believes his striking prowess will give him the upper hand against the taller Cardinal-Lauzon.
"Striking is my bread and butter—that's my primary advantage," Sproule said.
"I don't believe in boring fights. I want to bring excitement every single time."
At 6'2", Sproule will trail Cardinal-Lauzon by just three inches in height.
Having squared off against taller competition before, Sproule isn't concerned about the height disparity.
"I'm not intimidated by his size—I've faced bigger guys before," Sproule remarked.
"The taller someone is, generally the less dense they are in terms of muscle mass."
Across his two amateur victories, Sproule has recorded one stoppage victory outside of the final horn.
He anticipates another hand-raising on Saturday—and wants to ensure it happens before the judges' scorecards come into play.
"I see myself getting the decision, but I'm not leaving it up to the cards," Sproule declared.
"Whether it ends via submission or knockout, that's entirely up to him."
Cardinal-Lauzon's Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank Tristar Gym for welcoming me in with open arms, Xavier Alaoui at 360 Punch, and Gracie Barra." Follow Cardinal-Lauzon on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
Sproule's Shoutouts
"I'd just like to thank my gyms (Budo Canada, Empire MMA) and my coach, Benjamin." Follow Sproule on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
