The first chapter of this rivalry played out at BFL 49, when Chris Anderson turned away Dejan Kajic's bid to claim the BFL welterweight crown — his second successful defense of the belt.
Fast forward to Saturday night, and the two men will face off once more in the main event of BFL 56, with the vacant BFL middleweight strap on the line. Anderson (6-1) and Kajic (8-7-2, 1 NC) are looking to rewrite the ending from their previous encounter.
Anderson, 27, believes this rematch will unfold primarily on the feet, offering fans a chance to see the sharp boxing and stand-up prowess both competitors bring to the table.
"Last time around, I came out swinging with everything I had, and it ended up being pretty ugly," Anderson told reporters. "This one should be much closer, with both of us throwing some really clean boxing."
"Expect a stand-up showdown."
That initial bout saw Anderson retain his title via a third-round stoppage, having pressed forward relentlessly for nearly three full rounds.
Though Anderson acknowledges a similar finish could repeat itself, he expects Kajic to come out with greater aggression and pressure this time — especially after learning that his rival was battling through injury during their first meeting.
"I expect him to bring significantly more offense this time. He'll want to prove he can do better," Anderson noted.
"He'll be better prepared, and he'll have a real game plan in place."
Early in 2018, Anderson was already holding the BFL middleweight title when he suffered a narrow split-decision defeat to Matt Dwyer at BFL 53, surrendering the belt in his first defense.
Initially, this bout between Anderson and Kajic was scheduled as a contender elimination match to decide who would earn the next title opportunity against Dwyer.
With the belt now empty, the contest was upgraded to a championship fight — news Anderson welcomed with enthusiasm.
"A title fight is obviously preferable," Anderson admitted.
"Personally, I prefer the five-round format. Three rounds feels a bit rushed for me."
Kajic Looking to Progress
Where Anderson has experienced life as a champion, Kajic has never tasted that particular success — and he wants to change that now.
For Kajic, the championship isn't merely about prestige; it's also about ensuring continued activity in the sport.
"Winning a belt keeps me working, keeps me getting big fights, and keeps my career moving in the right direction," Kajic explained during an interview.
"I've probably got five, seven, or 10 fights left in me, so I need to keep putting them together."
At 33, Kajic remains focused on reaching "the big leagues," something he insists won't materialize if he continues taking fights against lower-tier competition.
He pushed hard to make this matchup happen because he understands Anderson represents elite-level opposition, and a win over him would strengthen his record considerably and demonstrate his development as a fighter.
"Anderson is a legitimate competitor," Kajic stated.
"If I can't beat the best local fighters with winning records, I certainly couldn't take down the top guys in the UFC, One FC, or Bellator."
Kajic's eight career wins include three knockouts or TKOs and three submissions — a distribution he points to as evidence of his finishing ability.
Their first meeting ended in a third-round stoppage in Anderson's favor, but on Saturday, Kajic is confident the outcome will be reversed.
"I genuinely see myself stopping him in the third round," Kajic predicted.
"Round one he'll come out aggressively, as usual, and I'll focus on using my footwork and angles to stay elusive. By round two, he won't be advancing as much, and that's when I start picking him apart. Round three, I'll close it out."
