Red Deer, Alta.'s Chris Chapman (3-1) is set to return to competition this weekend as he faces Lethbridge, Alta.'s Colton Cronkite (3-0) in a middleweight clash when BTC Fight Promotions launches its first-ever show in Wild Rose Country for BTC 11 at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton, Alta.
Cronkite has rocketed to an unbeaten mark with first-round finishes across every outing, and Chapman, 28, acknowledges the difficulties that lie ahead, insisting he'll be fully prepared regardless of what unfolds on fight night.
"I think he's pretty well-rounded, he's from a really good camp. But as far as I know he's a grappler," Chapman said in an interview with MMA Empire.
"All of his wins are in the first and they're by submission. He's a big dude, but I've heard he gasses out quickly. I'm not saying I'm going to out-cardio him, but it'll be interesting. He is a tough guy, he might be thicker than me, but we'll be around the same weight on fight night."
Though Cronkite carries a reputation for submission prowess, Chapman has likewise secured two of his three victories via rear-naked choke.
Anticipating that Cronkite will adopt a grappling-focused strategy early in the matchup, Chapman said he intends to absorb the initial pressure and let the fight develop from there.
"For the most part I think taking me down is what he'll try to do," Chapman said.
"I haven't watched all of his fights, but from what I've seen, in the first 20 seconds, he's looking to push you up against the cage and implement his strength. I'm not afraid to be on my back; I have lots of submission wins and my offensive wrestling is good too, so who knows, maybe I'll take him down."
After stepping back briefly to celebrate the arrival of his second child and navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, Chapman says he finds himself in excellent shape, both mentally and physically.
Having competed at lightweight previously, Chapman remains undecided about which weight class he'd prefer to make his permanent home.
"Nothing has really changed too much, I'm just more mature about the training now," Chapman said.
"I am 6'2", so when I was fighting at 155 I was a lot younger and cutting over 20 pounds in the sauna. I felt like skeletor walking to weigh-ins. Now, I walk around above 200 pounds, probably after this one I'll try 170 again, play around and see what my body can handle. But I'm always game for anything."
Chapman consistently pushes himself to squeeze the most from each training camp, which required additional travel commitments this time around.
He insists the extra miles were absolutely worthwhile and he plans to translate those additional hours into success on fight night.
"I train mostly out of Red Deer Arashi Do, but I've been travelling to Cardinal MMA in Calgary twice a week," Chapman explained.
"It's been a lot of travel, but everyone that I train with has all helped me tremendously with everything. The more rounds you can get with different bodies it's good."
With plenty of elite grapplers available for sparring, Chapman has crafted the preparation he feels will carry him past a strong grappler like Cronkite.
"Jett Grande is a stud wrestler and that's kind of what Colton does, so for the most part Jett's been shooting on me constantly in training camp," Chapman said.
"I've focused a lot on wrestling and my jiu-jitsu and, of course, I've done lots of sparring. After my time off, it's nice to get used to the reaction time again."
Chapman has never dodged a difficult test inside the cage, having opened his professional career against the more seasoned Scott Hudson.
Now, a meeting with an undefeated opponent is precisely the sort of challenge Chapman said he craves at this juncture in his career.
"I'll fight anywhere that wants to put me on and help me progress my career," Chapman said.
"And that's the thing, I don't want to fight inexperienced guys. I've been in the game awhile now, so it's not like I'm a new guy. I'm looking for a challenge."
Chapman's Shoutouts
"All my training partners, everyone at Arashi Do and Cardinal MMA, my wife, friends and family, and everyone who supports me." Follow Chapman on social media: INSTAGRAM
