Following his triumph to claim the BFL middleweight title at BFL 56 this past July, Dejan Kajic has his sights set on further accomplishments.
The Coquitlam native, Kajic (9-7-2, 1 NC), is set to square off against Tacoma's Dominique Smith (2-3) this Saturday evening in Coquitlam, British Columbia, at BFL 59 in a lightweight matchup.
Kajic, who turns 34, relinquished his freshly won middleweight championship in pursuit of the 175-pound title, originally intended to be contested at this particular event.
“I was planning to challenge for the 175-pound belt at this event, which is precisely why I agreed to relinquish my 185-pound championship, but a few opponent shifts occurred,” explained Kajic during an interview. “He (Jay Golshani) was attempting to secure me against higher-caliber, more seasoned opponents to better promote the matchup and legitimize making it a championship contest.”
“Ultimately, the belts don’t matter to me. I earned the belt I wanted and checked it off my list. Now, I simply want to keep fighting. Whether it’s for a belt or not, I don’t require that motivation to step inside.”
Across his 19 professional outings, Kajic has experienced every scenario imaginable—from lightning-fast finishes to grueling 15-minute battles.
Conversely, Smith has never reached the second round, having either won or lost all five of his professional bouts within the opening frame.
Kajic noted that if the contest extends into deeper waters, his seasoned experience will become a decisive element.
“The deep end is brutal if you’ve never swum there. Cardio is unforgiving if you’ve never tested it,” Kajic remarked.
“I’d prefer to keep that strategy reserved for later, if needed. Would I want to depend on it? Absolutely not. My goal is to enter and exit quickly.”
Besides his regular sessions at Universal MMA in North Vancouver, Kajic traveled to Las Vegas to refine his grappling with Robert Drysdale and spent time training at Syndicate MMA.
Kajic emphasized that training alongside skilled partners across multiple disciplines proved invaluable, and he’s eager to demonstrate what he’s developed.
“It was fantastic. I gained exposure to many different styles,” Kajic shared.
“I obtained everything I needed, identified weaknesses, and proved to myself that I’m elite in areas beyond just striking.”
Striker vs Striker
Like Kajic, the 29-year-old Smith comes from a striking foundation, primarily training out of South Sound Martial Arts in Tacoma, Washington.
Yet despite both fighters preferring their stand-up game, Smith stated he’s prepared for every contingency, both physically and mentally.
“This is MMA, so I’m not anticipating purely stand-up exchanges,” Smith noted in an interview.
“I’ll seize whichever option presents itself best, but it could turn into a war. I’m prepared for a full 15-minute fight.”
Even though Smith boasts two rapid knockout victories in his professional record, he acknowledged that Kajic represents a significantly tougher challenge.
He described Kajic as potentially one of the most difficult opponents he’s faced, and he doesn’t anticipate an easy start against him.
“I’m anticipating a highly composed striker,” Smith observed.
“He appears exceptionally calm and deliberate when competing.”
This marks Smith’s inaugural outing away from his hometown as a professional, with all five of his previous fights occurring under the CageSport promotion.
Nevertheless, despite venturing into unfamiliar territory for the first time, Smith embraced the opportunity and remains unbothered by the hostile atmosphere.
“Once I’m in the cage, it’s solely me and my opponent. The audience doesn’t influence me,” Smith declared.
“We’re both competitors, and we’re both dedicating ourselves to the same objective.”
Smith’s Shoutouts
“I want to acknowledge Kru Ryan Simeon, Kru Srab, Josh Calvo, James Duras, Ron Pittman, and all my teammates for getting me ready.”
