Three years may seem like a lifetime in mixed martial arts, but Sabah Fadai is finally ready to step back inside the cage.
Chilliwack's Fadai (11-5, 1 NC) will return to competition for his home promotion, headlining Rise FC 3 Saturday night against North Carolina's D'Juan Owens (16-13-1) in Chilliwack, B.C.
Now 33 and returning after nearly three years away from competition, Fadai says he's found a deeper well of motivation for this comeback.
"I've always felt the pull to fight, but now there's something more driving me," Fadai explained.
"I'm a father now. My little girl and my wife—they're everything to me. They're why I do this. That's what fuels me."
The original plan was for this to be a title bout for the Rise FC lightweight championship against Curtis Demarce, but Demarce withdrew with an injury, opening the door for Owens to step in.
Grateful for Owens' willingness to take the fight on short notice, Fadai still expressed frustration over how the Demarce situation played out.
"Curtis had over two months to prepare. Instead, he picked up another fight with BTC and pulled out four days before ours with what appeared to be a knee issue," Fadai noted. "Then we saw him training alongside Jesse Arnett. It felt like a slap in the face."
"Owens showed real class by stepping up. I expect a fantastic matchup—two seasoned fighters in the cage."
With 17 pro fights behind him, Fadai has encountered virtually every style imaginable and learned to adapt accordingly.
Against Owens, however, he acknowledges the challenge of not knowing what to expect, meaning much of his Saturday strategy will depend on reading his opponent once the bell rings.
"I pride myself on being complete—whether we're standing or on the mat, on top or bottom, I'm comfortable," Fadai said. "But with Owens, I need to evaluate him inside the cage, understand his approach, figure out who he really is when the fighting starts."
Owens Looking to Bounce Back
At 33, Owens arrives at this main event riding the momentum from what proved to be the most difficult loss of his career—and the biggest stage he'd ever competed on.
His last outing saw him submit in the opening round by rising prospect Nate Andrews for the CES MMA lightweight championship.
Owens admitted the defeat was emotionally devastating, and he's eager to return to the cage for redemption.
"I won't sugarcoat it—it crushed me," Owens said. "I don't want to throw around the word 'depression,' but I truly went through a post-fight slump. This opportunity felt perfect timing."
Over the course of his career, Owens has proven capable across all aspects of MMA, recording four wins by strike and six by submission.
He believes his greatest strength isn't any single skill, but rather how effectively he weaves everything together.
"I probably have edges in several areas, but my real advantage is combining all my tools into one package," Owens said. "He's solid on the feet and competent on the ground, but MMA as a whole is just sharper for me."
Having competed just last August, Owens also holds the advantage in recent activity—he's had four fights during the span in which Fadai has been absent from competition.
Still, Owens refuses to rely on the excuse of rust, fully expecting Fadai to be sharp and dangerous despite the long layoff.
"I expect him to be ready. This is the main event, his promotion, and he wants to announce himself," Owens said. "I know he's grinding hard and I'm getting the best version of him—but I just don't think that version is going to cut it. I want to put on a show and remind him there are levels to this game."
Fadai's Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank Flash Cryptocurrency, Mountainview Harley Davidson, Sovrin Extracts, Timbro Contracting, Fuel Motorsports, Clark's Audio Visual, Indigenous Boom, all my training partners, and my wife for being the rock she is."
Owens' Shoutouts
"I'd like to thank Cageside MMA and Toro BJJ, my coaches and training partners, and everyone who supports me."
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