The calendar year 2020 fell short of expectations for many, but Fight League Atlantic (FLA) is preparing to launch its 2021 campaign with full force.
FLA arrived on the Canadian MMA scene as the country's newest promotion, kicking off operations with their debut card in February. That evening featured a bantamweight matchup pitting Jesse Arnett against Adam MacDougall.
Three events were originally scheduled for 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic threw a wrench into those plans. FLA co-founder Jon Foster confirmed that preparations are underway for a fight night comeback in the first months of 2021.
"Our target is February or May," Foster told MMA Empire. "If February ends up working out, we'll move forward with that window. But if May gives us the best opportunity, that's where we'll aim."
"We'd be looking at a 25 per cent capacity venue. If we use the Rath (Eastlink Community Centre) in Truro, we'd be looking at maybe 500 to 800 ticket sales, a pay-per-view, and a crew of 100 to run the show."
While the restriction won't be standard operating procedure, Foster expects the initial event back to feature exclusively regional athletes from within the "Atlantic bubble," a protocol deployed across Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick to curb coronavirus transmission in the region. Though the bubble has since been lifted, its reinstatement remains possible.
"I'd be very shocked if our first show back we were able to look outside the Atlantic bubble," said Foster.
"Even if it's an all-amateur show, we can try and build up some momentum and just do it smart."
Aside from two amateur cards staged in Quebec during the summer months, the most recent full-scale MMA card on Canadian soil took place in early March.
With Nova Scotia's relatively small population, along with the smaller demographics of neighboring provinces, combined with the Atlantic bubble's demonstrated effectiveness over the summer, Foster feels confident FLA could emerge as the first Canadian organization to stage a card in 2021.
"We've definitely been being proactive throughout this whole shutdown, and doing everything we can to be the first ones back," said Foster.
Building off success of grappling event
Though commission approval for an MMA card never materialized, FLA successfully produced a grappling competition on October 24.
Foster reported the event executed flawlessly and safely, providing proof of concept for conducting a full MMA event under similar conditions.
"It went awesome. We had a good setup, as far as facility, we kept a skeleton crew, and each group was separated into two parts of the building. We had staff put in place that were directing from out back to the access to the next part of the building, and at the edge of the mats as well, so there was no crossover. We just did the masks everywhere else, everyone had their temperature checked, and we kept a log of arrivals and temperatures as they arrived," said Foster.
"Everyone was really happy to compete, everyone was easy to work with, and everyone put on a f**king wicked show. Everyone just brought it so hard."
Though 2020 will likely rank among the most challenging years in recent memory for people worldwide, a glimmer of optimism looms with the anticipated arrival of the coronavirus vaccine in January.
While the timeline for a full return to normalcy remains uncertain, Foster says audiences can look forward to significant developments from FLA once that shift occurs.
"We've talked to so many different guys through our podcast, and we have the connections to really pull some great talent. As we progress, we're going to be able to increase the amount we spend on purses, so we're going to be able to increase the level of talent," said Foster.
"We're looking to bring it. Whether it's amateur or professional, we want to be doing three to five shows a year in Atlantic Canada, and then grow from there. We got into this thing to become the best there is out here, and just keep going."
FLA Shoutouts
"We just want to give a shoutout to everyone who's been following our podcast and showing us love. FLA is something we really want to grow for the sport in Atlantic Canada and Canada, and first and foremost for the athletes. We want to get these guys performing and building their careers." Follow FLA on social media: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
