Stoney Creek, Ont.'s Gabe Sagman (7-4) lit up when he learned he'd square off against Noah Ali (10-5-1) — and the thrill doubled when Unified MMA confirmed the bout would crown the bantamweight champion in the Unified MMA 44 headliner on Friday night.
The 30-year-old is riding momentum from consecutive victories, most recently in November. While the layoff since then isn't ideal, Sagman says waiting for a title shot proved worthwhile.
"Ali's a seasoned vet with plenty of experience on the circuit, so I was thrilled to get matched up with him," Sagman told MMA Empire.
"When Unified let us know it was for the belt, that really cranked up the excitement. I'm ready to measure myself against top-level competition, and Noah fits that description perfectly."
As Sagman dug into his training camp and pored over game footage on Ali, he started picturing a lively, fan-friendly affair.
Both fighters thrive on exchanges, and that's precisely what he anticipates.
"Our styles mesh well — we both press forward and love putting on entertaining fights," he explained.
"We're both built to take a beating, which makes this a fantastic main event and title clash."
Even though Sagman is gunning for stand-up fireworks, he thinks his relentless tempo could decide the outcome.
He doesn't believe Ali can match his speed, and once fatigue sets in, Sagman plans to hunt down a finish — either via knockout or submission.
"I'm always searching for the finish, but at five rounds I have to be ready for decision too," he noted.
"My conditioning work has been intense. My plan is to run a hellacious pace for all five rounds if needed, but don't count me out — I'll take my chances whenever they open up."
A decisive victory on Friday could open the door to a Dana White's Contender Series appearance this summer.
Should that not materialize, Sagman intends to stay busy and protect his title with frequent defenses.
"This is my chance to show off everything I've got and move into bigger promotions," Sagman said.
"A regional championship draws attention, so unless I land a Contender Series invitation or something equally significant, I'm committed to defending this belt as frequently as possible."
Connect with Sagman online: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
