Josh Kwiatkowski is heading into enemy territory, and is loving every minute of it.
Aldergrove’s Kwiatkowski (1-2) will take on Saskatoon’s own Blair Oster (4-5) in a lightweight contest at Modern FC 3 Friday night in Saskatoon, SK.
With the bout being contested in Oster’s hometown, Kwiatkowski, 25, will be going in as the villain, a role he’s had plenty of experience with dating back to his amateur career.
“I’ve been to many fights in the States and Brazil where not a single person, besides my mom or one of my family members, is cheering for me. So, I’m used to it,” said Kwiatkowski in an interview.
“Going in there and playing spoiler is going to be fun. I’m looking to show I’m the better martial artist, and I hope he’s ready.”
Unlike the majority of MMA events that take place in a cage, Modern FC 3 will be contested in a ring, which can have an effect on certain fighters, depending on their style.
Kwiatkowski said he’s had plenty of experience fighting in a ring during his early days of martial arts, and said it works well for him.
“I think it’s better than the cage; just the visual is awesome. Stopping takedowns in the ring is different; you can’t use the cage to get up, so it makes the jiu-jitsu more live,” said Kwiatkowski.
“It’s going to make the MMA more fast-paced on June 7 for all the fighters. It’s going to be good for those fighters that push the pace and have high-paced fights.”
Cardio Edge
Having already gone the distance twice as a professional in three fights, plus several occasions in his amateur career, Kwiatkowski has shown he has the gas tank to go three rounds and still be productive.
On the other hand, Oster has been to decision just once in his professional career, with many of his fights ending in the first round.
If their bout ends up going into deeper waters, Kwiatkowski said he will have the edge in the cardio department.
“My cardio is always an edge against most of my opponents. Going in there with Blair, if it’s outside the first round, it’s going to be a long night for him,” said Kwiatkowski.
“I think that cardio edge, that grit, that toughness, and the willingness not to quit is on my side.”
Kwiatkowski is no stranger to tough opponents so far in his career, having fought Jorge Alcala and Cleve Bentley in his most recent contests.
Kwiatkowski said he’s expecting another tough test from the experienced Oster, and is also expecting a gritty battle.
“It looks like he’s a scrapper, just looking to chuck some knuckles and throw some bombs,” said Kwiatkowski.
“He likes to go in there and try to impose his will. He has four first round finishes and I know all his other losses are by submission, so he’s obviously a one-dimensional fighter. I have good hands, I like my boxing, and I like to test myself, so I’m excited to see what Blair’s got.”
Kwiatkowski’s Shoutouts
“I’d like to thank Micah Brakefield, everyone at Checkmat, the boys at Titan MMA, Shawn Albrecht, Dan Golkar, Tristan Connelly, and everyone up in Squamish at The Sound.” Follow Kwiatkowski on social media: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
