Phil Lauzon (3-1) will look to capture gold for the first time when he faces Mike Brackett (2-0) for the vacant BFL amateur 175-pound title at BFL 64 this Saturday in Coquitlam, B.C.
British Columbia's Battle for Light (BFL) promotion has long been a fixture of the Canadian regional scene, giving amateur fighters across the province a platform to develop before turning professional. Saturday's card in Coquitlam continues that tradition, topped by a bout for the vacant amateur 175-pound title.
As per usual, Lauzon plans to step into the cage with the same do-or-die attitude that’s got him to where he is.
Lauzon has already built notable mileage on the regional circuit, including an appearance at Rumble in the Cage 59, one of Western Canada's longest-running shows. Experience on cards of that size is exactly what prepares a young fighter for a title opportunity.
“I don’t think it’s going to go the distance that’s for sure. I think someone is gonna get finished,” Lauzon said in an interview.
Brackett arrives unbeaten at 2-0 and shares Lauzon's appetite for a decisive outcome, making the matchup an intriguing clash between two finish-minded prospects. For both men, the vacant belt represents the biggest opportunity of their young amateur careers.
“I’ve never been to the judges in MMA and I’ve only had a few decisions in muay thai. It’s either I’m finishing them or they’re finishing me.”
For a kid who grew up in a smaller town, finding the opportunity to train martial arts was challenging for Lauzon.
Moving from Red Lake to Kenora brought Lauzon significantly closer to consistent, high-level training. It is a familiar path for Canadian prospects from smaller communities, where committed fighters often have to travel long distances, or relocate entirely, to find regular coaching and sparring.
During his formative years, he got involved in all kinds of sports, and later on it was his father who helped him take a step towards a career in fighting.
It was his father who first steered him toward the sport, and the two made long drives to the gym together during Lauzon's formative years. That early support helped turn a childhood interest in wrestling and athletics into a serious pursuit of mixed martial arts.
“I was into wrestling, and sports growing up, but we didn’t have anything like MMA when I was a kid in Red Lake, Ont.,” Lauzon said.
Lauzon now calls United Fighter Martial Arts Academy in Kenora home, training alongside teammates who push him in every discipline. The daily grind in the gym, he says, is where his confidence is built.
“As I got older, my dad and I would make a three-hour trip to the gym and back together just to be able to train. It made for some long nights; it was a commitment and a half for sure. I moved out here (Kenora, Ont.) four or five years ago now and I’m way closer.”
Results Don’t Come Easy
BFL 64 also gives the promotion's amateur roster a chance to shine, with regional talent filling out the undercard ahead of the main event. Cards like this have made BFL a staple of the Lower Mainland fight scene.
As Lauzon has grown older so has his love for MMA, but that doesn’t mean he admires every aspect of the fight game.
The bout is contested at 175 pounds, well above the 155-pound mark Lauzon typically fights at, but with both men finishing fights rather than grinding out decisions, the agreed weight should only add to the action.
“Weight cutting is definitely the worst,” Lauzon said.
“Thankfully, I’m not dealing with that too much right now. It does suck getting shark tanked at the gym, constantly having a fresh guy on you when you’re tired. But that’s where you get work done and improve.”
In the sport of MMA, one of the hardest things to do is translate what you do in the gym to the cage.
Regional titles like this one are how Canadian promotions measure their best prospects, and a finish-heavy fight between two undefeated-or-near-perfect amateurs is exactly the kind of showcase BFL has built its name on.
Staying focused and calm, like in training camp, is where Lauzon feels he’s made the biggest improvements since he started fighting.
That work ethic, Lauzon says, is what turned early struggles in the gym into success in the cage, and the same relentless rounds are the ones he now credits for his steady improvement.
“I used to get crushed at the gym every single day,” Lauzon said.
Brackett's wins have showcased a willingness to engage and hunt for finishes, a style that mirrors Lauzon's own. On paper, it is the kind of pairing a promoter hopes for when a vacant title is on the line.
“As the years go by, you start to catch yourself making improvements. You start tagging guys you couldn’t before, and you’re not getting tapped out as much as you used to. You stop flinching as much and you become more and more relaxed when you actually step in the cage and fight.”
Calm and Composed
Lauzon said his biggest strengths are being calm, expecting any possible outcomes and not overreacting. So, when it comes to Saturday’s title fight, you can expect him to pick his spots as he searches for his fourth straight finish.
Heading into the weekend, both men have sounded confident without sounding reckless, each aware that the other has the tools to end the night early. For Lauzon, that means trusting the composure he has spent years building.
Lauzon’s opponent, Brackett, is used to the 175-pound weight class, but that’s no cause for concern for the 20-year-old Lauzon.
On paper, the bout projects as a test of Lauzon's poise against Brackett's physicality, the kind of stylistic question that amateur title fights are supposed to answer.
“I know he’s a big strong guy, but I’ve always been the smallest guy. I’m the youngest at the gym right now, so I’m used to training with bigger, stronger guys. It doesn’t really affect me at all,” Lauzon said.
Win or lose, Lauzon's journey from small-town Ontario to a BFL title fight already reads as a model of persistence for other Canadian fighters coming up through the regional scene.
My last fight I didn’t cut any weight, and the guy I fought was at 185 pounds before he fought me, so I’m used to it. I usually fight at 155 pounds, so I don’t have to cut much weight for this one.”
These statements underline the pragmatic mindset common among Canadian amateurs, who often balance training with school or work commitments.
This fight is an opportunity for Lauzon to win his first career title and it’ll put him one step closer to making it to the bright lights, what every fighter dreams of doing.
A first amateur title would be the clearest sign yet that Lauzon is ready for the next step, whether that means defending the belt or, eventually, testing the professional ranks.
“I’d love to win the belt and then defend it a few times before going pro. Anyone can go pro at anytime, but once you do, it’s a totally different game. So, I want to be 110 per cent confident in myself before I make that decision,” Lauzon said.
For Lauzon, though, the timeline is a patient one: build the record, collect the belt, and only then think about turning professional.
“I still have some things I want to work on before I do that. I know some people that jumped the gun, but I think I’m on the right track and, in a matter of time, I’ll get there.
Lauzon’s Shoutouts
“Everybody at United Fighter Martial Arts Academy, and big shoutout to my parents.” Follow Lauzon on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
