Montreal is getting mixed martial arts back on its roster nearly five months after the WHO classified the coronavirus outbreak as a worldwide pandemic. Montreal Fight League is gearing up for its next show, MFL 17, scheduled for Aug. 8.
By July 16, the roster includes 24 matchups, among them five championship contests. Details about where and when the card will air and where viewers can stream it are still pending, with updates expected on the organization's Facebook page.
"We are working on producing a good link and (viewing) platform as we speak," MFL president Maz Mas said in an interview with MMA Empire.
"As soon as that's ready, we'll announce it on the (Facebook) page as soon as possible."
The promotion had initially planned to stage the Aug. 8 card on March 14, but Mas pulled the plug on March 12 because of the spreading virus.
"It was very heartbreaking," Mas said.
"It was right before weigh-ins. We had to restart the whole card and match-making. We started from scratch."
When August 8 arrives, the new lineup will mark the league's first pay-per-view card since Jan. 25—28 weeks earlier.
Training in a global pandemic
For competitors, MFL 17 represents a highly sought-after chance to step back inside the octagon and keep building their amateur resumes. Fighters have needed to adjust to the Canadian government's social distancing guidelines, complicating their preparations.
"I went from having a fairly broad group of (trainers) to only a couple guys to train with," said Gordon Cunningham in an interview with MMA Empire.
"(This situation is) unfortunate because this is arguably the biggest fight of my career thus far. But that's part of the game. You got to roll with the punches."
Related: Gordon Cunningham's drive to succeed is more than just winning
Cunningham is going to try and dethrone Louis-Philippe Caron for the MFL light heavyweight title at MFL 17.
On the positive side, Cunningham's sibling works as a personal trainer, giving him the ability to get in shape and prep for the card at home. His own gym, Adrenaline Training Center, sat shut temporarily because of the crisis.
He ended up doing private sparring sessions with a handful of coaches to remain sharp ahead of his fight.
"I don't get to train with them all the time, but when I do, I don't take it for granted and I work my ass off as much as I can," Cunningham said.
Partnering up for sparring sessions is particularly tough amid the ongoing outbreak. Competitors have to be mindful about who they're rolling with and can't hit pads with too many individuals, per Canada's rules on social gatherings.
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