A rising Canadian prospect is set to step back into the cage.
Vancouver's Saeid Mirzaei (1-0-1) is scheduled to face Saskatoon's Jose Rodriguez (7-7) in a 175-pound catchweight matchup this Friday night at Modern FC 3 in Saskatoon, SK.
The 27-year-old Mirzaei has no doubt about the outcome—he considers himself leagues better than Rodriguez and doesn't think the contest will last past the opening stanza.
"I'm better than him in every area, and I can take this fight wherever it goes. I'll be dominant in every facet of the sport and finish him on my terms," Mirzaei told reporters during a recent interview.
"I'm knocking this guy out in round one, and there's absolutely nothing he can do to prevent it."
Following a highly decorated amateur campaign, Mirzaei recently picked up his first professional victory—a first-round submission of American Killian Estes at Rise FC 3. Estes came into the bout with an equally stellar 10-0 amateur record.
For Mirzaei, securing that first pro win over a quality opponent like Estes was deeply rewarding—a milestone he's chased throughout his entire athletic journey.
"Winning felt incredible. I've dedicated my entire existence to this craft—while everyone else was out socializing, drinking, chasing romance, I was locked up in the gym."
"I was stepping into the cage with fully grown men as a teenager, all with the singular goal of turning pro and taking that first real step forward."
A Rich Amateur Pedigree
Even though Mirzaei has just two professional outings to his name versus Rodriguez's fourteen, the younger fighter insists his overall experience puts him ahead.
Mirzaei competed 19 times on the amateur circuit, posting a strong 16-3 mark that featured capturing gold at the 2015 IMMAF World Championships.
Beyond MMA, Mirzaei has also competed in several muay thai and kickboxing contests.
"I've logged more total fights than he has. We're talking roughly 27 bouts overall," Mirzaei noted.
"The only real distinction is that knees to the head are legal now. But he stands 5-foot-10 and I'm 6-foot-2. Who's throwing the high knees at whom? My reach measures 76 inches to his 70, so whose elbows are landing?"
Trophy cabinets aren't unfamiliar territory for Mirzaei—he's collected numerous championships across his extensive amateur run.
And even though he's barely begun his professional journey with only two fights completed, Mirzaei has already mapped out his path to a championship belt before 2019 concludes.
"I truly believe I can capture the Modern FC championship belt before the year closes. I refuse to be the fighter who talks big and delivers nothing—I know I can follow through on my words," Mirzaei declared.
"I'm gunning for the Modern FC title by December. I'm not even sure who currently wears the belt, but whoever it is, I'm coming for them. I've watched Canada's top welterweight, and honestly, I'm unimpressed. I'm after him too. And Jose—if you survive more than sixty seconds, I'll eat my words and keep quiet."
Mirzaei's Acknowledgments
"I owe a huge thank-you to my close friend and wrestling coach Nicholas Ugoalah, my jiu-jitsu instructor Nabil Salameh, my boxing coach Mikhail Basharymov, my muay thai coach Ken Tran, my muay thai assistant trainer Houtan Alikashani, my strength and conditioning specialist James Wark, and the entire team at Titan MMA." Stay connected with Mirzaei on social media: FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM
