Rise FC 3 continued its winning streak Saturday evening in Chilliwack, B.C.
The main event featured D'Juan Owens (now 17-13-1) handing a disappointing loss to the hometown fans, as he earned a split decision against Rise FC president and local hero Sabah Fadai (11-6, 1 NC).
Owens expressed satisfaction with the outcome but believed a unanimous verdict would have been more fitting. He felt he dominated the opening two rounds before Fadai took control of the third.
"I won't pretend otherwise — once the first judge announced his scorecard, I figured we might be seeing some home bias," Owens recalled.
"Still, we came away with the W, and Sabah put up a real fight."
Earlier in a pre-fight interview, Owens discussed how his defeat at CES 51 had taken a heavy mental toll, especially since it represented one of the most significant bouts of his career.
With momentum back on his side, Owens noted he's feeling much stronger mentally and eager to build on this recent success.
"I've been around this game long enough to know exactly where my abilities stand. I know I can go toe-to-toe with anyone in my division," Owens explained.
"But the bottom line is results. This is a results-driven sport, and it's all about what you've accomplished lately."
Anheliger Claims Second Title
During the co-main event and bantamweight championship bout, Chad Anheliger (now 9-5) — currently reigning as Rise FC's flyweight champion — added a second belt to his collection by finishing Craig Maclean (now 5-3) via stoppage in the third round.
Anheliger put in thorough preparation leading up to the matchup and described the contest unfolding exactly as he'd envisioned, noting that Maclean proved just as durable as he'd expected.
"Craig was a fighter I didn't take lightly," Anheliger recalled. "Even though I was landing heavy shots and feeling the rhythm build in my favor, he refused to buckle."
"I knew the finish was coming, and it did. My striking is a step above what any opponent they'd match me with, and that advantage showed."
Anheliger now sits atop two divisions, holding both the Rise FC flyweight and bantamweight belts, and his current win streak stretches to seven consecutive victories.
That run has cemented his place among Western Canada's most formidable fighters, yet Anheliger admits the significance of beating Maclean is still processing.
"I'm still trying to make sense of it," he said.
"Winning feels incredible, but this isn't just about me. I wanted to do it for my friends, family, coaches, and team. I've poured myself into preparation for a long while, and now is when I reap the rewards."
Siraj Keeps Rolling
Elsewhere on the bantamweight card, Jamie Siraj (now 7-2) advanced further up the regional rankings with a clear unanimous decision over Gabe Sagman (now 5-4).
Competing in his hometown, Siraj described the experience as truly special, surrounded by loved ones and friends.
"It felt surreal," Siraj shared. "Before I ever stepped foot in an MMA gym, I was already throwing punches as a scrappy kid in parking lots — probably close to ten backyard fights back then."
"Coming back to fight professionally in the town where I grew up? That was something else."
The victory extends Siraj's winning streak to four, dating back to his defeat at the hands of UFC signee Cole Smith.
Though no formal bout has been arranged yet, the result positions Siraj as the frontrunner to challenge Anheliger for the Rise FC bantamweight championship.
"Looks like it's me and Chad next, and I'm extremely confident I'd come out on top," Siraj said.
"I see myself either finishing him outright or grinding him down across all five rounds to take that belt."
Terrance Spina, Saeid Mirzaei, Jorge Arcala, Vicente Mabanta, Joey Foy and Manny Fernandez all secured wins on the night as well.
