Vogel managed to squeeze in one bout before the global shutdown brought everything to a halt—a unanimous decision win against Serhiy Sidey at BTC 9. That stands as his sole setback, a result of an illegal upkick to top bantamweight prospect Xavier Alaoui. Vogel commands one of the most formidable jiu-jitsu arsenals in the bantamweight division throughout Canada, a claim reinforced by his trio of submission triumphs. With his next cage appearance still unannounced, Vogel is perfectly poised for a career-defining 2021, no matter who awaits him across the fence.
Josh Kwiatkowski (4-2) – 27 years old, featherweight
Kwiatkowski turned his career around after opening with a 1-2 record, stringing together three consecutive wins in dramatic fashion. He trains out of Checkmat Vancouver, a camp attracting much of British Columbia's elite talent. Despite multiple attempts to book American bouts throughout 2020, Kwiatkowski couldn't break through. But he's certainly not the type to linger on the bench, so fans can anticipate a busy 2021 from this durable and versatile Checkmat fighter.
Louis Jourdain (5-2) – 23 years old, bantamweight
UFC featherweight Charles Jourdain's younger sibling hasn't stepped into an MMA ring since 2018, though he's hardly been idle. Louis has spent every one of his brother's four UFC appearances in the corner, hoping to eventually slot onto the card as a short-notice replacement. Like Charles, Louis brings eye-catching striking ability, but he also backs it up with a robust grappling attack. As his brother continues making waves in the UFC, a handful of high-profile wins could catapult Louis into similar territory in 2021. Should things fall into place, the Jourdain brothers might find themselves sharing a UFC card once more—much like they did back in their TKO MMA days.
Melissa Croden (2-0) – 29 years old, bantamweight
Finding a female fighter whose entire record comes by way of knockouts or TKOs is uncommon, but Croden operates on a different wavelength altogether. Adding her flawless 5-0 amateur record to the mix, Croden has knocked out all seven of her opponents with strikes, most recently stopping Elizabeth Schroder in early 2020 at Fight Night 12. Her stand-up game eclipses most of the regional circuit—and would give plenty of UFC roster fighters serious headaches. With only two professional bouts logged, one could argue she's overdue for the biggest stage. Watch closely for her to potentially bridge that gap with a dominant 2021 season.
Kyran Cameron (4-0) – 28 years old, welterweight
A familiar face inside BTC Fight Promotions and still undefeated, Cameron carries everything needed to compete. His latest—and perhaps most noteworthy—victory was a first-round brabo choke submission of Rafael Palomeque. Now stepping into his competitive prime, a breakthrough 2021 could firmly plant Cameron on the radar of major promotions, and he can begin that ascent in his confirmed clash with Keanan Kellar at BFL 66 this March.
Lucas Neufeld (5-1) – 27 years old, featherweight
Neufeld's only blemish arrived at the hands of UFC alumnus Jordan Leavitt in a split decision loss, but otherwise he remains unbeaten. At merely 27 years old, Neufeld ranks among Canada's most exciting featherweight talents. Before the pandemic forced cancellation, he was slated to challenge Dana White's Contender Series veteran Lance Lawrence at Fight Night 13 for the featherweight championship. Regardless of whether that particular matchup gets rescheduled, Neufeld's next fight will almost certainly be for the Z-Promotions Fight Night featherweight title. A standout 2021 could see Neufeld pounding on the door of a major promotion before the year closes.
Yohan Lainesse (5-0) – 28 years old, welterweight
A familiar face on Canadian MMA's landscape, Lainesse catapulted into global spotlight last October when his spectacular flying knee head kick against Lirim Rufati at CFFC 86 went viral. This marked the Canadian fighter's second triumph inside the CFFC octagon, and it almost certainly secured him another fight opportunity down the line. Regardless of whether his next bout lands back in the CFFC promotion or returns to his native Canada, Lainesse is poised to draw significant attention moving forward.
AI CONTENT END 1
