Randy Mahon is preparing to deliver an exciting performance for his home crowd on Friday night, and he has Nick Hrabec ready to match him.
Mahon (3-3) will host Hrabec (4-4) inside his hometown arena during the co-main event of XFFC 17 for a professional lightweight matchup in Grande Prairie Friday night.
This marks Mahon's third consecutive fight in his city, while Hrabec will travel down from Edmonton.
Mahon, 33, noted he tends to draw matchups that audiences absolutely devour, and he expects this one to follow suit.
"I've got a strong hunch this one could take the whole card," said Mahon in an interview.
"I think it's going to earn fight of the night honors. I've been drilling deep for this fight."
Mahon has been a regular inside the cage lately, counting this as his fifth bout in under a year. Conversely, Hrabec hasn't competed in nearly twelve months.
Yet despite Hrabec entering on a layoff, Mahon doesn't believe he'll carry much ring rust thanks to the caliber of sparring partners he has over at Little Sweat Shop.
"I'm sort of like Dominick Cruz when it comes to cage rust—I think it really depends on the individual. If someone's training hard consistently, they won't struggle with it," said Mahon.
"I expect it to look like a fight where we've both competed four times this year."
One physical edge Mahon acknowledged Hrabec possesses is a massive reach and height advantage. Mahon stands 5'9" with a 67" reach, whereas Hrabec towers at 6'2" with an enormous 77.5" reach.
Though those numbers look daunting on paper, Mahon said he has several training partners at Champions Gym who share the same reach. He's also frequently faced taller opponents throughout his career, largely due to his background fighting at welterweight, so he doesn't view Hrabec's physical traits as a decisive advantage.
"I actually handle that size well, so I'm genuinely excited for it," said Mahon.
"If things play out like they have in previous fights, it should be a great night."
Hrabec Will Leverage Reach
Hrabec, 24, said he's a "very long guy" for a lightweight, which gives him the ability to manage distance and select his opportunities carefully.
While Mahon mentioned he's used to taller opponents with extended reach, Hrabec said he intends to exploit every inch of his advantage.
Hey MMA fans be sure to like Nick Hrabec's fighter fan page. Great local fighter who also coaches out of the UFC… https://t.co/nmiafN7SJC
— Mac Michaud (@MavSportsMMA) October 28, 2016
"I'm going to work to stay at range and keep him on the end of my strikes," said Hrabec in an interview.
"Once I start landing on him, he's probably going to shoot for that blast double, or look for an escape route."
Even though his length offers a striking advantage, Hrabec said he feels equally comfortable no matter where the fight ends up.
He noted he hasn't emphasized any particular discipline more than normal in preparation for Mahon, instead focusing on a comprehensive training camp.
"Ultimately, I don't care where the fight goes because I believe I beat him everywhere," said Hrabec.
"He's a gritty competitor, but whether it stays standing or goes to the mat, I'm way more skilled than him, so I'm not concerned."
Like Mahon, Hrabec also considers this a potential crowd-pleaser.
He observed that both he and Mahon carry an unrelenting mindset combined with strong striking ability, which typically leaves the audience on their feet.
"He's not going to sit back and be dull. I know he comes to fight, and I come to fight too," said Hrabec.
"I'm bringing everything Friday night."
