Carrying the weight of a freshly captured title, Jared Revel stands prepared for the defining moment of his fighting life.
The Langley native Revel (8-2) steps into the spotlight Saturday evening at BFL 61, where he'll defend his BFL middleweight title against Collin Hart (6-3-1), a former The Ultimate Fighter competitor, in the card's headline bout.
At 34 years old, Revel hasn't crossed paths with a competitor of Hart's caliber, and he sees a dominant victory as proof that he's earned his shot at bigger stages.
"When you take on a fighter of that quality and get a convincing result, it tells people you're ready to move up," Revel explained.
"My coaches and the entire camp would back me to make that jump."
Revel has been a force lately, securing first-round finishes in six of his past eight bouts, most recently capturing the title against George Davis at BFL 59.
Even though Hart represents a major upgrade in opposition, Revel sees the same outcome he's produced repeatedly: a first-round stoppage.
"That's the style I play and that's the finish I'm after. I'm not discounting Collin at all; he'll be the toughest test I've faced," Revel said.
"I want the finish badly. I picture it happening that way, and I'm sticking to that vision."
Across his 10 pro outings, Revel has only gone the full distance twice—claiming a split decision over Hamza Salim and suffering one to Ryan Allen.
Most of Revel's victories have arrived early, but he insists he's prepared for a grueling five-round championship battle.
"If it drags deep, that's the real test. I want to find out what I'm capable of in those championship rounds," Revel said.
"I still believe I'm the superior fighter regardless, and that's the frame of mind I carry. I don't expect it to go to the judges, but if it does, I'm locked in."
Hart Has No Rust Worries
Hart, now 29, won't return to the cage until this fight—he hasn't competed since securing a unanimous decision against Marcus Gaines at Dragon House 17 in August 2014.
Despite the extended absence from MMA competition, Hart has stayed sharp through constant training and jiu-jitsu tournament action, dismissing any concerns about ring rust.
"I'm not concerned about losing my edge. I'm training harder now than I did during my competitive days, especially when it comes to performance and sparring," Hart said.
"I feel great about this matchup. My preparation is going so smoothly that I simply don't see rust playing any role."
Where Revel thrives on early finishes, Hart has demonstrated he can weather championship storms, notably surviving three rounds with UFC veteran Luke Barnatt at The Ultimate Fighter Season 17 finale.
After going five rounds with Gaines to capture the Dragon House middleweight championship, Hart feels he'd hold the advantage if the fight reaches the later periods.
"Neither of us has ever been submitted in our careers, so I genuinely don't see him catching me with a submission," Hart said.
"This is going to be pushed into the later rounds. I've been there, and my conditioning is better than it's ever been."
Besides holding a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Revel boasts five first-round submission victories across his eight pro wins.
Yet Hart insists his own grappling matches Revel's level and predicts the submission streak ends on fight night.
"I expect to control things primarily with my hands, but on the mat I think he has very little chance," Hart said.
"If we're trading strikes standing, he could certainly catch me. But once we hit the ground, I don't see a scenario where he taps me."
Revel's Acknowledgments
"I owe thanks to everyone at my gym Revolution Martial Arts and everyone at World Kickboxing Xtrm." Keep up with Revel online: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
Hart's Acknowledgments
"I want to thank my coach David Terrell, my crew at NorCal Fighting Alliance, Jared and his team, the BFL organization, and British Columbia for bringing me here." Follow Hart online: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM
