Returning to familiar ground is something Jamie Siraj is looking forward to.
After a long absence, Siraj (6-2) will step inside his hometown cage once again when he faces off against Ontario’s Gabe Sagman (5-3) at Rise FC 3 on Saturday evening in Chilliwack, B.C.
Even though Siraj currently lives in Vancouver, the 24-year-old originally hails from Chilliwack, and he says returning to that familiar setting with bigger stakes on the line feels incredibly rewarding.
“It’s fantastic. I built my entire amateur career in Chilliwack, so coming back now as a professional fighter with much more riding on this one is special,” Siraj shared.
“Right now, one or two more victories could lock in a spot with a major promotion, so having my loved ones and friends watching live will make it even more meaningful. The crowd is going to be electric.”
Given the credentials and records of both competitors, whoever emerges victorious will land on the shortlist for the next opportunity to challenge for the bantamweight championship.
Yet Siraj, who recently captured the vacant Unified MMA bantamweight championship at Unified MMA 35, insists his focus isn't solely on collecting belts—it's about consistently defeating opponents.
“Championships alone won't earn me a UFC contract. Earning wins will,” Siraj explained.
“What I want is to face the highest-level competition I can find. I'm stepping into this matchup because I recognize Gabe as a genuinely dangerous fighter.”
Throughout his brief professional run, every single one of Siraj's six victories has come before the final bell, highlighted by a devastating body-shot knockout of Michael Hay to claim the Unified MMA title.
Though he acknowledges Sagman presents a serious test, Siraj predicts he'll continue his streak of finishes on Saturday night.
“I know he’s competitive, I know he’s durable, I know he’ll be peak-conditioned and make weight, and I know he’ll approach this like a true professional,” Siraj noted.
“When you stack my abilities against his, my determination against his, I feel I have the edge in every department. I picture myself walking out there and ending this fight.”
Sagman Mentally Strong
The 27-year-old Sagman boasts plenty of finishes himself, with three of his five professional victories arriving through first-round stoppages.
Despite being a well-rounded competitor on paper, Sagman considers his greatest weapon to be his mindset.
“My mental resilience and nonstop drive is what will set me apart,” Sagman declared.
“Whatever he throws at me, I’ll absorb it. I’ll grind through any scenario. Across the span of three rounds, I’ll wear him down and break him.”
In a first for his career, alongside his usual preparation at House of Champions MMA, Sagman dedicated part of his camp to Las Vegas, training at both the UFC Performance Institute and Xtreme Couture.
He described the experience as transformative, noting significant growth as a fighter during his stay.
“Being there has been a massive advantage. The Performance Institute is an incredible facility with absolutely everything you could need,” Sagman praised.
“You’ve got top-tier athletes in the room and excellent coaching staff. The whole environment is outstanding—I’m extremely pleased with it.”
This marks Sagman's debut under the Rise FC umbrella, as most of his previous professional bouts took place in Romania competing for Real Xtreme Fighting.
Now locked into a multi-fight agreement with Rise FC, Sagman expressed enthusiasm about his new partnership and can't wait to compete on Saturday.
“I’m thrilled to be working with Rise FC. I appreciate how they’re attracting legitimate fighters—these aren’t guys inflating their records,” Sagman said.
“I truly believe the victor of this matchup deserves a title shot, and that’s precisely what I’m targeting. I want to become the bantamweight champion, and potentially move up to flyweight as well.”
Siraj’s Shoutouts
“I’d like to thank Jody Blakeway from Inkboy Tattoo Studio, Connie Linder from Intengine, Casey Bruinink from Main Street Nightclub, Darwin and Francine Douglas from Cheam Trading Post, Trent Wittal from Catalyst Kinetics Group, Brittani Linder from White Light Healing, Johnny Fletcher from Recovery Towing, and all my training partners and coaches.”
Sagman’s Shoutouts
“I’d like to give a big shoutout to Kyle Nelson, Shane Campbell and Kru Alin, everyone back home at House of Champions, my business Absolute BJJ, and anyone that’s helped me throughout this fight camp and my career.”
