Last Thursday, BFL 71 took place in Vancouver, B.C., showcasing a stacked card of rising fighters such as Dario Sinagoga, Saeid Mirzaei, and Jonathan Broad.
A quick note: unless otherwise stated, the proposed matchups below are purely speculative and haven't been officially announced or linked to any rumors.
We'd love to hear your takes—cast your vote for who should face off next with the night's biggest winners, and let us know how you see our hypothetical bouts playing out.
Dario Sinagoga (6-0) vs. Achilles Estremadura or DWCS opponent
Sinagoga remained unbeaten after earning a unanimous decision victory over Kyran Cameron. Word on the street suggested the victor of that bout would earn a spot on Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS)—if that holds true, that's likely his next destination. Otherwise, a clash against BFL lightweight champion Estremadura would be the most natural next step inside BFL.
Saeid Mirzaei (3-0-1) vs. Leo Xavier (5-1-1)
Bouncing back from a long layoff, Mirzaei looked sharp, securing a first-round submission over Bobby Poulter. With his proven track record and extensive amateur background, he's primed for the next level of competition. A bout against Xavier would serve as a strong proving ground for the still-unbeaten Mirzaei and inch him closer to a championship opportunity.
Mike McAloon (5-3) vs. Josh Kwiatkowski (5-4)
McAloon turned in a commanding performance, defeating Jonathan Broad via unanimous decision in a grappling-dominated affair. In his last three fights, he's taken on three promising newcomers and come away victorious twice. An encounter with the more seasoned Kwiatkowski would certainly deliver nonstop action from opening bell to final verdict.
John Nguyen (4-2) vs. Nicolas Ouellet (2-0)
Fight of the Night saw Nguyen edge a tough Gagan Gill on the judges' scorecards. Riding a two-fight winning streak in BFL, Nguyen would be well suited to face another rising featherweight in Ouellet. With the BFL featherweight belt currently unclaimed, pairing this bout for the gold makes perfect sense.
Indroop Virk (2-1) vs. Howie Tan (2-1)
After suffering his first defeat, Virk bounced back with a dominant first-round submission victory over Noah Crosswell. As a natural flyweight, finding quality opponents has proven difficult for Virk within the division. Tan could be an ideal next step forward, though without a flyweight bout available, he may have to return to bantamweight to keep his career momentum going.
Mani El-Hefnawy (1-0) vs. Mitch Strazzella (1-0)
El-Hefnawy earned a flawless professional debut, securing a unanimous decision across three rounds against Amin Almelik in a hard-fought battle. With several possibilities open for his upcoming fight, facing another striking specialist such as Strazzella could produce one of the most compelling and entertaining bouts of the card.
Damon Marlow (1-0) vs. Gwyn Berry (1-0)
Rising to a higher weight class, Marlow showed no hesitation in capturing a third-round TKO victory over Matt Lepper during his pro debut. Should he decide to drop back to featherweight, a clash with a striker like Berry would provide a worthy test and set up a fascinating stylistic matchup.
