Rise FC 6 took place this past weekend in Victoria, B.C., which was the first professional MMA event on Canadian soil since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the main event, Elias Theodorou put on one of the best performances of his career in a third round TKO win over Matt Dwyer. In co-main event action, Josh Kwiatkowski was successful in extending his winning streak to four fights after stopping Blake Sigvaldason in the first round. In the opening bout, Russ McCumber had a professional debut to remember, earning the second round TKO victory via doctor stoppage over Isaiah Metituk in a bloody affair.
Keep in mind, in most cases, the matchups listed here are hypothetical and have not been announced or rumoured to be taking place, unless otherwise noted.
Let us know your thoughts on who should be next for the big winners and the rest of the card, and who you think would win our hypothetical matchups.
Elias Theodorou (18-3) vs. Austin Vanderford (10-0)
After now two stoppage victories since his UFC departure, it’s hard to imagine Theodorou fighting on the regional scene going forward. There are plenty of major promotions that could be looking to scoop him up, and Bellator would be at the top of the list. Given his 8-3 record during his UFC tenure, Theodorou won’t need to be eased into action. A matchup with the undefeated Vanderford would be a logical fight for both fighters in the event Theodorou signs with Bellator.
Josh Kwiatkowski (5-2) vs. Lucas Neufeld (5-1)
This one goes without saying. Kwiatkowski and Neufeld are two of Canada’s fastest-rising featherweight prospects, and both have been very vocal about wanting to fight each other next. It seems like this matchup is already made, and now it’s just a question of which promotion wants to take it on. Possibly with a featherweight belt on the line?
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Russ McCumber (1-0) vs. Taylor Christopher (1-0)
McCumber is coming off about as good a professional debut as he could’ve asked for this past weekend, while Christopher had that same fortune when he debuted at BFL 64 in Nov. 2019. Both fighters boast extensive amateur careers and have the potential to make some real noise as they progress in their careers. With both men being B.C. residents, this seems like a nice matchup to round out the next Rise FC or BFL card.
