The very first Samourai MMA card has wrapped up, and it delivered plenty of entertainment. Two new titles were awarded and numerous thrilling bouts unfolded at Samourai MMA 1.
A few notes before we get into it: every matchup mentioned below is purely speculative unless we specifically state otherwise, meaning none of them have been officially confirmed or leaked yet.
We'd love to hear what you think—tell us who you want to see the top winners fight next, and let us know who you'd pick to win our imagined pairings.
Kyle Prepolec (15-7) vs. U.S.A prospect/veteran
Prepolec handled business with poise and precision in his first fight since leaving the UFC, earning a split decision against Michael Dufort to claim the inaugural Samourai MMA lightweight belt. He's made it clear he wants to return to the UFC, and the smartest path forward involves defending his new title against either a highly touted American prospect or another former UFC fighter.
Alex Morgan (11-4) vs. UFC/DWCS opponent
Morgan put on a near-perfect performance, stopping Maged Hammo via TKO in the fourth round and capturing the Samourai MMA featherweight championship. He's already competed against the finest regional talent available and demonstrated he belongs on a bigger platform. Whether he pursues the DWCS route or gets a direct UFC invitation, a major spotlight moment awaits Morgan.
Strahinja Gavrilovic (8-5) vs. KB Bhullar (9-3)
Gavrilovic survived an explosive back-and-forth exchange under one minute to finish as the sole survivor against Jonathan Bosuku at Samourai MMA 1. In his case, there's no guessing game—he's been confirmed to face KB Bhullar at Unified MMA 42 on Dec. 17. Expect a heated encounter.
Frederik Dupras (3-1) vs. Louis Jourdain (5-3)
Dupras controlled the fight against Patrick Connors, pushing the action to the mat early and securing the submission win. He appears poised for tougher competition, and a clash with Jourdain would deliver exactly the challenge he needs.
Maxime Poulin (5-1) vs. Lucas Neufeld (6-1)
Poulin looked excellent upon returning after almost three years off, dropping Guillaume Fortier with a first-round submission. Poulin hasn't been particularly busy historically, but if he opts for a rapid comeback schedule, stepping up against an ascending fighter like Neufeld could prove compelling.
Pierre Thivierge (2-0) vs. Sam Debalke (1-2)
Thivierge put on a commanding performance against Yassin Nasri, winning every round and the fight by unanimous decision across all three judges' scorecards. With the flyweight division in Canada being notably thin, securing future bouts will likely remain an ongoing obstacle for Thivierge. Should he remain open to it, lining up a fight against Debalke seems like a logical next step.
