Since it’s July 1, Canada Day up in the Great White North, we figured we’d bring you a ‘Top 5 Canadian Match-ups for July’.
These don’t have to be all-Canadian fighters, but at least one Canuck must be involved in each match-up.
There are a ton of MMA events in the month of July, including five UFC cards.
Without further ado, check out our list of best Canadian match-ups below:
5. Jesse Ronson vs. Kevin Lee (TUF 19 Finale – July 6)
Two lightweight fighters looking for a win in the UFC, Canadian Jesse Ronson lost two very close split decisions in his first two UFC fights, while Lee lost a unanimous decision to Al Iaquinta. The London, Ontario native is known for his knockout power, while the American is a submission specialist. From the opening bell, this one should have fight fans on their feet in Las Vegas.
4. Jer Kornelsen vs. Justin Doege (Battlefield Fight League 31 – July 12)
Kornelsen will put his middleweight title on the line for the first time since knocking out Jared Revel at BFL 26 last December. Although Doege is only 2-1 in his amateur career, he has been a force to be reckoned with in all three of his bouts. This is a very interesting match on paper, as Kornelsen is known for his ground and pound, but has been exploited with submissions in some of his losses. This is where Doege excels, as both of his victories have come by first round submissions. Any which way this fight plays out, the Hard Rock Casino is in for a show in the main event.
3. Curtis Harriott vs. Justin Aujla-Fieldt (Battlefield Fight League 31 – July 12)
The BFL amateur welterweight champion Harriot will look to continue his winning ways and keep the strap around his waist against undefeated prospect Aujla-Fieldt. Harriot is riding a six-fight winning streak with his lone loss coming in the first fight of his career. Much like his opponent, Aujla-Fieldt is also on a winning streak, finishing his last three fights by submission. Can the defending champ give the undefeated prospect a loss on his record, or will the submission ace capture the crown? Find out on July 12 from the Hard Rock Casino in Coquitlam, BC.
2. Sarah Moras vs. Alexis Dufresne (TUF 19 Finale – July 6)
Sarah Moras competed on The Ultimate Fighter 18 and will make her promotional debut on July 6, after being sidelined with an injury for some time. Dufresne will also be making her debut inside the Octagon, making ring rust a factor for both combatants. One advantage going into this bout is Moras’ experiences on TUF. “Cheesecake” is 3-1 with her lone loss coming to veteran Raquel Pennington under the Invicta banner, whereas the American Dufresne is undefeated at 5-0. The women always bring it inside the cage, so don’t expect this one to be any different.
1. Ronda Rousey vs. Alexis Davis (UFC 175 – July 5)
No one has been able to figure out the UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey just yet. She is 9-0 in her professional career with all but one of her victories coming by armbar submission. Her most recent victory was a first round TKO stoppage against Sara McMann. Davis has earned her shot at Rousey’s gold, going on a five-fight winning streak with three of those victories coming under the UFC banner. The odds on this fight are crazy, with Rousey coming in as a -1750 favorite on some sites and Davis going as low as a +985 underdog. As they say, anything can happen inside the cage, as we saw with the EA Sports UFC simulation on yesterday’s MMA Hour. Davis finished Rousey in the fifth round.
If you don’t see your favorite Canadian match-up on this list, leave it in the comments section below.
Could also add Jamie Smyth vs. Daniel Spitz Amateur HW title and Saeid Mirzaei vs. Eli Wyse amateur LW title at BFL 31!