It was an amazing year for Canadian Mixed-Martial Arts. The great fight north has had some quality action all throughout the calendar year. Most provinces and territories had big regional events. Stars emerged from Canada on an international scale but this awards show will largely focus on Canada’s fruitful regional scene. The Canadian MMA Awards 2019 feature MMA Empire‘s Joel Griffith.
Canadian MMA Awards 2019
Event of the Year
Griffith’s Pick (Unified MMA 36)
Bowker’s Pick (Unified MMA 36)
Griffith said, “Believe it or not it’s Unified MMA 36 as well. Like you said it was just kind of a stacked card from top to bottom. Even the amateur fights on it.”
Fight of the Year
Griffith’s Pick (Chris Curtis vs Matt Dwyer at Fight Night 9)
Bowker’s Pick (James Clarke vs Dave Henry at BTC 6: Night of Champions)
Griffith stated, “In the end, fight of the year for me has to be Chris Curtis and Matt Dwyer at Fight Night back in January there. They went five rounds. Majority decision for Chris Curtis. Matt Dwyer was certainly bloodied up pretty bad. But both guys just left it all in there. It was just a premiere example of elite striking; that match. That video as well of Chris Curtis I think it was slipping on the blood in the cage. That was kind of making the rounds around social media. Kind of spoke to how good that fight was, really.”
Honorable mentions…..Steve MacDonald vs William Carriere at XFFC 21, Dario Sinagoga vs Daniel Richard at BFL 61, Tristan Connelly vs D’Juan Owens at Rise FC 4, Teddy Ash vs Dominique Steele at Unified MMA 36
Bowks Talking Bouts
Prospect of the Year
Griffith’s Pick (Radley Da Silva)
Bowker’s Pick (Randi Field)
Griffith quipped, “For me, it’s kind of a weird one because he’s only fought once this year and it was his first fight in over six years. But for me, it’s Radley Da Silva. He just won the Rise featherweight title over John Nguyen. Obviously John Nguyen a very tough opponent. Radley if you haven’t heard of him, a lot of people are saying he’s kind of BC’s hidden secret. I witnessed firsthand why at Rise FC 5 there. He’s the whole package.”
Honorable mentions…….Teshay Gouthro, Lucas Neufeld, Melissa Croden, Saeid Mirzaei
Fighter of the Year
Griffith’s Pick (KB Bhullar)
Bowker’s Pick (TJ Laramie)
Griffith said, “For me it, has to be KB Bhullar. That would be my choice for fighter of the year strictly on the regional scene. He comes back late-2018 gets a win there after over five years off. Then 2019 he goes back to work again. Three wins over three very experienced guys. Derek Boyle, Cody Krahn, and probably his biggest win by far Matt Dwyer. He surely has now put himself firmly on the UFCs radar. It’s hard to find a year for a fighter that was kind of bigger than that.”
Honorable mentions…….Tristan Connelly, Dejan Kajic
For more Bowks Talking Bouts, check out the links provided:
