BTC 27 showcased another action-packed night of fights, featuring dominant performances, highlight-reel finishes, and closely contested battles across both the professional and amateur divisions. Fans in attendance were treated to a night of intense competition as athletes put everything on the line inside the cage.
Amateur Results
Matt Harrigan vs. Doug Ford
The first amateur MMA bout in Ontario‘s history pitted Kingston’s Matt Harrigan against Bobcaygeon’s Doug Ford.
The fight saw both competitors have their moments, with Ford pressing the action early with an aggressive striking game, forcing Harrigan to shoot and eventually take the fight to the mat.
As the fight progressed, Harrigan’s grappling advantage became more apparent, nearly ending the fight with a variety of submissions, including a triangle choke stopped by the horn ending the second round. In the third round, Harrigan landed a big right hand before wrestling Ford to the ground, where he would eventually secure a D’Arce choke, forcing Ford to tap at 2:07.
Gavin Sicotte vs. Tisean Caesar-Gabriel
Gavin Sicotte wasted no time securing a submission win over Tisean Caesar-Gabriel, locking in an arm-triangle choke in the first round. After a series of quick exchanges on the feet, with both men trading evenly, Sicotte took the fight to the mat, landing in half guard with his opponent’s head and arm already isolated.
From there, he continued adjustments until he got the full lock on his arm triangle, forcing Caesar-Gabriel to tap at 1:56, giving Sicotte his fifth amateur victory.
Mazen Mehri vs. Chase Stevenson
Mazen Mehri put on a dominant performance, controlling all three rounds to secure a unanimous decision win over Chase Stevenson. Mehri's wrestling and jiu-jitsu were on full display, as he mixed up his attacks and kept Stevenson on the defensive.
Despite Stevenson’s efforts to turn the tide, Mehri remained composed and executed a flawless game plan. His ability to dictate the fight from start to finish earned him a well-deserved victory.
Nick Hatton vs. Liam Walker
Liam Walker earned his first amateur career victory with a second-round submission over Nick Hatton. The fight began with both fighters exchanging strikes before Walker forced Hatton to the cage wall. Walker was able to bring Hatton down briefly, but he defended well and jumped a guillotine before the first-round horn blasted.
In the second round, Walker forced cage wrestling again, and Hatton attempted a second guillotine attempt. Walker defended the submission, landed strikes from the top position, and was able to secure back control as Hatton tried to scramble to his feet, sinking in a rear-naked choke at 2:05. This exciting battle ended the amateur portion of the evening.
Pro Results
Davis Rapagna vs. Ramston Rodrigues
Davis Rapagna showcased his finishing ability again, securing his second third-round TKO victory, taking out Ramston Rodrigues in a grueling battle. The first round was competitive, with Rodrigues finding early success through his wrestling and clinch control. However, Rapagna remained patient, avoided submissions, and gradually took over the bout, wearing down Rodrigues with well-timed takedowns and an endless barrage of strikes.
By the third round, Rodrigues was visibly fatigued, and Rapagna capitalized. Landing his fifth takedown of the match, Rapagna transitioned between mount and back control while landing a barrage of punches, forcing the referee to step in, giving Rapagna an emphatic stoppage win. His ability to weather the storm, rally to gain dominant positions, and keep a grueling pace in the later rounds highlighted Rapagna’s heart and skill.
Nate Small vs. Victor Bordage
Victor Bordage put on an impressive display in his BTC Fight debut against Nate Small, earning a clean sweep on the scorecards, winning via unanimous decision.
Nate Small started the fight strong, taking down the kickboxer and getting to his back. But Bordage escaped and was able to return the fight to the feet. Utilizing sharp boxing, hard low kicks, and excellent takedown defense, Bordage was able to keep Small at bay.
Small attempted to implement his grappling game but was repeatedly stuffed and forced to stand with the superior striker. While Small landed some big shots throughout the contest and kept the battle close, Bordage was landing more often in exchanges, and his speed and cardio never waned heading into the final bell. Bordage earned victory in a hard-fought contest and picked up the first pro MMA victory of his combat sports career.
Alana Cook vs. Andrea Watson
In the women's bantamweight division, Alana Cook secured a unanimous decision victory over Andrea Watson in a grappling-heavy contest. Cook got a takedown in each of the three rounds, and Watson only got back to her feet once, with five seconds left in the first round.
“The Alanamal” did not land much damage in the first round, relying primarily on control. But in rounds two and three, she turned up the aggression, hunting submissions and landing solid ground and pound. While “The Amazon” was able to stave off the finish, she was rarely in an advantageous position.
In the end, the judges awarded Cook a well-earned victory, showing why she won the 2024 Rookie of the Year award and cementing her place as a rising contender in the division. Cook also picked up the $1,000 Performance of the Night bonus from Team Fussy Hussey of the Exit Realty Group.
Andrew Babcock vs. Ryan Yapsam
Ryan Yapsam showcased his endurance and striking ability with a third-round TKO victory over Andrew Babcock. The fight began as a grappling-heavy battle, with Yapsam able to secure takedowns early in the first and second rounds. He was able to limit Babcock’s offensive sweeps and submissions while landing strikes from above.
By the third round, Yapsam switched strategies and kept the fight standing, where he was able to land a well-placed series of punches that overwhelmed Babcock, leading to the referee stepping in at 1:54 of the final round. It was an impressive performance from Yapsam from start to finish, showing all the skills in his toolkit as he dominated the majority of the fight on the feet and the ground.
Co-Main Event: Abdel Abdelaziz vs. Kevin Popowick-Bastien
In one of the most consequential match ups of the night Abdelaziz and Popowick-Bastien were both on the hunt for the biggest wins of their careers. Both men had success on the feet throughout the first round and were trading control and strikes along the cage looking for weaknesses in each others grappling acumen. But with less than one minute left in the round Abdelaziz threw a kick that was caught by Popowick-Bastien. “K-Pop” moved in for a takedown but ate a short right hand that dropped him to the canvas.
Popowick used a combination of leg entanglements and Granby rolls to escape further punishment as Abdelaziz reigned down shots. As the clapper notified fighters their was only 10-seconds left in the round “The Mummy” was able to backstep into a half guard position where he found an angle to land devastating shots knocking his opponent unconscious before the referee could halt the action.
The stunning finish left the crowd in awe and marked a statement victory for Abdelaziz. “The Mummt” stays undefeated, maintaining his 100% finish rate and advancing to 6-0 with the biggest win of his career in his first appearance inside the BTC Fight Promotions cage!
Main Event:Matt Smith vs. Ljae Simminz
The main event of BTC 27 saw Ljae Simminz edge out a narrow split decision over Matt Smith. Despite Smith controlling much of the fight with superior grappling, pressing Simminz against the cage, securing takedowns and landing consistent strikes, the bout remained razor-close.
Simminz managed to steal momentum in the first two rounds with well-timed spinning back fists that rocked Smith, keeping the scorecards tight. By the third round, Simminz’s gas tank was running low, and Smith took full advantage, dominating with ground-and-pound, nearly securing a finish.
However, when the judges’ scorecards were read, it was Simminz who got the nod from two of the three officials, securing a hard-fought victory over the hometown favourite—much to the dismay of the Belleville crowd, who greeted the decision with roaring boos.
BTC 27 delivered everything fight fans could ask for, from tactical battles to explosive finishes. And BTC Fight Promotions was proud to usher in a new era of combat sports with the first amateur MMA bouts in Ontario’s history and holding the first combined pro-am event in the province.
We’ll be back with our first amateur event set for May 3rd in Sarnia. And our next pro-am event going down in Burlington on June 7th.