Two Kelowna locals fight for the UFC this weekend

KELOWNA – Two MMA fighters from Kelowna will be on the same UFC card this weekend. For one of them, this will be his long-awaited UFC debut.

Toshido’s Rory MacDonald and Matt Dwyer are currently in Halifax readying for the televised UFC Fight Night 54 Saturday night.

Welterweight contender MacDonald (17-2) will headline against Tarec Saffiedine (15-3) while Dwyer (7-1) makes his UFC debut against Albert Tumenov (13-2) in the early prelim.

Dwyer, who has lived in Kelowna since he was two years old, signed a four-fight contract with the UFC earlier this year. The 6’5” welterweight was originally scheduled to fight in Los Angeles Aug. 2, but the event was cancelled and Dwyer found out only recently he would not be going up north to work, he would be going east to fight.

“It’s crazy,” Dwyer says. “I’m excited. I just want to go out there and put on a good show.”

Dwyer is the third Kelowna-based fighter to fight in the octagon. Ultimate Fighter alum Sarah “Cheesecake” Moras won her first fight by decision against Alexis Dufresne back in July and is awaiting confirmation of her next appearance.

Fight Night 53 will be aired on Sportsnet Saturday night starting at 8 p.m.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Adam Proskiw at aproskiw@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-0428. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.