By Robb Fenton
After the biggest event in Evolution Fighting Championship history took place about three months ago, the team at EFC are looking to step things up a notch – if that’s possible.
While there were a few minor glitches, EFC 4: Respect, held at the Civic Centre, was a huge success and EFC 5: Summer Rumble, is looking to continue that success as they head to the arena July 24.
“We’re really excited for it. We were trying to get it in Cold Lake, but their commission isn’t quite ready, so they’re actually going to come to our show and see it,” EFC co-founder Travis Quesnel said. “Everything just fell together real well for us. Everyone was on board and we already had the fights lined up to go to Cold Lake, so we just moved everything here.”
Quesnel said it wasn’t that they wanted to leave Lloydminster, they just thought moving it around and giving other areas in the midwest a chance to see the product was a good idea.
“We always like putting on the show here, we were just going to take a little bit of a break, but everything came together for us so we decided to do it here July 24,” he said. Regardless of where it was going to be held, Quesnel said the timing was perfect and goes along with the schedule they have set out.
“With our promotion and the level of our fighters, we can do four a year, so one every three months and it’s pretty much three months to the day, so it’s perfect timing for us,” he explained.
Any little glitches that did happen at the Civic Centre the last time has been taken care of and shouldn’t be a problem this time around.
“We fixed the sound system, we worked on the way the booze will be served. There are always new things with new venues,” Quesnel noted. “We had things down pat at the Exhibition, now we’re at the Civic Centre, but that’s all fixed it. The booze is solved, the sound is solved.”
While the fights are tentatively scheduled right now, more details will come out as the event nears, but Quesnel is excited about the fighters who will be stepping in the cage in July.
“I’ve got a few lined up that are pretty big. Our main event will be Curtis Brown. That fight has huge UFC implications, whoever wins that fight might get a shot at the UFC,” Quesnel said.
Quesnel took nothing away from the fighters that have fought on previous cards, but said a few of the fights that are coming up are at the next level.
“It’s got a tonne of good fights and it should be at a different level. Our fights have been good, but we’re getting to the point where these guys were in the UFC,” Quesnel said. “Jason Day fought Micheal Bisping, Kendall Grove and beat Allan Belcher. It’s a whole different level.”
Another highlight of the upcoming card is the addition of a former Ultimate Fighter participant.
“The second fighter we signed is Shane Nelson. It looks like he’s going to be fighting Brad Cardinal. Nelson was on the Ultimate Fighter show, he’s fought in the UFC. He trains with BJ Penn, so BJ should be coming to corner him. It’s a different level,” Quesnel said. “The EFCs have been great, we’ve been putting out great cards, but this took it to the next step. The people of Lloydminster and the area get to see guys who have fought in the UFC.”
To go along with the two headline fights, EFC 5 will have local flavour as well as six local guys will hop in the cage.
“Justin Flett and Ben Stewart are returning from the last card. Ryan Dallyn and Brian Denniston will be fighting on this card. They didn’t get to fight at the last show, so they’re excited about this one. We’re pretty excited about it,” Quesnel said, adding there will be something else that comes out of EFC 5. “We’ll also be making an announcement about a welterweight championship and setting up a really huge fight for the next EFC for the title.”
With Kenny Florian in attendance last event, Patrick Cote in the past, the EFC is now expecting BJ “The Prodigy” Penn to be in the corner of Nelson.
“We’re really excited about the card and about July 24.”
Tickets went on sale yesterday, June 28 and people who are interested in VIP and corporate tables can call 780-872-8922.