Three members of Courtenay’s Academy Of Martial Arts were slated to appear at the Nov. 18 Battle Field Fight League 52 MMA event in Coquitlam: Scott Erikson, 19, Dan McKee, 48, and two-weight division champ Chris ‘Bukwas’ Anderson.
Erikson won his first kickboxing fight in spectacular fashion — a head kick KO with one second left in the first round.
“He showed patience and composure, which is rare for someone so young in their first fight on a fight card of this size,” the academy’s head coach Bill Fraser said. “He’s an athlete from the Valley that people should keep an eye on.”
Next up was McKee, who was engaging in his second amateur MMA fight. He won his first via second round rear naked choke (RNC). The Nov. 18 match was close, but McKee’s cauliflower ear had been swelling. Midway through the second round, his opponent hit him on his right ear with a left hook. The referee stepped in to check the ear and brought in the cageside physician, who called a halt to the fight.
“A loss is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when you compete like Dan,” Fraser said.
In the main event of the night, Anderson was to face off against Matt Dwyer, an experienced fighter who has been in the UFC. It was a perfect fight to put Bukwas into the UFC. But Anderson came down with a flu the night of the fight, and woke up 12 pounds lighter on fight day. He decided against competing. Though some may consider the decision controversial, Fraser thinks it was the right call.
“It’s a risk to one’s health stepping into the cage, let alone with with symptoms he was displaying. Migraines after losing that much water weight leave your brain with less protection. The risk was too high. There’s always another fight but brain trauma is not a joke and should be taken seriously. He’s back in good health, training and getting ready to defend a title in January. It’s going to be exciting.”
In other November news, three stripe black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Sidney Silva, put on some workshops for academy students. He also promoted Fraser to the rank of Faxia Preta (black belt).
“This is a great honour and responsibility,” Fraser said.
FMI: comoxvalleymartialarts.com
