The Maximum Fighting Championship debuted its bantamweight division at MFC 37: True Grit on Friday night, and the result was one of the greatest fights in the history of the company.
A furious and fast-paced thriller between Anthony Birchak and Ryan “Baby Face” Benoit yielded several submission attempts, punishing strikes, and devastating ground-and-pound throughout a 15-minute battle for the ages at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.
The fight was a brilliant display of resiliency by both fighters as each had their moments to secure victory only to see it slip away and give their opponent an opening.
The packed house and fans watching live on AXS TV Fights were treated to a stellar showing that finally produced a unanimous decision verdict in favor of Birchak (10-1), who not only earned his fourth straight win but also claimed a title shot and a chance to become the inaugural MFC bantamweight world champ. Birchak, who hails from Tucson, Arizona, will fight for that crown later in 2013.
Benoit (6-2) had his own four-fight winning streak snapped but it wasn
