The sun has not yet set on the career of one of Canada’s more accomplished veteran fighters, as Bill “The Butcher” Mahood has announced he will be returning to competition sometime in early 2009. The UFC veteran will make his comeback by once again fighting for King of the Cage Canada. After defeating Khalil Ibrahim and Steve Steinbess during a successful stint competing for BodogFight, Mahood incurred a serious rib injury in his bout with former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth last September. Shortly thereafter, Mahood decided to focus his energy on training and instructing, and has not fought since.  

“I moved my family down to Langley in December 07 to take over running the Revolution Fight Team and particularly the Fortress pro training center,” said Mahood who currently has a professional record of 15-7. “This has been a big change in my life transitioning into a position of manager and trainer more than fighter. I have also had a couple of very bad rib injuries. My fight at the Playboy Mansion resulted in my left floating rib being torn away from the cartilage. It’s taken the majority of this year to get healthy.”

It was an historic night for Canadian MMA this past weekend, as Rory MacDonald KO’d Clay French in the second round at King of the Cage Canada’s “Grinder” event in Calgary, Alberta, to become the promotion’s World Lightweight Champion. The main event bout pitted one of Canada’s most notable MMA prospects in MacDonald (7-0) against the highly regarded, 3 time defending KOTC champ in French (16-4), and on this night, the 19 year-old Kelowna resident served notice to the world, his career is indeed well worth monitoring.  

“The first round was what we expected,” said MacDonald when asked for his thoughts on the bout. “He came out as a strong wrestler and I just tried to make him work hard for everything he wanted to do to wear down his gas. It felt like he was getting more and more tired. I came in great shape so I was feeling great. So he outwrestled me in the first round as we expected but in the second round I was feeling fresh. In the second round he got the takedown again but I was able to sweep him. I felt like he was getting weaker and slower, so when the fight got back to its feet I noticed that he didn’t look comfortable, his hands were down, so I stepped in with a combination and knocked him out.”

This Friday, November 28^th, Rory MacDonald will head to the cage in Calgary, Alberta, as a proud ambassador for Team Toshido, Kelowna’s highly regarded fight team, which soon will no longer be one of mixed-martial-arts best kept secrets. For sometime now, the Kelowna gym has been producing some of Canada’s most notable competitors, including Tim Jenson (6-1), King of the Cage’s Canadian Welterweight Champion Gary Wright (7-0) and the aforementioned MacDonald (6-0), who is KOTC Canada’s Lightweight Champion. Friday night represents a defining moment for the team, as the highly touted, 19 year-old prospect MacDonald will challenge one of the world’s best 155lb. fighters, in 28 year-old, KOTC World Lightweight Champion Clay French (16-3). For Toshido’s head instructor David Lea, it will be a memorable night, regardless of the outcome. 

“As a trainer, having Rory fight for a world title gives me a sense of pride that I'm bringing my fighters along the proper way, however, this is just one more fight for Team Toshido to show the world the level of talent we produce.”