Second chance for Gunn

Local mixed martial artist Nathan Gunn (7-1) will get his chance to avenge his first career loss later this month.

The Thunder Bay welterweight will jump in the ring for the second time with the Alberta-based Maximum Fighting Championship promotion. Gunn, on a three-fight deal with the MFC, faces Jesse Juarez (11-5) at MFC 24 – Heat XC on Friday, Feb. 26.

"In this fight, ideally, I would like to keep it standing," Gunn said, noting the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt of Juarez is an indication that the fighter is dangerous on the ground.

"I’ve been working a lot on my cardio. I plan on going into this fight full out from start to finish and not really giving him a chance to set anything up. I just want to go in there and let things fly."

Not letting the Jiu-Jitsu artist set up a submission will be key as Juarez’s record is proof that he can transfer his match-stopping BJJ into MMA. Of his 11 victories, five have come from submissions.

That doesn’t mean Juarez lacks striking ability. Two of his victories have come from TKO and one of his submission wins came via strikes. His most recent win was a knock out over Guillermo Smith (1-5) at Extreme Full Contact 3.

While Juarez does bring a strong submission game to MFC 24, Gunn, fighting out of the Leading Edge Gym in Thunder Bay, is known to have strong submission defence.

"I’m really confident in my ability to stay out of submissions," he said. "Anyone can get caught at anytime, it’s part of the game. I’m not saying that I’m not able to be submitted, but I’m definitely tough to submit and I will be looking to keep the pressure on him and not give him a chance to setup.

"I’m going to keep him on the defensive and not give him a chance to go on the offensive."

Gunn hopes to finish the fight in the second of three scheduled rounds. However, he said he is aware his opponent has an ability to stall fights. If that happens then Gunn could see a judge’s decision for the third time in his fighting career. If Gunn adds this win to his record, it will be his first MFC victory.

The local fighter’s first loss came from MMA veteran and former UFC fighter Pete Spratt (20-15) during Gunn’s first MFC appearance. The fight ended when a seemingly frustrated Spratt caught Gunn with a wild and heavy-handed uppercut that led to a knock out.

The heavy hands of Spratt also caught and wobbled Gunn earlier in the fight before the wild second round knockout.

Despite the loss, the first round and parts of the second belonged to Gunn who controlled his opponent and the pace of the fight with strong wrestling. While Gunn can’t erase the loss from his record, he said he has been able to learn from it.

"I think the main thing I’m taking out of my last fight is to not hold back," he said.

MFC 24 – Heat XC takes place at the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alta., on Friday, Feb. 26. The main card begins at 10 p.m. and will broadcast via the Internet live at www.maximumfighting.com.