The sound of cheering fans and gloves hitting canvas flooded Sadlon Arena Friday night as Barrie hosted its first ever pro-amateur Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) event, ‘OFF1: First Strike, the first-ever pro-am MMA event in Barrie." This was a special moment for the city, drawing in spectators from all across the region. Helping bring the vision to life was legendary MMA fighter Gary Goodridge, a Barrie local and pioneer of the sport, who has been instrumental in pushing for an event like this in his own backyard. “We have great, great, great talent. Lots of locals and amateurs that are just starting off and ready to show up. Then we got some pros tonight (Friday) too,” shared Goodridge. The Sadlon doors opened at 6:30 p.m., where fans were greeted by host and comedian Mike Rita. The night featured a card of elite amateur and professional fighters from across Ontario, complete with world-class production, live streaming to viewers on Millions.co, and big names from the MMA world including Jamie Dalzell. According to the Official Fight Federation, the goal of this event was to introduce Barrie to the growing world of combat sports in a way the city has never seen before. To see fighter stats, the main card, and the final fight results, click here.
