The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about changes to our way of life unlike almost anything that has happened since world war 2. And, because of the highly communicable nature of the disease, the sporting world has been in a virtual standstill since its onset. However, fight fans experienced the first wave of relief, with the UFC, and now the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, offering live events for the first time since March. Following in those footsteps, regional promotions across the US have begun booking and hosting shows, many with great success. Atlas Fights looks to be one of the first promotions on the Gulf Coast to resume live events. Along with having several shows already scheduled, Atlas Fights has an absolutely dynamite card booked for this Saturday, August 1st, with Atlas Fights 54 – Biloxi MMA Beach Bash, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi. Four out of the nine bouts will be professional, two of which are title fights. Follow along as we breakdown each of the four fights on the main card of Atlas Fights 54.
Michael McDonald vs Omar Johnson
The first bout on the main card will be for the Atlas Lightweight title, between Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship veteran and BJJ brown belt Michael McDonald and Bellator veteran Omar Johnson. McDonald is 7-4 as a professional in mixed martial arts, and he’s 1-0 in the BKFC squared circle. He enters this fight with a slight edge in experience over Johnson. McDonald also had a sensational stint as an amateur, going 9-1, with his only loss to ONE FC’s Thanh Le. Johnson is 6-3 as a professional, and he began his MMA career on a combined (amateur and professional) 11 fight win streak, although he has fallen short in his last 3, including a 2-fight stint with Bellator. Johnson looks to get his career back on the winning track next Saturday, and in an interview with Fight Sport Focus, Johnson said “I just need to go be Omar Johnson on fight night. When I am on and firing on all cylinders, there is not a man on this planet I truly feel can beat me.”
Brandon Hebert vs Cam Graham
Next up on the main card is a Heavyweight hitter between Gladiators Brandon Hebert and Cam “The Big Mac” Graham. Hebert is 2-1 as a professional, and he went 5-1 before turning pro. Not only did Hebert finish each of his 7 opponents in those victories, he also never let any of those fights make it to the second round. What’s more, the total combined fight time for those 7 fights is only 6 minutes and 12 seconds. Graham enters this fight at 2-2, but went 5-0 as an amateur, racking up those 5 wins in an 8-month span in 2018. He has, however, fallen short in his last 2, and he looks to get back in the W column next Saturday night against Hebert.
Justice Lamperez vs Juan Carlos DeLeon
The co-main event of the evening will be between Lightweights Justice Lamperez and Juan Carlos Deleon. Lamperez, a former Marine, had an extensive amateur career totaling 12 fights. He lost his first professional fight, but finished his next 2 opponents inside of the first round. He enters this fight at 2-1, looking to continue his upward momentum. DeLeon will be making his professional debut, and although he may lack the experience, he is also riding an unbeaten streak. DeLeon is one of the most promising up-and-coming Lightweights hailing from Texas, and he trains at one of the most prestigious gyms in the state, Fitness Fight Factory.
Levi Mowles vs Jonathan Eiland
In the main event, we have the Atlas Bantamweight title fight between Mid City MMA’s Jon Eiland and Fitness Fight Factory’s Levi Mowles. Eiland is riding a combined (amateur and professional) 9 fight win streak, and he hasn’t lost since 2016. After making his professional debut in January of 2019, Eiland fought and won 4 times that year, and he enters this fight carrying a ton of momentum at 4-0. When commenting on his rise through the ranks, Eiland told Fight Sport Focus in an interview, ““If you can beat the people that they put in front of you, typically that’s a good thing. I feel like I’ve got the skills and athleticism, and the size, that compliments me, to be a top contender.” Mowles, however, has been a professional since 2014. He enters this fight at 14-3, and he’s never been finished. He’s won 7 out of his last 8, and he is currently ranked the #4 US professional Bantamweight. This is a matchup that has gargantuan implications for both fighters involved, and a victory could mean a call to the big show.
If you’d like to purchase tickets to Atlas Fights 54 – Biloxi MMA Beach Bash on Saturday, August 1st, from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi, please visit https://www.atlasfights.com/ or https://www.mscoastcoliseum.com. The gates open at 7, and the first fight starts at 8.
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