“The Hard-Hitting Hillbilly” Kevin Croom has signed a multi-fight deal with the MFC and will challenge reigning bantamweight champion Anthony Birchak in a co-headliner of three title fights at MFC 40 on Friday, May 9 live on AXS TV Fights from the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta.
Croom (14-4) is on an outstanding tear of late, winning an astounding eight fights in 2013 highlighted by seven first-round finishes. Those efforts have vaulted the Columbia, Missouri, native to #37 in the Fight Matrix world rankings. Meanwhile, Birchak (11-1), who is ranked #55 in the world by Fight Matrix, will mark his first title defense riding a five-fight winning streak.
“I’m just a guy from a lower-middle class family from Missouri so being the MFC champion would mean the world to me. It would be the coolest thing to ever happen in my life,” said Croom, who expressed no reservation about jumping into MFC fray to face the champ.
“I feel unbreakable. The biggest thing is I know is that I won’t beat myself. At this level in this sport, everyone is a gifted athlete so it really becomes more of a mental game. Right now, I have my mental game plan at 100%.”
Croom’s run of success in 2013 included fights in Mexico and Kazakhstan, and will certainly go down as one of the most remarkable achievement in mixed martial arts history. The 26-year-old, who now fights out of Albuquerque, New Mexico, chalked up the incredible streak to finally establishing what works best for him.
“I’ve been fighting for seven years and it took me five and a half years to find the right formula. I’ve found the correct frequency to operate on,” said Croom.
“I try not to focus on my opponent. I let my coaches worry about that. I just focus on myself. My coaches tell me how to train and what I have to do to beat an opponent and then that’s what I go out and do.”
Croom’s title shot is subject to him having a successful outcome in a schedule bout outside the MFC on Feb. 28.
The Birchak-Croom bantamweight title fight joins two other MFC title bouts set for May 9. In a rematch for the MFC lightweight crown, Tom “Da Tank” Gallicchio meets Kurt “The Hurt” Southern, and reigning MFC middleweight champion “Smilen” Sam Alvey will defend his belt with his opponent to be named soon.
Tickets for MFC 40: Crowned Kings are on sale now via www.ticketmaster.ca and by calling the MFC Ticket Hotline at (780) 504-2024.
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The Maximum Fighting championship is recognized a worldwide front-runner in the sport of professional mixed martial arts. The MFC is the second-longest running organization in the world, and the largest and longest-running, fully-sanctioned show in Canada. The MFC prides itself on bringing our fans the most exciting and charismatic fighters in the world. Visit our website at mfc.tv for all the latest news, and follow the MFC on Twitter @maximumfighting.
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AXS TV Fights is renowned for its universally recognized Friday Night Mixed Martial Arts and Kickboxing events. As Your Home For MMA, AXS TV utilizes an expansive network of promotions from the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia to broadcast more LIVE fights than any other television network. ”The Voice” Michael Schiavello and five-time MMA world-champion Pat Miletich provide viewers expert play-by-play, in depth fighter coverage and extensive analysis to each fight card. AXS TV broadcasts world-class LIVE fight events Friday night, at 7PM PT/10PM ET.