With months of training behind them, three local fighters are set to make their mark on the national scene

Three fighters from Orillia’s Big Country MMA will step into the cage next week, representing their hometown on one of Canada’s biggest amateur mixed martial arts stages.

On Friday, Aug. 9, the trio will compete at BTC 31 in Oshawa, a stacked card featuring some of the top amateur fighters in the country. Among them is 19-year-old Jeff Tomaszewski, who will face Kingston’s Chase Stevenson in a highly anticipated matchup between two battle-tested contenders.

“This is a big opportunity for us to show what we’ve been building here in Orillia,” Tomaszewski said. “I’ve lived here my whole life, and to be able to represent my hometown and my gym means a lot.”

For Tomaszewski, his MMA journey began with family.

“I grew up watching The Ultimate Fighter with my dad. He was always big into MMA,” he said. “I started out wrestling for Mariposa Wrestling Club because there was nothing here in Orillia at the time. When Big Country opened, I was there on the first day.”

After three years of training, Tomaszewski has built a well-rounded game but says his heart lies with Muay Thai.

“I like Muay Thai because I’m a Thai coach and I went to Thailand,” he explained. “I love the culture and the excitement of it. I also really love Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because it’s more technical, but if I had to pick one, it’s Muay Thai.”

He and his teammates have been deep in an eight-week fight camp, training up to twice a day.

“Diet’s on point, sleep’s on point, training’s on point,” he said. “Preparation breeds confidence. As long as you prepare, you’re always going to be nervous, but it’s about what you do with it.”

Lincoln Mullins, 18, is also competing on the Oshawa card. He discovered MMA as a way to push himself.

“I used to mess around wrestling with buddies, and I’d always get beat. It kind of played with my confidence,” he admitted. “Then I met a guy at the gym who trained at Big Country, and I checked it out. I’ve been hooked ever since.”

For Mullins, MMA has been a transformative experience.

“It’s got me in the best shape of my life, and my confidence is through the roof,” he said. “Just knowing you can handle yourself in a violent situation changes the way you see things.”

Leading up to BTC 31, Mullins has been sharpening his grappling and mental game.

“I’ve been focusing on more violence and intent. I’m going to come out swinging more and be less timid,” he said. “If I train hard enough, the fight is the easy part. It’s almost a celebration.”

The third Orillia fighter on the card, 21-year-old Sid Storer, brings a wrestling-heavy style and years of competition experience to the cage.

“I wrestled as a kid and always loved competing,” Storer said. “After high school and football ended, I didn’t have a sport to play. My little brother was doing MMA, so I joined a gym, and I’ve been hooked ever since.”

Storer trains while working full-time in demolition and junk removal, balancing gruelling hours with long training days.

“A typical day is an hour and a half of cardio after work, then the gym for technique, then strength and conditioning,” he said. “I’ve been working a lot on cardio for this fight and keeping my mental stability in check. That’s huge.”

For Storer, MMA has provided more than just competition; it’s become an anchor.

“Going to the gym every day gives you peace of mind,” he said. “No matter how bad your day is, you know you’re going to leave feeling better.”

Storer hopes to turn pro in the next year or two.

“I’m willing to fight anywhere,” he said. “The goal is to go pro full-time, and I believe I’ll be there soon.”

Big Country MMA co-owner Jacklynn Tregunno says this event is a chance to spotlight not only these three fighters but also Orillia’s growing MMA scene.