Lewis Mackenzie is set for the first outing of his 2023 competitive campaign when he meets Hamza Sajjid at the Barnsley Metrodome at Almighty FC 30 on May 27.
Mackenzie has suffered defeat in the past to his opponent’s gym, and this time around, a new and improved version of Mackenzie looks to settle the score on Saturday night. The Kaizen Academy fighter holds a 2-2-1 record and believes challenging himself so early on in his journey will only develop him at a faster rate moving forward.
We had the chance to catch up with Lewis Mackenzie before fight night. Read the full exclusive below.
Interview With Lewis Mackenzie
Just over a week until your first outing of the year. How are the body and mind feeling after five or so months of rest from the competition?
I feel great. I’ve taken time to drop down to bantamweight, and I actually feel stronger than ever as I’ve been putting a lot of effort into my S&C for this camp. Other than that just looking forward to getting back in there.
Your amateur career has had a bit of everything so far. Wins, losses and draws. How would you sum up your time as an amateur at this stage?
What I love about my journey so far is that I’ve experienced these losses early, and I’m still here. There are a lot of people that don’t really get tested until later in their career then they realise MMA’s not for them.
Last year you switched things up between MMA fights and competed In kickboxing. Although the result didn’t go in your favour, is that something you’ll entertain again, or will you be solely focussed on MMA competition?
The k1, for me, was just a bit of fun to see what it was like. I might do another at some point, but I just want to focus on the MMA, as that’s what I care about.
Lewis Mackenzie Talks Previous Bout
Last time we spoke ahead of AFC 28, you stressed that you spent some time fixing holes and that it was time to get serious about your career. You then followed that up by earning your first win via stoppage over Joe Delaney. How did that feel to get that first finish under your belt?
One of the best feelings I’ve ever had. A whole year to improve and try and make this work. Then had a pretty much flawless performance, took no damage and got a finish. I felt like since then, my life has improved massively, with more sponsors, work, and PTs, so it definitely paid off.
Staying on the topic of the wholes in your game you suggested previously. Where were the holes, and did you feel that they were fixed during your AFC 28 win?
Yeah, the biggest hole I had was just not really knowing what to do. I felt like I had no direction, no game plan or anything. Now, Liam Cann, he’s guiding me and putting all the parts together. Obviously, I’ve still got loads to improve at, but I believe I’m a well-rounded fighter now.
You look to attain back-to-back wins for the first time in your early amateur career. In your own assessment, after looking into Hamza Sajjid, what do you need to do to make sure that happens in Barnsley on May 27?
I’m feeling very confident I’m in the best shape of my life, feeling sharper than ever due to all the rounds at Aspire. I just need to turn up, stay composed and believe in my skills.
Limited Tape on Opponent
Very limited tape on Hamza out there, but assuming you’ve watched his two fights back. Is there anything you see there that you need to be cautious of, or does he bring everything you’ve seen before to the table?
He’s actually got three fights, ones on Facebook, but for the first time, I’ve actually got more than a round of footage on someone, so this means I’ve been able to get people to replicate the style, so I’m not experiencing it for the first time on the night. I respect him everywhere. He doesn’t have any areas that are more dangerous than others, so I believe it’s just whoever plays the game better on the day.
Finally, how does Lewis Mackenzie get it done next Saturday in the Barnsley Metrodome? Leave the Almighty faithful with an official prediction?
I’m coming for another finish, I have ideas of how the fight might play out, but I’m prepared to go the distance if needs be. The only thing that matters to me is coming away with the win, especially considering I’ve already lost to this gym. It would be great to get that back.
Finally, I want to give a shout-out to my sponsors Bay Burl who’s helped me out massively this year in so many ways, Muscle and Mind Coach, LBS. My training partners Nathan and Sam, who put up with my specific requests for training, and finally, My gym and coaches Kieran Joe, Mike and Adam at Kaizen Academy, who’ve helped me since day one and provided me with many opportunities to do what I love.
Featured image credits to DN4 Photography
