Meet Keanan Patershuk, Rossland’s rising MMA star
Keanan Patershuk of Rossland is a professional fighter, and a contender for the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) middle-weight championship.
On February 28, he’ll be in Calgary at the Hyatt Regency to challenge the title. If he wins, it will be his doorway to the UFC – Ultimate Fighting Championship – a promotion company based in Nevada, USA. The largest MMA promotion in the world, UFC produces events worldwide, with eight men’s weight divisions, and three women’s.
Patershuk, 32, is married with three children, and he is dedicated to his training full-time. His wife Sarah is a local real estate agent, and along with a healthy number of local businesses, helps him work toward his goals. He is currently ranked #12 middleweight in the US Western region, out of 153. (Rankings are adjusted frequently.)
Patershuk’s fight nickname is “Porrada.” AI tells us that “Porrada” (pronounced poe-HAA-da) is a Portuguese slang term meaning brawling, fighting, or a hard hit/beating, but in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) it signifies an extremely intense, no-holds-barred training session where everyone goes all-out, embodying maximum effort and resilience.”
Asked how long he anticipates being able to fight competitively, Patershuk said that the upper age limit for most fighters is the mid-forties. He’d like to be able to retire then, and to enjoy traveling extensively with his wife; he named several countries he has not yet visited.
He travels to the US often, for training and for fights. He has had no difficulties crossing the border so far, despite recently increasing border tensions. “They know me there now,” he explained.
Patershuk responded to a question about how MMA benefits participants personally by citing development of self-discipline, and maintaining strength and fitness, as well as an ability to defend oneself in a controlled way.
MMA fighting has a fairly high rate of injuries, including concussion, but Patershuk accepts the risks and tries to mitigate them as best he can, and notes that everyday living is also risky.
In that February 28 fight in Calgary, Patershuk will be fighting Hunter Lee (“Big Game”), a 26-year-old from Quebec and Saskatchewan. Patershuk’s many supporters are hoping for a win to bring him to the next level in his fighting career. And “Porrada” will be fighting for it.
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