Latest news with #Petrolia
Globe and Mail
29-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Cody Chovancek looks to defend Unified MMA bantamweight title, make UFC take notice
Cody Chovancek won the Unified MMA bantamweight championship in June 2024 with a particularly nasty calf slicer submission victory over previously unbeaten American Gage (The Gremlin) Gill. And there will likely be more pain Friday when the 26-year-old from Petrolia, Ont., defends his 135-pound title against American Jordan Howard in the Unified 62 main event at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto. Chovancek (7-0-0) hopes another win will open the door to the UFC. 'It's my time,' he said matter-of-factly. 'I'm going to go out there and do what I do. Give the fans an exciting fight. I've got knockout power in both hands. I can do it all. I want the UFC. I want [UFC president] Dana White, [matchmakers] Mick Maynard, Sean Shelby to let me fight in my 20s in the greatest promotion in the world, the UFC. 'I know they'll be watching [on UFC Fight Pass] and I'll earn my spot on [Friday].' Chovancek turned heads with the painful calf slicer submission in the fifth round against Gill. The move involves using your leg to hook an opponent's leg and then, using your other foot to brace that leg, pulling the opponent's limb back against the grain, so to speak. Done right, it can tear the calf and injure the knee joint. 'Normally when I do it to people in training, they tap very quickly,' Chovancek said. He trains at Niagara Top Team in St. Catharines, Ont., alongside (Proper) Mike Malott and Jasmine Jasudavicius, both of whom posted convincing wins at UFC 315 in Montreal last month. Chovancek was taking it all in fight week, also fitting in some training sessions at TriStar Gym. 'It's really cool to see behind the scenes, how everything works in the UFC because that's where I'm going to be – very shortly,' he said. 'And to see those guys go out there and perform the way they did, it just speaks to the training that we're doing. We're doing all the right things and it can take us to the highest level.' Chovancek has been involved with other UFC shows. In Edmonton in November, he was on standby in case a 135-pounder had to drop off the card. But in Montreal, he was involved in more of the fight week proceedings, including taking the stage with Jasudavicius for the ceremonial weigh-in. Fights have been hard to come by for Chovancek, who had two bouts in 2023 and just one last year. 'It's rough once you're at certain spot,' he said. He had been waiting, in case the UFC called with another short-notice opportunity. 'But I didn't feel like waiting any more,' he said. 'I want to get out there and give the fans what they want to see. I truly believe this will be my last fight on the regional scene.' He sees Friday as a chance for one more show in front of friends and family, hopefully followed later this year by an invitation to showcase his skills on 'Dana White's Contender Series' – the road Malott and Jasudavicius travelled to the promotion. Chovancek applied unsuccessfully for a spot on a cast of Season 32 of 'The Ultimate Fighter,' where he would have competed up a division at featherweight. 'I believe everything happens for a reason and it's just given me more time to hone my skills before the big show,' he said. The five-foot-nine Chovancek, who normally walks around at 160 pounds, fought as a featherweight (145 pounds) in his first three pro fights. He is in 3-0-0 in Unified MMA action and has gone the distance just twice as a pro. Four of his bouts did not make it past the second round. Howard (12-5-5) went 2-2-0 in Bellator. 'I don't think he's fought anyone with this much experience thus far,' Howard speaking in a social media post, said of Chovancek. 'And not just experience but experience at a high level, under the big lights.' Chovancek agrees the 35-year-old Howard is a step up in class but is not fazed. 'He's probably the best fighter I've fought,' said Chovancek. 'It's just going to bring out a better performance in me. The better the opposition, the better I perform.' Chovancek, who is half-Thai, grew up in southwestern Ontario, some 25 kilometres southeast of Sarnia. 'There wasn't a whole lot to do there (other) than fight and fish,' he said. Chovancek started wrestling in high school then added kick-boxing at 16. He had just turned 18 when he had his first amateur MMA fight in August 2016. A year later, he went to Thailand to train. Chovancek has spent five years training at Niagara Top Team where he teaches Muay Thai classes, putting aside his job as a steel framer.
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Petrolia under a boil notice until further notice
PETROLIA (KFDX/KJTL) — Petrolia residents will need to boil water for use until further notice. According to a Facebook post, Petrolia's water plant lost power at night, and the pumps did not reset automatically, causing low water pressure. While the pumps are up and running again, additional testing is required before the water can be deemed safe for consumption. Customers should boil all water used in the preparation of food and beverages for consumption for two minutes. This includes water used for: Drinking water (including pets) Brushing teeth Baby formula Washing produce Preparing food Coffee, tea, lemonade, etc. Making ice cubes (All previously made ice should be thrown out) Water used for laundry, showering/shaving, and watering grass or plants is safe without boiling. If you have questions, comments, or concerns, please call Petrolia City Hall at (940) 524-3315. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Hospice of Wichita Falls marks 40 years of service to Texoma
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Hospice of Wichita Falls will celebrate 40 years of serving Texoma on Tuesday, April 1. The doors will be open to the public, who will have an opportunity to learn more about Hospice and its services to those facing the end of their lives. Petrolia supports their fire department with a Spring Festival The event will be from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1, with a ribbon cutting at noon for the new Palliative Care unit. It is free to attend, and they will be serving free hotdogs. The party will take place located at 4909 Johnson Road in Wichita Falls. Their phone number is (940) 691-0982, but if unreachable, call (940) 263-4015. For more on the care and services Hospice of Wichita Falls provides, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Petrolia Spring Festival to raise money for VFD new rescue truck
WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Petrolia is ringing in the spring on Saturday, March 29, with an event to raise money for its volunteer fire department's new rescue truck. Cynthia Anderson, organizer of this event and creator of Texas Brew Radio, said that those attending will pitch in to help the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department with a new rescue squad truck that will ensure they have everything needed for any emergencies in the area. Southwest Regional Rabbit Show in downtown Wichita Falls Anderson is no stranger to music. She's helped three artists get their names out across the globe and hopes to do the same for more local artists in the area. 'We are hoping to get enough community support to where we can open this venue full-time and have a community center where we do a family night Thursday and Friday, no alcohol,' Anderson said. 'Support a different vendor every week out of the concession area and just bring live music and new artists to the area, and a lot of them are targeting radio artists as well.' Anderson is hoping her new venue inside Big Blue will help do just that: get local artists exposure. 'Music is medicine and all of the venues and stuff are requiring our artists to be puppets. And you do not get the healing property from music that you do when you're trying to copy something else. It comes from originality and passion and soul, and you don't get that in cover songs. And so our mission is to support it, to support music,' Anderson said. Anderson is dedicated to helping local artists and is also helping the Petrolia Volunteer Fire Department obtain some much-needed emergency equipment. 'They need to raise $75,000 for a first responder vehicle. They already had the truck donated, but they have to box it in to where it can haul medical supplies steadily. And the town only has 515 people. So we literally created a care bear countdown of music. We have over 40 artists that have donated music, CDs, merch, stickers, whatever music related,' Anderson said. There are 40 vendors, all coming together to help a community in need. Click here for more information on the Petrolia Spring Festival event, to donate, or to set up a booth as a vendor. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
