Michael Stack: ‘I’ll have the advantage’ against Kai Kamaka III at LFA 87

Following a win over Brian Mitchell in his LFA debut last November, featherweight Michael Stack wasn’t content to rest on his laurels, but instead enhanced his training by travelling to outside gyms such as Roufusport to add to his game.

Unfortunately, the novel coronavirus struck, forcing Stack and others into a bit of disarray at first as training facilities shut down and forced many to rethink their training.

“I came back (from Roufusport) in mid-January and began training, then the LFA contacted me for a fight on April 3,” Stack told MMAWeekly.com. “We were pretty sure it was going to happen up until a week before the fight was going to happen. The shutdown happened.

“My gym had to close for a little bit. It was a dark time I think for everybody. Nobody knew what was going on. I just relaxed and waited to see what was going to happen.”

Following lockdown, Stack took some time off before training again, using the lessons he had learn from his time at other gyms to help improve his game.

“I was still in pretty good shape,” said Stack. “I didn’t want to lose any momentum going forward so I continued training. For me the Covid didn’t really stop too much.

“When I was up at Roufusport, I was able to see a lot of holes in my game that I don’t normally see training with the same guys every day. When I got back I went and cross-trained over at Elevation and just really improved on a lot of things that I personally saw holes in. You’ll definitely see a different fighter from November (until now).”

This Friday in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Stack (4-0) will look to pick up his second promotional win in a row when he faces Kai Kamaka III (6-2) in a main card 145-pound bout at LFA 87.

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“I don’t think (Kamaka) likes when you get too much in his face and pressure him too much, or giving him fits on the striking he’ll take it to the ground,” Stack said. “He’ll have an advantage on the ground against most guys that he’ll compete against, but against me he absolutely will not. I think to try to take me down will be a mistake.

“I personally believe anywhere this fight goes I’ll have the advantage. I think I can beat him anywhere. I think I’m more aggressive and meaner. I always respect my opponent and respect the fight, but I know what I’m capable of.”

While his career goal is to become a champion in the UFC, Stack’s immediate plans are to continue to evolve as a fighter and be the best version of himself he can be when he does reach the top level of MMA.

“I’m always looking for any weaknesses I have and am improving on them,” said Stack. “It’s a never-ending game of learning, and that’s the exciting part of this game.

“I would love to get more fights in. After this fight if I can get another one quickly right away I’m all about it. If not, I’m not stressed about anything. I think everything has a way of working itself out if it’s supposed to work out. All I can do is train the hardest I can and perform the best that I can.”