Ryan Rohovich accepted his fight coming on Friday with just over a week's notice. (Facebook/Ryan Rohovich)

By Nick Nielsen

Local fighter Ryan Rohovich

Prince Albert MMA athlete takes short notice fight in Quebec

Nov 20, 2025 | 12:00 PM

After fights earlier this year, 38-year-old Prince Albert MMA fighter Ryan Rohovich is off to Gatineau, Quebec, to step in for a short-notice fight. Rohovich will meet Gatineau native and 33-year-old Julien Leblanc in a catch weight bout at Samourai MMA 17 on Friday.

For Rohovich, it’s his third fight this year after TKO losses in April and June of this year. Rohovich first found out about the fight opportunity on Friday, and once everything was approved, he announced the bout and caught the first plane he could to Gatineau, Quebec.

“My opponent, he’s actually the one who messaged me, and he’s asking me if I would be interested in a short-notice fight because his opponent, I don’t know if he was injured or whatever, he fell out of the fight anyways. So we talked it over and then we came to an agreement, and I accepted the fight. He was there in a tough spot, so I wanted to help out, and I’m always down to fight. So it’s going to be a bit of a challenge, short notice and everything, but I’m always up for a challenge.”

It is a busier fight year for Rohovich, who is fighting for the third time this year. Rohovich has a record of 6-9-0 (W-L-D) coming into the fight.

“I like it a lot. It’s a lot easier to step in the cage when you’re doing it more consistently, right? Just training constantly, it makes it easier to get in there, and each time I step in there, you get in there and as tough as the fight is, you always want to get right back in there. It’s just a feeling you get when you’re in the cage. It’s kind of indescribable, but you just want to get right back in there.”

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His opponent, Julien LeBlanc, is coming in on a four-fight win streak that dates back to 2023. LeBlanc most recently won via doctor stoppage in the third round of his fight with Darian Weeks earlier this year.

LeBlanc also fights as a Middleweight (which tops out at 185 lbs), while Rohovich typically fights at Welterweight (170 lbs). With the two agreeing to meet in the middle for a catchweight bout, and LeBlanc having the hometown crowd on his side, Rohovich knows going into this match that he is the underdog as the lighter fighter coming into hostile territory.

“There are huge fans out there. They draw a big crowd, and I’m fighting the hometown guy, of course. Nothing unusual for me. So it’s going to get loud, it’s going to get very loud in there, and me being the co-main event against the hometown guy, it’s going to be pretty crazy.”

When it comes to his strategy going into the fight, Rohovich added, “he seems like he’s more of a striker. He’s tall and long, so I’m going to have to use that and try to get in on the inside, and just feel him out, play the game, and my goal is to go there and win. I don’t have any other intentions.”

Rohovich is joined by only one coach, that being Lucian Phillips from North Wake Martial Arts here in Prince Albert. Normally, he’d have a few guys going with him, but the short-notice nature of the fight meant that Phillips was the only coach who could come with him to stand in his corner.

Samourai MMA 17 will be available on UFC Fight Pass on Friday from the Casino De Lac Leamy in Gatineau, Quebec.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com