Clash of military veterans at Eternal 74 set to raise awareness for Veterans MMA charity organisation

Eternal 74 is set to play host to a matchup that is poised to draw attention to a very important issue surrounding military veterans and life after discontinuing their service.

Ex Australian military serviceman and co-founder of ‘Veterans MMA’ Ash Pendergast will make his competitive mixed martial arts debut when he faces off against a fellow military veteran in New Zealand native, Cole Smith.

With boxing & Thai boxing experience prior to his military service, Pendergast came to understand just how valuable a gym-based community can be for those seeking purpose and camaraderie once they return to civilian life.

For a large number of ex-servicemen, the prospect of reassimilating back into society after spending years of their lives seeing and experiencing the ravages of war can often be a challenge too difficult to face, especially as an individual.

For Pendergast, MMA provided the perfect opportunity for him to help fellow combat veterans to find a place amongst like-minded people, with a goal of supporting one another in finding another meaning in life beyond the military.

Speaking with Eternal MMA, Pendergast provided some insight into the challenges facing military veterans and how he is helping change the lives of those he has worked with.

“The issue with leaving service is you go from this (situation) where you’ve got a hundred mates and you’ve done and seen a lot of intense things. All of a sudden, you’re back in a civilian population, you’re quite desensitised and it’s a struggle to blend back in. A lot of vets isolate after that – being so desensitised with their personalities.”

“A lot of guys do isolate and on the Sunshine Coast here, it is a big issue. We do have a lot of veterans here, but they don’t seem to get out and do much.”

Teaming up with industry professionals, Pendergast and fellow founding members James Osborne and Rob Giuffrida sought to create an environment that would provide other veterans with a sanctuary that would allow them to meet and train exclusively with others that have shared the same experiences.

“The purpose was to create something that was exciting enough to get veterans out of the house,” said Pendergast.

“We wanted to create a veterans-only environment, so they didn’t have to worry about what they said around people, they could let their desensitised humour fly around, they didn’t have to watch what they say, they could literally be themselves and not worry.”

Through the ‘Integrated MMA’ gym on the Sunshine Coast, the founding members and coaches created a training and social program that would cater to any and all veterans – regardless of any impairment or disability.

Along with the ability to be able to train and experience martial arts with other veterans, Pendergast insists that the community aspect is just as vital, with no requirement for any attendees to join in the training aspect in order to be a part of the community.

“Rob Giuffrida and Jordan Southern are our two head MMA coaches: they created an amazing package. Rob’s the type of guy that really knows that even if we get a guy that comes in with one arm and one leg, (he’s) going to find a guy for that guy to wrestle – his knowledge of biomechanics and anatomy is amazing.”

“The training itself is veterans only (but) you don’t even really have to train to go in there. The idea is to get them in there, get a little community going where they just have a bit of banter and talk a bit of crap to each other.

“Generally, we have about forty-five minutes of drilling; whether it’s jiu-jitsu, wrestling, striking or maybe just some MMA drills. We usually have about thirty minutes for live activities, where they can be sparring, rolling or wrestling.”

“After that, we usually give them about an hour, maybe even more where it’s just allocated for socialising, we promote it too; we give them a bit of banter. When the guys are injured or even the guys that don’t necessarily want to come in and fight and throw down, they just want to be a part of the community – we get them to come in, they sit to the side and just talk shit to the other guys.

“It’s great, it’s had an amazing response so far.”

Starting in September of 2022, the program has steadily grown from having three or four attendee’s the first day of opening, to having a consistent list of returning community members who have found a location where they can turn up and feel free to be themselves, regardless of skill set or willingness to participate in the physical aspect.

For those who harbour ambitions to compete in MMA, the gym and its coaches have the tools ready to provide those who would like to pursue that opportunity.

Beyond the martial arts, Pendergast says that the Veterans MMA organisation is also active in the wider veteran’s community, often collaborating with other veteran charities at events in order to raise awareness for those who need it.

For the Veterans MMA charity itself, November saw their first fundraiser as an organisation go down with great success, providing a solid platform for regular events in the community for the future.

For Pendergast himself, martial arts and the team at Integrated MMA have played a vital part in putting him back on his own path to a better life after his military service.

Originally a Muay Thai and boxing practitioner from the age of sixteen, Pendergast gave it all up some years later in order to join the army. After completing his service, Pendergast found himself in need of direction after struggling mentally upon his return to civilian life.

“When I got out of the army, I came back and I actually had a lot of issues,” he said.

“I wasn’t fighting any more, I was doing a lot of other sports and trying to get my head right. But I was really struggling mentally.

“It wasn’t until I found this gym ‘Integrated’ that things actually started to go really well for me again. I started getting my confidence back, my head was good, everything just started to line up. I felt like a confident person again where for a while there, I was really struggling.

“I was talking to Rob one day and we came up with the idea that maybe this (Veterans MMA) might be a good thing. There was three or four ways that doing MMA really helped my head – especially the community that’s there. It just happened to be that the gym I went to was full of really cool, non-judgemental people.

“It’s turned out really well.”

Once the Veteran’s MMA charity was established, Pendergast took up a prominent role as the veteran program facilitator and continued his own training as a mixed martial artist. With the program advancing quickly and some participants showing eagerness to compete, Pendergast saw it fitting to enter into his own training camp and sign up for his first MMA fight, leading by example for the veterans he helps train.

“This fight (came about) because some of the guys do want to compete,” he said.

“I’ve done a lot of fight camps for boxing, but I’ve never done one for MMA. I don’t want to be the guy that’s coaching guys and telling them to do something that I’ve never done. So, it was kind of just a ‘lead from the front’ thing and go through a good fight camp.”

With a lot of buzz around the fight, the matchup itself against another veteran in Cole Smith has provided Pendergast with the perfect opportunity for anybody hoping to contribute to the Veterans MMA charity.

“Anyone that uses my fighter’s code, any money that I get through that for tickets will one-hundred percent go to the charity,” he said.

For anyone not attending Eternal 74, but still looking to contribute, you can make donations via the Veterans MMA website as well as navigate to any of the Veterans MMA social media platforms and contacts below to learn more.

Eternal 74 starts at 5:00pm AEST on March 11th, live from Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast. Tickets can be purchased at www.eternalmma.com for those wishing to attend the event.

Know Your Fighter: Tasar Malone

Eternal MMA sits down with Tasar Malone for a Q&A ahead of his professional debut at Eternal 74 against Tom Pratt.

Age:

26.

Where were you born:

I was born on the Gold Coast and grew up in Beechmont up in the sticks.

Where are you based now:

Bit of a tricky answer… but in my car! I saved up all my pennies and bought myself a van to live in out the front of the gym on the Gold Coast.

What gym do you train out of:

CMBT.

Who are your coaches:

The one’s leading from the front would be Miles Muecke, Jesse Yada, Glen Sparv, Brentin Mumford, James (Powell) and Darcy Vendy.

What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist

I was lucky enough recently to be awarded my purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

I started off playing soccer as a young boy. I transitioned to AFL in my late teens and got close to getting drafted. That didn’t happen, but I believe everything happens for a reason. Now, I’ve found MMA.

When did you first decide to dedicate yourself to the sport of MMA:

When I was younger, even from five years old I was running around telling my parents that I was going to be a professional athlete and a great one at that. I always chased that belief because that was one of the first things that popped in to my mind and body as something that I wanted. As I said, I got close to the AFL, I was getting paid at a certain stage playing senior footy for a few weeks. I got lost a little bit for a couple months (before) I got introduced to mixed martial arts by a friend. After doing literally the first training session, I fell in love with the sport.

Favourite aspect of training:

I love it all. I look at it (like) there’s always something to learn – a never ending pursuit of knowledge and self-improvement. 

What do you consider to be your greatest strengths as a mixed martial artist:

Two things: No ego – but I’m very coachable and a quick leaner. I love being told and taught things. Second thing would be my adaptability to situations and my mindset to always find a way out or find a way to get it done. “Self-determination”, I would say.

What can fans expect to see from you when you step foot inside the cage:

I tend to be a bit of a wild man! Whether it’s things like climbing cages, doing back flips, throwing everything into all my shots, takedowns – you name it. I used to be a bit all over the place; I’m trying to work on being a lot more structured and methodical with my approach. But I guess if I’m being me, I love being a wild untamed beast! (ha-ha) if that’s a way of putting it.

Can you compare your fighting style to any high level mixed martial artist:

My mindset on martial arts has always been that everybody is unique. Without having ego, I feel like I am my own (fighter), but the person I have always looked up to and wanted to (emulate) the most has always been George St-Pierre. Just the way he carries himself inside and outside the octagon; how he fights. I’d say he’s the person I’ve always wanted to follow in the footsteps of. But as I said, I want to be me and bring my own style and flavour.

Who would you consider to be some of your favourite combat sports athletes:

George St-Pierre.

Which fight do you consider to be your standout performance so far:

I’m not sure if I could pick one, but going off my last performance I believe I didn’t even get hit with a strike. I’ve had ten fights now and ‘touch wood’ – I haven’t even blead inside the (cage).

What are your goals for both the immediate and long-term future:

Short term is obviously this weekend. I’m very much someone who lives in the present moment. Tomorrow is never promised, so I just focus on what’s in front of me. We’ve put a lot of work into this coming weekend so I’m just focusing on that. Long term: I’m the type of person that will always aim for the stars and reach as high as I possibly can with the team that’s around me. If I continue showing up, putting in the work, dedicating myself and sacrificing for this, I believe that the Australian championship belt will be wrapped around my waist (before moving) on to bigger and better things.

How do you see yourself getting your hand raised at Eternal 74:

I am very much in the belief that it’s a fight at the end of the day and there are so many variables. I like to see everything in front of me in the rawness of the moment. If you give me a sniff of an opportunity, I’m willing to go one-hundred and ten percent to jump on that opportunity. Whether it’s on the feet with a shot, whether it’s ground and pound, TKO, or a submission.

A final message to your fans and supporters:

I used to be in the mindset that this is an individual sport, but it’s really not. I’m super blessed and grateful for not only my team that help support me to actually get in there and be on the playing field, but also all the messages of love and support from all the people like my friends, my family, my supporters and fans. I see it all, I feed off it. I’ve received a lot in this last week and it’s something that really reminds me of how many people are behind me. That spirit, that energy – I just carry that in there and I just feel untouchable. I love you all, I appreciate every single one of you. I’m super excited for this weekend and to go to battle with the entire army that’s behind me.

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Eternal 74 main card can be viewed live and exclusive March 18th on UFC Fight Pass. Tickets can be purchased at www.eternalmma.com for anyone wishing to attend the event.