Know Your Fighter: Baxter Pickering

Full Name:
Baxter Pickering

Age:
24

Where were you born:
Gold Coast

Where do you live:
Gold Coast

Which gym do you train out of:
Shindo New Breed MMA

Who are your coaches:
Coach Kerry Dunne

What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
Blue Belt BJJ

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
Basketball as a young teen and not much else.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession:
I started MMA when I was 20. I went hot and cold for about two years until I decided to get my fitness sorted. Naturally, I wanted to train more—and I fell in love with becoming a mixed martial artist. Over the past two years, I’ve wanted to implement my skills into the cage.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why:
My favourite aspect of training is simply turning up. The hardest part is walking through the gym doors—even when you don’t feel like it or don’t have time. But if you think the price of sacrifice is high, wait until you get the bill for regret.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:
I’ve naturally gravitated toward grappling and BJJ. I love the breadth of grappling and being able to express yourself through a wide range of techniques. It’s good for the soul.

How would you describe your fighting style:
My fighting style is definitely not plain Jane. I’ve incorporated a lot of unusual elements—on the ground and standing—that people don’t usually see. I’m not afraid to try interesting things, especially on the ground.

What is your favourite sport and why:
😏

Who is your favourite athlete:
Kobe Bryant — Mamba Mentality.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:
Chito Vera — inspiring story and easily the most stylish UFC fighter ever.

What are your immediate and long term goals:
I’ve never really thought about it until now, but I truly want to teach MMA one day and make my way as a coach… after making it into the UFC Hall of Fame, of course.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect:
Assume nothing, expect everything.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:
I’ll work my stand-up briefly. When I see the opportunity, I’ll take it to the ground. Wherever my opponent moves, he’ll be in danger.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:
The love and support fuels everything. It never goes unnoticed. 🙌🫶

Where will any fans or supporters be able to find you socials:
Instagram: @bax_pickering

Watch Baxter Pickering fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Yuki Angdembe

Full Name:
Yuki Angdembe

Age:
26

Where were you born:
Nepal

Where do you live:
Bali

Which gym do you train out of:
Soma Fight Club

Who are your coaches:
Mike Soma, Yousef Wehbe

What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
White belt for life

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
Cricket

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession:
While in university

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why:
Sparring

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:
An all-rounded MMA fighter — and my heart.

How would you describe your fighting style:
Controlled violence

What is your favourite sport and why:
Surfing — the thrill of riding waves, the feeling of freedom, and connection with nature.

Who is your favourite athlete:
Michael Jordan

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:
Muhammad Ali

What are your immediate and long term goals:
Maybe the Eternal belt — and the UFC.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect:
War ready.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:
A finish! Nothing more, nothing less.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:
Big thanks to all the Nepali community for getting together and supporting me.

Where will any fans or supporters be able to find you socials:
Instagram: @yuki_angd

Watch Yuki Angdembe fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Randall Rowan

Full Name:
Randall Rowan.

Age:
19.

Where were you born?
Brisbane.

Where do you live?
Ipswich.

Which gym do you train out of?
Crown Kickboxing.

Who are your coaches?
James Moller and Luke Thomas.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
Blue Belt in BJJ.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
MMA mainly, along with some random school sports.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
Started taking it seriously at 13, and saw it as a future profession from 18.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
Pad sessions — nothing better than being able to hit hard and clean.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
My striking ability, by far.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Entertaining and damaging.

What is your favourite sport and why?
MMA — nothing more exciting to do or watch.

Who is your favourite athlete?
LeBron James.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Alexander Volkanovski.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
Turn pro next year, then go after that belt.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
A dominant performance.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
A highlight-worthy knockout going my way.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Can’t wait to put on a show for everyone!!!

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Instagram: @randall_rowan1

Watch Randall Rowan fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Oscar Marlow

Full Name:
Oscar Marlow.

Age:
23.

Where were you born?
Nottingham, England.

Where do you live?
Sydney, Australia.

Which gym do you train out of?
Modern Combat.

Who are your coaches?
Zac Stanley.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
Purple Belt in Jiu Jitsu.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
I grew up doing karate and playing soccer from the age of 7. I started Muay Thai at 14, and soon after began training Jiu Jitsu and MMA. I quit soccer after my first year of Muay Thai to dedicate more time to martial arts.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
I’ve trained consistently since I started. Around age 16, I made the decision to pursue MMA as a career — I never really wanted to do anything else.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
Sparring is my favourite session of the week. Outside of that, I love a tough wrestling session — anything that pushes me.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
My pace, work rate, and physical strength. But above all, my consistency and dedication to training. I’m always in the gym working to improve.

How would you describe your fighting style?
High-paced and exciting. I’m always pushing forward and hunting for the finish.

What is your favourite part of the sport and why?
Competing and testing myself. Seeing improvements, winning, and showcasing my skills in the cage — nothing beats that feeling.

Who is your favourite athlete?
Georges St-Pierre — for me, the greatest to ever do it. A role model in and out of competition.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Michael Bisping was one of the first that got me into MMA — his title win was legendary. I’m a big fan of Aussie fighters like Volk and Whittaker, and I love watching Max Holloway.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
Immediate: Keep improving and win the Eternal title — prove I’m the best in the country.
Long-term: Make it to the UFC and climb to the top.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
A high-paced, exciting fight — a show.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
I’m going to put the pace on Ethan and finish him.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Thank you for the support — I appreciate every bit of it.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Instagram: @oscar_the_mauler

Watch Oscar Marlow fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Mitchell Rapson

Full Name:
Mitchell Rapson

Age:
25

Where were you born:
Melbourne, Australia

Where do you live:
Gold Coast, Australia

Which gym do you train out of:
CMBT Training Centre

Who are your coaches:
Miles Muecke, Brentin Mumford, Jesse Yada

What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
White belt in Jiu Jitsu

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
I tried most sports like soccer, footy, and basketball but only enjoyed and stuck with MMA.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession:
I started training when I was 15 but didn’t commit properly to it until I was 23.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why:
My favourite aspect is learning new things every day and constantly improving in the areas I believe are the weakest.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:
That I don’t give up.

How would you describe your fighting style:
Entertaining.

What is your favourite sport and why:
MMA, because there are so many aspects to it.

Who is your favourite athlete:
Alexander Volkanovski

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:
Alexander Volkanovski

What are your immediate and long term goals:
My immediate goal is to get my hand raised on June 21st and continue to fight and gain more experience.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect:
An entertaining fight that they won’t want to miss.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:
I see it being very entertaining up until I find the finish.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:
Appreciate all the love and support from everyone — let’s do it!

Where will any fans or supporters be able to find you socials:
Instagram: @mitch_rapson

Watch Mitch Rapson fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Luke Jones

Full Name:
Luke Jones.

Age:
34.

Where were you born?
Perth.

Where do you live?
Perth.

Which gym do you train out of?
Luistro Combat Academy.

Who are your coaches?
Romel Luistro.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
White Belt.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
Athletics.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
In my mid-twenties.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
The constant adaptation and pursuit of perfection — working toward effortless efficiency.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
Speed, recovery, mindset, and accuracy.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Precise, damaging, and relentless.

What is your favourite sport and why?
Combat sports — the rawest expression of competition.

Who is your favourite athlete?
Alex Pereira.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Alex Pereira.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
To perform consistently and build momentum toward signing with a major organisation.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
A fight showcasing high-level skill, excitement, and the kind of performance that inspires.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
A dominant display of control and ability — a strong showcase across all areas.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Thank you for your support and time — it means everything.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Facebook: Luke Jones

Watch Luke Jones fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Ben Paterson

Full Name:
Ben Paterson.

Age:
24.

Where were you born?
Sydney, Australia.

Where do you live?
Bondi Beach.

Which gym do you train out of?
Lions Den Academy.

Who are your coaches?
Luke Pezzutti.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
Blue Belt in Jiu Jitsu.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
Rugby, swimming, and Ironman.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
Five years ago.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
Sparring — it’s where I get to work on everything I’ve been practicing.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
Speed, agility, and creativity.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Freestyle — well-rounded and adaptable.

What is your favourite sport and why?
MMA — because I live it.

Who is your favourite athlete?
Robert Whittaker.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Robert Whittaker.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
Dominate the lightweight division and punch my way to the UFC.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
Blood, guts, and glory.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
With a finish — whether it’s on the feet or on the ground, it doesn’t bother me.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Don’t need luck — best of skill.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Instagram: @bennypaterson

Watch Ben Paterson fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Jasmine Nikora

Full Name:
Jasmine Nikora.

Age:
32.

Where were you born?
New Zealand.

Where do you live?
Perth.

Which gym do you train out of?
Luistro Combat Academy.

Who are your coaches?
Romel Luistro.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
Blue Belt in Jiu Jitsu.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
Just the usual school sports.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
I started training as a hobby in 2018, began competing in 2020, and started fighting MMA in 2022.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
Sparring — it’s where I get to put all my training together.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
My mind and my heart.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Aggressive striker.

What is your favourite sport and why?
MMA — silly question.

Who is your favourite athlete?
N/A.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
N/A.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
A few more amateur fights, and then you’ll see me on the professional scene.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
An exciting fight.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
We’ll see — but it’s going to be exciting.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
You’ll see a new, evolved fighter — and I’ll do you all proud.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Instagram: @jasminenikora

Watch Jasmine Nikora fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Connor Birch

Full Name:
Connor Birch.

Age:
27.

Where were you born?
Sydney, NSW.

Where do you live?
Sunshine Coast.

Which gym do you train out of?
Tribal MMA.

Who are your coaches?
Mitch Ferdi and Paul Birch.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
Purple Belt in BJJ.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
Rugby League and Rugby Union.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
2011.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
Sparring — simple.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
I just like to fight.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Punches and kicks — what more do you need?

What is your favourite sport and why?
MMA — no fluff, just fighting.

Who is your favourite athlete?
Mike Tyson.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Alex Pereira, Jon Jones, and Jose Aldo.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
Win. Win again. Then win the next one.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
Unlimited chi force.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
A tactical battle that ends in a finish.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Hello.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
Instagram: @cbirch__

Watch Connor Birch fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.

Know Your Fighter: Luca Bowe

Full Name:
Luca Bowe.

Age:
21.

Where were you born?
Agnes Water.

Where do you live?
Brisbane.

Which gym do you train out of?
Crown Kickboxing.

Who are your coaches?
Luke Thomas and James Moller.

What belts or rankings do you currently hold as a martial artist?
White Belt in BJJ.

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up?
I focused on tennis throughout my childhood and teenage years.

When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hobby and then as a potential profession?
I began taking MMA seriously in December 2023.

Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why?
My favourite aspect of training is that there’s always more to learn — the evolution never stops.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter?
My power and range are two of my biggest assets.

How would you describe your fighting style?
Technical, violent, and always applying constant pressure.

What is your favourite sport and why?
MMA — because of the toughness it demands both physically and mentally.

Who is your favourite athlete?
Carmelo Anthony.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete?
Petr Yan.

What are your immediate and long-term goals?
Immediate: constant and rapid progression in all areas of my game.
Long-term: to evolve into a complete, high-level fighter.

When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect?
A fast-paced fight that ends in a finish.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out?
I see myself landing big shots early and finishing the fight.

A final message to any friends, family, and supporters:
Thank you to everyone who supports me on fight night and throughout my camp — it means everything.

Where can fans and supporters find you on social media?
@luca_bowe on all platforms.

Watch Luca Bowe fight at Eternal MMA 96 on Saturday, June 21.