What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:
Blue belt BJJ
What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
Judo Kickboxing
When did you begin to take MMA seriously as a hoby and then as a potential profession:
Started doing mma 10 years ago and started fighting 6 years ago
Favourite aspect of training or favourite session of the week, and why:
Favourite part of training is working on my crafts. And socialising with everyone at the gym. My best session of the week is fighters training on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Always a hard push to get better as a athlete
What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:
Agility and creativity. Kickboxing and wrestling.
How would you describe your fighting style:
Creative striking and pressure grappling.
What is your favourite sport and why:
MMA because it’s all aspects of martial arts
Who is your favourite athlete:
Alex volkanoski
Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:
Robert Whittaker
What are your immediate and long term goals:
To be fighting as long as possible .
When fans see your name on a fight poster, what should they expect:
A fast and explosive fight to be excited for
How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:
Long hard tough fight with my hand getting raised at the end of it
A final message to any friends, family and supporters:
To be ready for a 5 round war
Where will any fans or supporters be able to find you socials:
Eternal MMA sits down with lightweight challenger Quillan Salkilld for a Q&A ahead of his championship fight against Blake Donnelly at Eternal 76.
Age:
23
Where were you born:
I was born in Perth. I spent my most of my childhood in Broome.
Where are you based now:
I am now based in Perth.
Which gym to you train out of:
I train at Luistro Combat Academy.
Who are your coaches:
My main coach in Romel Luistro.
What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
I have received my brown-belt in jiu-jitsu.
What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
When I was growing up, I got in to skating a lot. That was one of my first dreams – I wanted to be a professional skater. I also got into Aussie Rules footy as well, that was my second dream before MMA – I wanted to be an AFL player.
When did you first decide to dedicate yourself to the sport of MMA:
I first went all in on the sport when I got my first win. After I got my first win, that’s when I decided that this is what I want to do full-time, I want to keep chasing that feeling.
Favourite aspect of training:
Seeing myself and my team build. We have been working together for years, seeing everyone steadily improve, seeing where we have come from and where we are at now – we see the trajectory of where we are going to go.
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths as a mixed martial artist:
My greatest strength is my ability to absorb information. My ability to learn anything and get better.
Can you compare your fighting style to any high level mixed martial artist:
I’m not sure, but I’d like to be like Zabit Magomedsharipov. He’s such a complete fighter and he has a really cool style. He’s someone who I guess I aim to be like.
Who would you consider to be some of your favourite combat sports athletes:
Nothing really comes to mind as a “favourite”. I like a lot of people. Guys like Zabit and Conor McGregor – one of the guys who got me in to training. Before I even started training, I was hearing about him and kind of became a fan beforehand.
Which fight do you consider to be your standout performance so far:
I’d say my last fight in February of this year. I found my mindset and everything going into that fight was bulletproof. I felt invincible in there. I think I really showcased my skills that night.
What are your goals for both the immediate and long-term future:
Immediate goal is to win the Eternal lightweight belt. My long-term goal is to win the UFC lightweight belt.
What can fans expect to see from you when you step foot inside the cage:
They can expect to see a complete martial artist. They’re not going to find any holes in my game, they’re going to find out that I’m good at everything.
How do you see yourself getting your hand raised at Eternal 76:
The perfect way would just be a finish inside of five-rounds.
A final message to your fans and supporters.
I just want to say thankyou to everyone. Especially my close friends, family, teammates, coaches – everyone that’s been looking out for me for the last four or five years. I just want to say thankyou and one day I will pay it back.
Eternal MMA sits down with Peter Templer for a Q&A ahead of his co-main event bout at Eternal 75 against Lachlan Stitt.
Age:
25.
Where were you born:
I was born in Adelaide, but I’ve been in Mackay most of my life.
Where are you based now:
Mackay
Which gym to you train out of:
Mackay MMA
Who are your coaches:
It’s changed a little bit recently, but David Garnham’s always sort of my head coach. I’ve got Dan Moulder – he’s more of a striking coach. I do a bit of work with some other guys – Clint McLachlan, Danny Borg… Ash Clein’s been holding pads for me. So, I’ve got a few guys to work with.
What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
I got my black-belt six months ago in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
Always played soccer from a young age. I was pretty serious about soccer until I got to about fifteen, then I stared training MMA. That sort of took over, I still played (soccer) for a couple of years but it’s all MMA now.
When did you first decide to dedicate yourself to the sport of MMA:
I started when I was fifteen, but the gym was only (operating) two or three times a week (back) then. As we’ve grown, we train five or six days a week for the last eight years or so.
Favourite aspect of training:
Definitely just those hard, long rounds rolling or wrestling where we can just go hard. Striking, you have to be obviously a bit more controlled.
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths as a mixed martial artist:
I took naturally to jiu-jitsu – I had a pretty natural grasp on that nice and early. Also, I think I can be coached pretty well. I don’t get stuck in my ways and I can adapt quickly to new information.
Can you compare your fighting style to any high level mixed martial artist:
Not so much in recent years, but I used to really like to emulate Rory MacDonald – he was just one of those earlier than guys that was straight MMA, he didn’t have a super specific specialty. Just MMA from the start.
Who would you consider to be some of your favourite combat sports athletes:
Not so much one favourite, I’ll pretty much just support the Aussie’s. If they’re Australian, even Kiwi, that’ll do – I’ll back them guys.
Which fight do you consider to be your standout performance so far:
The last one against (Michael) Tepou was definitely a great fight for me. We stuck to the game plan; another heavy striker similar to Lachlan in that regards (albeit) a very different body. The game plan worked perfectly, stuck to it and came away nice win.
What are your goals for both the immediate and long-term future:
Short-term obviously (is to) win this one this weekend and perform. Long term – even out the record, get a couple more wins and then start looking for that Eternal title.
What can fans expect to see from you when you step foot inside the cage:
Most of my wins have definitely come from jiu-jitsu, but I think my striking has definitely caught up in recent years doing a lot of work with Dan Moulder. They can expect a different fight from the usual this time around.
How do you see yourself getting your hand raised at Eternal 75:
I don’t like to have anything set in stone so I’m ready for anything. But I think it might be a KO/TKO this time around.
A final message to your fans and supporters.
Big thanks to all my coaches, all the people coming to watch – it’s a long way to travel from Mackay to “Goldy”. I’ve got a decent crew coming to support. (Also), all of the other people and training partners that have helped me in this training camp and along the way.
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.
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.
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.
Australia’s No.1 flyweight (125 lbs) fighter, Stephen “Astroboy” Erceg (9-1 MMA) has signed
an exclusive multi-fight agreement with the UFC.
Last year Stephen was scheduled to have his audition for the UFC on the globally televised Dana White’s Contender Series, but due to visa issues he was unable to perform on the big stage and he headed back to Australia.
The resilience shown during this time is a testament to Erceg’s character, a man who is not only capable and confident inside the cage but continues to put in the work outside it and leaves little to chance in chasing his goals.
Over the weekend at Eternal MMA 73, Stephen added another victory to his resume with a slick first-round submission of Japanese fighter Soichiro Hirai (4-2 MMA). In what was expected to be a close contest “Astroboy” showed his ability to dominate on the ground and stop the fight early.
As he headed backstage, filled with adrenaline and heart pumping off a quick stoppage victory he did not expect the following events. Mick Maynard and Hunter Campbell, two of the senior executives at the UFC were waiting for him and he was offered a contract on the spot.
Courtney Hard Day, Rival Sports Management: “Steve had to overcome quite a few setbacks last year including well documented visa issues which kept him out of his Contender Series bout. The team at Rival Sports are thrilled that Steve is now where he deserves to be, fighting the best athletes in the biggest MMA promotion in the world.”
Cam O’Neill, Eternal MMA: “There is excitement in the air across Australian MMA and the future looks bright for Eternal MMA fighters. We are looking forward to more athletes following in the footsteps of Stephen Erceg and being given the opportunity to compete against the best in the world.”
Eternal 74 will be held at Southport Sharks, Gold Coast on March 18 with the two title fights. The welterweight strap is on the line with champion Kaleb Rideout(7-2) defending against Joseph Luciano (7-1). In the co-main, the Lightweight champion David Martinez (9-4) will be fighting Blake Donnelly (6-1). You can catch the main card action on UFC Fight Pass and the prelims free on the Eternal MMA YouTube.
Australia’s No.1 MMA Promotion, Eternal MMA are pleased to announce their partnership renewal with CMBT Nutrition for 2023 events season.
CMBT (pronounced “combat”) was established to provide combat athletes with the highest quality, most effective, banned substance tested, nutritional and sports supplementation possible.
The exclusive partnership with CMBT Nutrition will see Australia’s leading premium sports supplements brand activate major rights that includes octagon branding and bespoke digital content for social media and Eternal’s broadcast partnerships with UFC Fight Pass. CMBT will also provide Eternal MMA fighters with banned substance tested performance and recovery products before and during each bout.
CMBT Nutrition is developed by combat athletes, combat dietitians and sports scientists and was created as a vehicle to assist in an athletes performance, recovery and overall health. Every batch of CMBT is tested and qualified by HASTA, a WADA banned substance testing authority, meaning professional athletes and consumers can feel comfortable that what they are putting in their body is safe and the product will perform the function it is designed to perform.
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NEXT SHOW: ETERNAL MMA 73 will take place at HBF Arena, Perth on February 11, 2023 and will feature an AustralianFlyweight bout between Australia’s No.1 ranked flyweight, Stephen Ecerg and international newcomer, Soichiro Hirai.For all event and ticketing information visit, EternalMMA/events
Australia’s No.1 MMA Promotion, Eternal MMA are pleased to announce their partnership with MMA Fight Store for 2023 events season.
The exclusive partnership with MMA Fight Store will see Australia’s leading combat sports retailer activate major rights that includes event merchandising activations, presenting rights to the Prep Point and digital execution across Eternal’s broadcast partnerships with UFC Fight Pass.
Cam O’Neill, Eternal MMA Director: “Eternal MMA have a long standing friendship with MMA Fight Store. Their growth in recent years is a byproduct of the success of combat sports in the ANZ region and we’re delighted to be in a position to support MMA Fight Stores national foot-print of retail stores and ecomm presence”.
Established in 2011, MMA Fight Store has grown to become Australia’s largest supplier of mixed martial arts products and has travelled the world to secure the most exclusive and recognisable brands. MMA Fight Store prides itself on an inviting atmosphere and access to staff with high-level product knowledge. Now with four retail stores (Perth, Sydney, Melbourne & Brisbane) and a national online presence, MMA Fight Store continues to establish themselves as the premium supplier of all things MMA.
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NEXT SHOW: ETERNAL MMA 73 will take place at HBF Arena, Perth on February 11, 2023 and will feature an AustralianFlyweight bout bout between Australia’s No.1 ranked flyweight, Stephen Ecerg and top Japanese prospect, Soichiro Hirai.For all event and ticketing information visit, EternalMMA/events
Australia’s No.1 MMA Promotion, Eternal MMA are pleased to announce their partnership with, Proper No. Twelve Irishwhiskey has been renewed for 2023 events season.
The exclusive partnership with Proximo Spirits will see Eternal support the growth of Proper No. Twelve across the Australia and New Zealand region, with major rights that include octagon canvas branding, presenting rights to Corner-Cam digital assets via Eternal’s broadcast partnerships with UFC Fight Pass and ESPN, venue presenting rights of the exclusive Proper No. Twelve VIP Champions Club and the inclusion of the Proper No. Twelve Performance of the Night recipients.
Cam O’Neill, Eternal MMA Director: “Eternal MMA are very excited to renew this partnership with Proper No. Twelve Irish Whiskey. The inclusions of the Corner Cam and Performance of the Night rights further integrates the Proper No. Twelve and Eternal brands and supports Eternal in showcasing a better overall product to our fans and viewers.
Eternal MMA have continued their unprecedented growth and are Australia & New Zealand’s only legitimate national MMA promoter and will be promoting over ten (10) shows across Australia and New Zealand in 2023 and have featured some of the very best regional MMA talent, including UFC world champion prospects Casey O’Neill and Jack Della Maddalena and UFC newcomers in 2023, Jack Jenkins and Shannon Ross, who will feature on the UFC 284 card on February 12 in Perth at the RAC Arena.
Ben Vickers, Eternal MMA Director: “For Eternal to be in Partnership with Proper No. Twelve Irish Whisky is amazing. Eternal is built on hard work, passion and dedication. Joining forces with a whisky brand founded from the same values is exciting and we look forward to working closely with the Proper No. Twelve teams and watching both brands continue to grow in Australia”.
Proper No. Twelve combines all the attitude and values of the real Dublin within a balanced, smooth whiskey. Proper No. Twelve’s triple distilled Irish Whiskey is an ultra-smooth blend of golden grain and single malt with hints of vanilla, honey and toasted wood for a rich complexity, founded by Conor McGregor.
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NEXT SHOW: ETERNAL MMA 73 will take place at HBF Arena, Perth on February 11, 2023 and will feature an AustralianFlyweight bout bout between Australia’s No.1 ranked flyweight, Stephen Ecerg (8-1) and top Japanese prospect, Soichiro Hirai (4-1).For all event and ticketing information visit, EternalMMA/events
Eternal MMA sits down with Abdalla Biayda for a quick-fire Q&A ahead of his eighth professional fight at Eternal 73 against Alan Philpott.
Age:
27.
Where were you born:
I was born in a city in Sudan called Khartoum.
Where are you based now:
I live in Perth, Western Australia – in Bassendean near Morley
What gym do you train out of:
I train out of Kickass MMA in Morley.
Who are your coaches/main training partners.
The main team is (made up of) Steve Kennedy – the head coach. I also have a boxing coach – Bon. Also, my Muay Thai coach which is Oliver Olson. My strength and conditioning coach, that would be Luke Johnstone. Also, my Jiu Jitsu coach Scotty and my wrestling coach Tom Barnes.
Abdalla most recently picked up an impressive stoppage victory over Josh Kuhne at Eternal 72.
What belts or rankings do you currently possess as a martial artist:
I’m a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu blue-belt – that happened after my recent bout when I submitted Josh Kuhne. Because I’ve been doing Jiu-Jitsu for two or three years, I never thought I was going to get the blue-belt. But after that fight that were like “hey, you’re kind of ready”. So, I got it.
What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:
Believe it or not, I was terrible at all sports. I was no good at any sport. I am surprised that right now I am in a sport for a career. I was just terrible! I was just terrible at every single sport, so, I never tried. I did like basketball, but I was terrible at it. Now I’m in (MMA) as a career – life is weird.
When did you first decide to dedicate yourself to the sport of MMA:
After I won my first (professional) lightweight belt. I was just cruising with this career, to be honest. The reason why I stuck with it was because it really calmed my mind. When I started having a couple of bouts, started winning, started understanding myself, starting character building and started understanding about respect and discipline, it really worked for my mind. So, I just continued doing it. After I won my belt, I thought “I’m going to take this as far as I can”.
Favourite aspect of training:
I like doing ‘teeps’ in training. I do a lot of pad work with my Muay Thai coach. I realised it could be my ultimate weapon because of how long my legs are – they’re like spider legs!
Abdalla’s strengths lie in his cardio, and his length.
What do you consider to be your greatest strengths as a mixed martial artist:
I would say cardio. That helps me. I would say it’s my biggest strength.
What can fans expect to see from you when you step inside the cage:
I like throwing everything. I like being an artist. I like painting a painting. I like mixing it up, doing different things. But, in this fight, if he wants to grapple then you will see me grapple. But nobody has ever wanted to just grapple with me. They (usually) like to try and stand up with me, then they turn in to grapplers.
Can you compare your style to any high level mixed martial artist:
I would say Jon Jones and Rafael Fiziev. Also, Terrance Crawford’s boxing and switches. Put all three together, you got me.
Who would you consider to be some of your favourite combat sports athletes:
Rafael Fiziev and also Jonathan Haggerty from One Championship, I love his Muay Thai. I love that dude. (Also) DJ – Demetrious Johnson.
Which fight do you consider to be your standout performance so far:
I would say when I had my first (professional) lightweight fight. I was spot on with my striking, my movement, everything was just on point.
What are your goals for both the immediate and long-term future with mixed martial arts:
For my immediate future, my goal is to try a three-division champion in one promotion. It doesn’t matter what promotion it is; I don’t care. My long-term goal is to get into a big promotion like the UFC or any other promotions and try to be a three-division champion there as well.
Abdalla sees Triple Champ status in his future – no matter where he is.
How do you see yourself getting your hand raised at Eternal 73:
I don’t really envision those kinds of things. I don’t make predictions. I just go out there and give it my all and whatever happens, happens. If I fight hard, I know that good things will happen. But if I have to predict I’d say first round stoppage or knockout.
A message to the fans and your supporters:
All love, to be honest. My fans, people who have been supporting me, my friends, my family, the ones who have been with me from the start – I appreciate all of you. It’s just love. They have no idea how much I appreciate it.
Abdalla Biayda vs Alan Philpott for Eternal 73 can be viewed Saturday, February 11th live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass. Fans can visit eternalmma.com to purchase tickets for Eternal 73.
