Eternal MMA pays tribute to its ‘Icons’ who have contributed to the growth and success of not only Eternal MMA, but Australian combat sports in its entirety. All the way from the grass roots of local martial arts education to the pinnacle of international competition, we salute those who have been vital in guiding Australian mixed martial arts in its endeavours at every level.
Tim is a former Eternal MMA flyweight champion who competed eight times under the Eternal MMA banner, winning five of his bouts in total including one successful defence of his flyweight championship.
Like many other children growing up in the northeast of Australia, Tim first found his way into the world of sport via rugby league. After finding himself dealing with some adversity at the age of 19, he decided to enter a mixed martial arts gym in hopes of setting himself on a better path.
Soon after commencing training six nights a week, Tim made the choice to fight professionally after getting some wins under his belt. Realising that he had the potential to fight at a high level, he dedicated himself to the sport and went on to become a true icon of the regional MMA scene in Australia.
Tim was one of the first athletes to compete under the banner of Eternal MMA, having fought on Eternal 1 at Southport Sharks on the Gold Coast. Tim also holds the distinction of being one of only four athletes to compete in Eternal MMA’s first three events.
Tim: The very first Eternal (event) was the main event that I fought on, so that would be up there with the fond memories.
Toughest Eternal MMA opponent:
Tim: It would have to be (Shaun) Etchell in the first fight that we had. Even (Jacob) Mahony in the first (Eternal 1), that was pretty tough.
Standout performance fighting for Eternal MMA
Tim: When I fought Adam Corbett. There wasn’t anything particularly special about it, but he tried to fight me in the carpark before the fight. I was walking in by myself into the venue as him and his team were walking out. There was a bit of trash talk before the fight and he just offered me out in the car park – properly had a crack at it. I just had a bit of laugh and said, “see you in a few hours, mate!”.
Current Eternal MMA fighter you enjoy watching:
Tim: Naveed Hassanzada – he fought recently. He’s a flyweight that I got to do a little training with recently. I’ve always liked his fighting style. Hoani Selwyn – he just went pro. There’s always good up-and-comers like Josh Kuhne. There’s Dimps (Gillies) who has been there forever. There are so many dudes coming up but it’s the flyweights mainly for me.
Greatest career achievement:
Tim: Winning the (Flyweight) title. Not even winning the title – defending the title. A lot of people had won it and didn’t defend it.
Current involvement with mixed martial arts:
Tim: I was helping Shannon Ross for a recent fight that he had. After that, I just kept my own training rolling on from there. I’ve been training a couple nights a week for the last couple of months now. I’m trying to get more regular (with training) and maybe fight later in the year. I feel like my body and my mind is still pretty sharp. Once things even out at home, I’m definitely keen to get back into it. So, towards the end of this year, I think we can make that happen.
Life outside of mixed martial arts:
I’ve got my wife and three kids which obviously keeps me pretty busy. During the week I have a building company of my own. So, I’m on the tools as a chippy throughout the day, finish that and then I’m a family man at home.
What do you hope your legacy will be as a competitive martial artist:
Tim: Obviously my record isn’t the greatest, but I’ve never turned down a fight or cherry-picked an opponent. Anyone that was ever offered to me, I always said yes, whether it was a smart idea or not. I think a lot of fans know that with the opponents that I’ve fought.
Eternal MMA pays tribute to its ‘Icons’ who have contributed to the growth and success of not only Eternal MMA, but Australian combat sports in its entirety. All the way from the grass roots of local martial arts education to the pinnacle of international competition, we salute those who have been vital in guiding Australian mixed martial arts in its endeavours at every level.
This week, Eternal MMA is proud to profile Callan ‘The Rockstar’ Potter. Callan is a former Eternal MMA lightweight champion who competed three times under the Eternal MMA banner, winning all three of his bouts.
Callan Potter takes the back against Brentin Mumford for win via rear naked choke.
Eternal MMA achievements/accolades.
• Eternal MMA Lightweight Championship (one time)
▪ One successful title defence.
A happy Callan Potter with the strap with a win over Brentin Mumford.
Fond memory fighting for Eternal MMA:
Callan: I’ve earned plenty of great memories at Eternal. As far as sticking to the fights, going through that real ‘transition moment’ that some people have had to go through in their fights; being exhausted, being bloody, being beaten up and standing up off the stool coming into the third-round against B.J. Bland is a moment that will stick with me forever. He’s a super tough guy, and I knew that my gas tank was almost on empty and his wasn’t far above (empty) either. Just knowing that it was going to be one of those rounds was a pretty special moment.
Toughest Eternal MMA opponent:
Callan: All three of those guys were ridiculously tough. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career, but something I pride myself on is I always try to find the toughest fights. As much as they were all tough, I really have to put Brentin (Mumford) up in that slot. I don’t think I’m alone in saying this, but during that period, Brentin was the bogeyman of the lightweight division. He was big, he was knocking people out with crazy techniques. I was always chasing tough fights, but I just knew that when that was going to get booked, that was going to be a hard fight.
Current Eternal MMA fighter you enjoy watching:
Callan: I’m huge into the local scene at the moment. I love the UFC, but more so than the UFC, I love the local scene. Obviously, Eternal is the premiere promotion on the local scene at the moment. Very easy answer – I’m loving Kaleb Rideout, the ‘Krazy Horse’. That kid has won me right over. I love the way he gets about it. He took on Kevin Jousset when no one was lining up to take that fight. He didn’t take that fight (for the sake of) being tough and taking the fight, he came out with the obvious intention to win and fought his backside off. I’m a massive fan of the Krazy Horse.
Greatest career achievement:
Callan: Obviously getting my hand raised in the UFC cage, that’s really hard to beat. (There are) two things that I really hang my hat on besides obviously taking hard fights whenever I could; one is never missing weight. Never once have I missed weight on the scales which I’m really proud of. Two, my whole Jiu-Jitsu career, every belt I’ve ever received is from the same coach from start to finish. In a sport where people are shifting and moving, trying to find a better answer here and there, I’m very proud that I’ve taken every single belt that I’ve got from Jamie Murray. I like to think that that’s a highlight of the personality and traits that I have.
Current involvement with mixed martial arts:
Callan: I deal with a lot of the evening classes (at Resilience Training Centre). We have quite stable of not only a few pro athletes, but a lot of amateur athletes coming through. We have a great coach in Dan Kelly; obviously Dan’s commitments are mixed with Australian Judo. (So), there’s myself, Sam Hayward, who’s a sensational coach, he’s very educated in the sport of MMA. Ben Sosoli is there. Between the four of us, we work quite well. We have guys that have been there a little bit longer, but we all work in unison. There are things that I learn off Ben and Dan and visa-versa. We all share our knowledge together really well.
Life outside of mixed martial arts:
I’m working with a company called ‘Wormald’ – that’s all fire protection. So, I’m working within the portables department there. That’s a full-time position. Three evenings a week – Monday, Wednesday, Friday, I go to the gym. Tuesday, Thursday I’m back home with the family. Weekends are now very open. We’ve got the caravan now and I like to spend as much time (as possible) jumping in the caravan and going out. My poor now-wife has had to spend many years being dictated by a fighter career. Now that it’s been pulled up-stumps, she’s very happy to take the lead role in what our plans are for most weekends, which I’m happy to follow.
What do you hope your legacy will be as a competitive martial artist:
Callan: Legacy is sometimes a big thing; I don’t want to say that it doesn’t mean much to me. The people that are close to me they are the ones that I worry about. The ones that have worked close to me and seen the inside battles, they’re the people whose opinions matter to me. People on the
outside are going to form their own opinions, but I hope that my body of work speaks for itself. Not (necessarily) the wins that I’ve got, the accolades I’ve achieved or the or the titles that I’ve won, but the way I’ve carried myself. Like I’ve said, I’ve never missed weight, never turned down a hard fight and sadly been put in many dubious positions in a lot of my fights that I’ve still managed to come back and win. So, I’d like to think that while I might not have been blessed with a lot of the greatest skill, I’ve shown a bit of a ‘blue-collar’ grit in my career and maybe that’s how I’ll be remembered.
Australia’s No.1 MMA Promotion, Eternal MMA are pleased to announce the partnership with Principal Partner, Australian Health Professionals (AHP) to spearhead raising the bar for medical attention across the nation’s most popular combat sport.
The exclusive partnership will see AHP feature as Eternal’s first-ever Official Fight Kit Partner with branding across Eternal’s walk-out-uniforms worn by fighters, plus additional branding across digital and social assets and presenting rights via Eternal’s broadcast partnerships with UFC Fight Pass and ESPN. Additionally, AHP will provide unique career opportunities for Health Professionals Australia-wide through their commitment to service the partnership with medical teams at all Eternal MMA shows.
Ben Vickers, Eternal MMA Director: “As a coach, I am in the gym with the fighters day in and day out. This sport is a passion of mine and to now be in a position where we can service the fighters at the highest of medical standards gives me confidence we’re impacting the sport in the right way. With AHP as a partner we believe together we can make MMA even safer and raise the standard and quality of care provided to our athletes”.
AHP is a progressive, forward thinking, privately-owned company, dedicated to advancing and improving the quality of career paths for healthcare professionals Australia-wide.
Cam O’Neill, Eternal MMA Director: “Fighter health & safety is our priority. It’s often overlooked by other combat sports promoters and seen as an unfeasible expense. We are taking the necessary steps to provide medical care and a safe environment for the fighters and for all of those in attendance. AHP is a leader in their field and this partnership sets standards for Eternal MMA that have never been seen before in the sport in Australia & New Zealand”.
Since the company’s inception in 2014, AHP has pioneered the medical and healthcare recruitment industry, with over six specialized divisions. This Eternal partnership will witness AHP take their ambition nationally and provide career opportunities for doctors and paramedics in unique sectors including combat sports. These opportunities will offer diversity to these healthcare roles, as well as assist in the development of unique skill sets. AHP is passionate about growing the careers of paramedics and doctors through unique opportunities and contributing to the movement that is raising the health and safety of participants and spectators in sporting groups.
Simon Thomas, Australian Health Professionals CEO: “Delivering superior healthcare to the Australian community is both a professional and personal goal. Partnering with Eternal, one of Australia’s most reputable combat sport organizations, has not only aligned with our core values, but given AHP the opportunity to make actual change”.
Australian Health Professionals’ latest venture, AHP Physio, places skilled physiotherapists with a background in sports and sports medicine in leading venues across Australia. Aligned with Goodlife Gyms, AHP physiotherapists provide an elite level of pre-emptive and post-injury care to elite athletes and community members alike.
Currently in a growth phase, AHP is looking to align with other brands and businesses that support the company’s core values of providing healthcare professionals with the best career opportunities and learning experiences across Australia.
The Eternal MMA and AHP partnership will come into effect from August 20, 2021 at Eternal 68 taking place at HBF Stadium, Perth.
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NEXT SHOW: In celebration of 10 years of Eternal MMA, ETERNAL MMA 69 & 70 will take place at Southport Sharks, proudly supported by Australia’s Gold Coast. The September 16 cardwill feature an Australian Lightweight Championship bout between current champion, Aidan Aguilera & challenger, David Martinez. The September 17 cardwill feature an Australian Featherweight Championship bout for the vacant strap between Justin Van Heerden & Kaan Ofli.For all event and ticketing information visit, EternalMMA/events
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About Eternal MMA:
Eternal MMA is an Australian Mixed Martial Arts organization that provides Australian and New Zealand fighters the opportunity to compete against the region’s very best fighters as they rise through the ranks. Eternal MMA was formed in 2012 on Australia’s Gold Coast and is now the most active and respected MMA organization in the Oceania region, promoting Australian and New Zealand talent across a national events program. Eternal MMA events can be viewed ‘live’ UFC FIGHT PASS to fans around the world. For more information, visit EternalMMA.com and follow Eternal MMA at facebook.com/EternalMMA, Instagram: @EternalMMA and YouTube/EternalMMADon’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits.
Australian Health Professionals (AHP) is a leading Australian medical and healthcare staffing solutions company built on a longstanding history of successful partnerships with both clients and healthcare professionals. From humble beginnings in aged care provision, the company has rapidly grown into an established player in recruitment and staffing throughout Australia. For more information, visit aushp.com.au.
For more than a decade, Australia has produced a consistent offering of mixed martial artists that have risen to international prominence. It is no longer a secret that Australia is emerging as a sleeping giant on the world stage.
Names such as – Tai Tuivasa, Jimmy Crute, Tyson Pedro, Jack Della Maddalena, Casey O’Neill, Jamie Mullarkey, Jacob Malkoun and Josh Culibao are all currently riding the trail blazed by the likes of Mark Hunt, Robert Whittaker, Alexander Volkanovski, Daniel Kelly, Kyle Noke and Jake Matthews to name a few.
The growing number of Australian exports have seen a wide variety of success that has included everything from champions, future hall of famers, top contending challengers and blue-chip prospects.
With a multitude of talent exporting at a higher level than ever for Australia, more and more fans are turning their attention to the grassroots of MMA in order to spot the next generation of fighters making their rise in the sport.
It’s a good thing too, because at least for right now, the most exciting Australian mixed martial artist is still on our shores.
For all intents and purposes, Kaleb Rideout is perhaps the most accessible combat sports athlete currently competing on the regional scene of combat sports – a stark contrast to the otherworldly showmanship that he exhibits as a competitive martial artist.
A natural-born entertainer, Rideout has made a priority of giving the fans a show every time he steps foot inside the cage, and it is far from a case of style over substance.
YouTube Kaleb Rideout, the results speak for themselves.
July 16th, 2022, saw Eternal MMA produce one of, if not its biggest card in it’s almost ten-year existence, with Rideout slated to close the curtains in his championship fight against City Kickboxing product – Kevin Jousset.
Coming off a spinning back-fist knockout over his previous opponent at Eternal 64, Rideout was primed to make another statement in is young professional career.
With the vacant welterweight title on the line, Rideout produced a bell-to-bell performance bodied by a plethora of unorthodox striking, non-stop pressure, high octane pace and endless cardio.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Rideout spoke shared his thoughts on the biggest win of his career to date.
“I can’t explain how I feel,” said Rideout.
“As soon as they said I was champion, I literally lost my feet and just collapsed in the middle of the cage. It’s something I’ve been training so hard for. Not just in this camp, but all the camps before that, ever since I was 2-2 as a pro.
“I’m still on the comedown from it, really.”
The long-lasting comedown from Rideout’s performance has been a mutually felt feeling for those in attendance as well as watchers tuning in on UFC Fight Pass.
Fans were treated to an exceptionally unique display of striking at a relentless clip that included countless spinning back-fists, spin kicks, overhand hammer fists and several other techniques that oozed with style points.
One such technique that Kaleb pulled out of his handy toolbox was something not many of us can say we have seen before – hammer-fist strikes to his standing opponents’ knee?
“This is just the start of my style,” said Rideout.
“I have got plenty more tricks in my bag that I didn’t even get to show. You have only seen little glimpses.
“The standing hammer-fist at the start of the fight that caused massive damage to his face, the damage I was inflicting in all these random positions that I was in. The unorthodox strikes that I was throwing from punches to the legs to hammer fists to the legs – its just the start really.
“I was so glad in a way that we went the five fives, because you could see what I’m actually capable of. My fitness is through the roof. I could have done another five fives after (the fight).
“The only thing that you didn’t really get to see was my ground game, which is a bit disappointing. But at the same time, in my opinion, fans don’t come to see grappling in the cage. Why would they?
“They want to see striking, so I give them everything I can with my strikes.”
“I said it at the end of this fight, and I will say it leading up to every other fight – I will stand and throw down as much as I can.
“I’m hunting for my Robbie Lawler vs Rory McDonald fight.”
There is no doubt that Rideout is on a collision course to get his wish at some point in his career. By his own admission, his fighting style and desire to entertain the fans are at the forefront of his mind whenever he prepares to step foot inside the cage. The fact that he is just so damn good at getting wins on his record at the same time has been an exceptionally welcome byproduct of his fan-friendly skillset.
It’s one thing to be flashy, it’s another thing to put it all together and become a title belt holder – Kaleb Rideout is now both.
To the surprise of many, one judge saw the contest in favour of Jousset to the tune of three rounds to two, while the other two judges saw it in favour of Rideout at 50-45 and 49-46 respectively.
A split decision victory for the first-time title challenger.
“I was very ‘fight-aware’ in that fight the entire time,” said Rideout.
“As soon as that final bell rang, and Kevin and I embraced after the fight, I said ‘it’s going to be a split decision’. I just didn’t know how the judges were going to score it.”
“I knew he had the takedowns, he had the control (time), but I was doing the most damage. So, I could see that being more favourable to the judges.”
“I knew I had the rounds with my aggression and my striking, he wasn’t landing anywhere near the amount of punches or significant strikes as I was.
“Looking back at it now that I’ve had time to reflect and watch the fight, it’s hard to see the split decision. I think I won four out of the five rounds. But the judges called it a split and I’m not going to argue with it. It’s still a win in my books.”
Back at home and now with some distance from the title fight, Rideout can see clearly now just how dominant he was for the majority of the contest. By his own admission, however, Jousset was one of if not the toughest out of his professional career.
“The best way to describe (Jousset) – he’s honestly like the French Terminator,” said Rideout.
“I was punching him hard – I mean, I was hitting him… hard. My right hand is ridiculously swollen. He just kept walking forward.
“I think I hit him with five clean punches and a clean elbow, and he just didn’t bleed! His bloody bones, every time I hit him, it just felt like steel.”
“His toughness is ten out of ten. I’ve hit a lot of people with those shots and a lot of them have dropped.”
“I knew his gas tank wouldn’t be as good as mine, (but) I was surprised in the fourth and fifth rounds that he was still very fit. You could still see that he deteriorated a bit, but the volume was on all day.
“I expected him to shoot more takedowns on me, but the longer the fight went, he very rarely did what I thought he would do. So, it just gave me free reign to stand there and throw.”
A fan of the game as well as a student of it, Rideout somehow found time towards the end of the fourth round to shoot his shot with a very familiar face at cage side.
Strategising against him was Kevin Jousset’s world-renowned coach, Eugene Bareman – most notably the long-time mentor of current UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya.
Not one to miss an opportunity, even with his opponent in a dominant position against him, the man they call “Krazy Horse” seized the opportunity to have a quick word with the City Kickboxing lead man.
“It was just a spur of the moment thing,” said Rideout with a laugh.
“He (Jousset) pinned me and took me down against the cage, I looked to the left and I saw Joe Lopez there and I was like ‘oh sh*t, hey Joe!’. I was a little bit concussed; I think.
“And then (I saw) Eugene and thought, it’s not the right time but (I said) ‘hey Eugene, can I get a photo after this?!’. Then we had a bit of a banter war and he (Jousset) got up and kicked me in the ribs, which hurt.”
It’s a 2022 kicking off on the right foot for Rideout. With two wins from two fights, including his recent title win, the sky is looking like the limit for the newly crowned champ.
Splitting his time between work as a plasterer and training as a mixed martial artist, Rideout leads a typical life of a regional circuit athlete. Three days after winning the championship fight, it was back to life as usual on the tools for the Picton, New South Wales resident. Only this time, with all the attention that comes with the territory of being an Australian champion.
With the welterweight title around his waist, the proud representative of his gym – XXX Fight Academy said the reception back home with his teammates was electric.
“They absolutely loved the fight because it was so entertaining” said Rideout.
“I feel like a celebrity walking around the gym right now, it’s great.”
Celebrity aside, Rideout knows that his road as a high-profile combat sports athlete is barely beginning. Now 7-2-0 as a professional, he has put together a run of five wins in a row on his way to the welterweight title.
Earning himself a reputation as one of the most electrifying mixed martial artists in the country, Rideout is ready and willing to face whatever challenge is placed before him whenever the time comes.
With a new addition to the family set to arrive in November, however, Rideout will be looking to face the next challenge either before or after what will be the most important moment in his life.
“My first child is on the way – a little girl,” said Rideout beaming ear to ear.
“I’m building a granny flat right now out the back of my missus’ parents house for me, her and the little one.”
“But as I’ve said, at the end of the day, It’s Cam’s (Eternal MMA promoter, Cam O’Neill) call. Whatever he wants to do, I’ll just turn up and do what I do best. It doesn’t bother me; a fight is a fight at the end of the day.”
Kevin Jousset was only two fights into his professional career when he received his first title shot.
Serving as a replacement for the injured Glenn Pettigrew, Jousset stepped up on just two weeks’ notice to challenge then reigning welterweight champion, Jack Della Maddalena.
An eyelid laceration would see a doctors stoppage cut his first title bid short after the end of the second round, though Jousset was widely commended for his performance given the circumstances.
Since then, Jousset has strung together a run of three wins on his way back to a second shot at the title – the most recent of which being a hard-fought decision against Saeid Fatahifar at Eternal 59.
A black belt in Judo, Jousset demonstrated his elite level grappling skills, landing several hip-toss takedowns on his opponent, much to the delight of the crowd. Throughout the opening two rounds, Jousset expertly utilised his impressive height and reach advantage with teep kicks to the body of Fatahifar, while keeping the range with his jab at almost every exchange.
The third round would see Jousset unleash a barrage of strikes from the feet in the opening seconds, almost immediately causing blood to flow from the nose of the tough Iranian. A high octane last few minutes of the fight would see the Frenchman successfully stuff several takedown attempts from his weakening opponent, putting a stamp on his performance with stifling ground control mixed in with tireless ground and pound.
Jousset unleashes a barrage of strikes from the feet in the opening seconds of round three at Eternal MMA 59.
With the dominant decision win in his back pocket, the Eternal MMA brass had seen enough to award Jousset another shot at the welterweight strap. This time, with a complete training camp to back him up inside the cage.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Jousset reflected on his most recent performance as he prepares for a second attempt at championship glory.
“I was quite dominant most of the fight,” said Jousset.
“It was a good way for me to show everyone I am one of the best welterweights in the country. Saeid is one of the toughest guys in the country as well. Being able to beat him meant a lot for the Eternal promoters, so they wanted me to fight for the belt.
“Obviously, all the lockdowns happened, so it had to be pushed back a bit later than what we had planned. (But) finally, we are getting there. Less than a week and I will have the belt around my waste.”
Originally born in France, Jousset would eventually find his way to New Zealand’s City Kickboxing after spending some time both in the UK and Australia.
On top of being able to learn from some of the region’s elite fighters, Jousset’s training is spearheaded by world-renowned MMA coach, Eugene Bareman.
The importance of being surrounded by such a high-level melting pot of talent and knowledge is not lost twenty-nine-year-old as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career to date.
Jousset deep in thought between rounds at Eternal 59.
“Training with those guys is insane,” he said.
“Coming from my background, I already knew that I could handle the best grapplers in the world because I’ve done it – I know how it is. But being able to train with the best strikers in the world now is great. If I can handle those guys, I can literally handle anyone.”
“Just (seeing) the work ethic, seeing how everyone is humble and just working their ass off every single day, it’s very humbling.”
The day-to-day learnings inside the confines of one of the world’s most elite MMA gyms are what Jousset believes will guide him to victory against his fellow title challenger, Kaleb Rideout.
While Jousset is aware of the kind of problems Rideout can present inside the cage, it is his steadfast belief that “Krazy Horse” will not have nearly enough for him when the cage doors close – no matter how the matchup plays out.
“He’s quite an aggressive fighter – very dangerous with some of his techniques,” he said.
“It’s going to be quite an exciting fight with two (different) styles against each other. I need to be very focused and aware of all the spinning attacks and all the stuff that he does to make sure that I don’t get caught.”
“I just need to apply my game plan and use my skills as well as possible, so I don’t get hit too much. I need to (deal) as much damage to him as possible.”
Jousset has made no secret of what his plans are as a professional mixed martial artist. Training with some of the best athletes in the world – many of whom themselves have made the journey from the Australia/New Zealand regional scene to international waters, Jousset eventually wants to follow suit.
While harbouring his own ambitions to one day compete in the UFC, he believes there is no better platform to showcase his abilities in this part of the world than Eternal MMA.
“Eternal is the biggest organisation in this part of the world,” he said.
“Once I get this belt around my waste, I will officially be the best welterweight in the country. That will definitely help open the doors to the big leagues.
“The goal is to fight in the UFC, as everyone knows. There are quite a few guys who used to hold the belt before, who then got signed to the UFC later. So, that’s the goal – getting the belt first and then getting signed (to the UFC).
Holding such lofty goals is standard for any fighter who wants to call themselves the best, and Kevin Jousset is no different. While he hopes to carve his own international path someday, he has no intention of looking beyond his next opponent standing in the way of him winning his first championship belt.
Asked if he believes there is a specific area in which he holds an advantage over his upcoming opponent, Jousset was resolute in his answer.
A response that came with somewhat of an advertisement for bad intentions to those tuning in on fight day.
“I have the advantage everywhere,” he said matter-of-factly.
“I’m a better striker than him, I’m a better grappler than him, I’m stronger than him. I think I have an advantage everywhere. I just need to be focused and do my thing, that’s it.”
“Violence is what people are going to see. I will show everyone that I am levels above all the other welterweights in the country – I will be ready to fight for the UFC sooner rather than later.”
“The main thing is, whatever happens, the conclusion stays the same – I’ll be winning this fight one-hundred percent.”
– Eternal 67 main card will be streamed July 16th live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass.
Not since rising Australian star, Jack Della Maddalena vacated his title in 2021 in pursuit of a UFC contract has Eternal MMA had a welterweight champion to reign over the division.
Four successful title defences after first capturing the belt in March of 2018 would see the Perth native receive a call up to the heralded proving grounds of Dana White’s Contender Series – a chance he would take with both hands to earn himself the converted roster spot amongst the sport’s elite at 77 kilograms.
With the Eternal MMA welterweight title left vacant for would-be challengers to claim, two candidates would eventually separate themselves from the pack to earn a matchup against each other for the belt at Eternal 67. One of those contenders to emerge would be the highly touted and wildly exciting prospect, Kaleb Rideout.
Coming off a highlight-reel finish over Ben Johnston at Eternal 64, the man known as “Krazy Horse” effectively punched his ticket to a first-ever title shot inside the first round with a spinning back fist knockout.
Kaleb Rideout mid-spin at Eternal MMA 64.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Rideout reflected on his recent win as he looks ahead to Eternal 67.
“I didn’t expect it to end so quickly,” said Rideout.
“Obviously, I wanted to finish the fight as quick as possible. I was cruising in (the opening exchanges), I was still feeling it out. He charged me and I just reacted to get out of the way and threw a spinning back fist.
“Ten seconds later and the fight was over.”
Originally a rugby league player as a junior, Rideout found mixed martial arts while training wrestling in the offseason.
Realising that he was destined to make a better fighter than a footballer, Rideout took up training at XXX Fight Academy under Nathan Reddy and Michael Mousalli – a move that would see him find success as an amateur before amassing a 6-2-0 record as a professional.
Prior to being awarded the main event slot at Eternal 67, Rideout admits that he initially had his eyes on a different opponent before happily taking up the offer to fight for a championship.
Kaleb Rideout addresses the crowd after his win over Ben Johnston.
“I actually busted my knuckles on Ben Johnston’s f**king forehead, so I had a bit of time off,” said Rideout with a laugh.
“I was originally after the Joey Luciano fight. I wanted to fight him because he ducks and weaves all the good fighters. One thing led to another, my coach rang me and said, ‘Eternal has got you for the belt – f**k this Joey fight’
“It’s all just erupted (from there), which has been overwhelmingly good, I can’t believe it.”
Standing across the other side of the Eternal MMA cage will be former title challenger and City Kickboxing product, Kevin Jousset.
With the French judoka coming off a win in a three-round war in his most recent matchup, Rideout is fully prepared to wade into deep waters should the fight go the distance.
“I never underestimate my opponents, I go in there thinking I’m fighting a God,” said Rideout.
“I’m always going in there expecting the unexpected. I don’t analyse my opponents, that’s up to my coaches (but) from what I see, it’s a pretty good matchup. He’s well-rounded with the ground game and with the striking.
“Apparently, he likes to throw people in Judo so, that’s fun, I like to go flying. It’s a match made in heaven if you ask me.”
“I’m really excited for this fight for many reasons. (I want) to show how good my striking is, because I know he’s training at City Kickboxing. If I finish this guy, this will put me at the pinnacle of Australia/New Zealand MMA, in my opinion.”
Kaleb Rideout is the type of fighter that welcomes the scrappy side of MMA. A fierce competitor with a genuine love for combat sports, it is apparent that he is always ready to walk into the fire and put on a show for the fans.
While Rideout is happy to expect an all-out war against his opponent, in the grand scheme of things, it is the prospect of winning the welterweight championship that means the most to him. It has been a journey, however, that has not been without its tribulations for the twenty-five-year-old.
“It would mean everything to me (to win the belt). I have trained my little white arse off to get to this position right now,” said Rideout.
“About a year and a half ago, I was 2-2 as a pro, not knowing what I wanted to do. I had to take some time away from the sport to get my head right, get my training right and level up.
“When I came back, I came back a different beast. I’ve grown twelve inches of hair and just started knocking people out.
“But that’s what I want – I want this belt.”
Now on a four-fight win streak – a run that included three finishes, it is clear that time away from the sport has worked wonders for Rideout’s trajectory. With a renewed focus on his life as well as his career, coaches and training partners alike began to see the growth in his game.
While Rideout is prepared for all outcomes, he believes that the progress made behind closed doors will earn him his first Australian MMA title in spectacular fashion.
“I want my hand raised over a KO,” he said.
“If I can knock this guy out, that would just show the level that I’m at – levels above everyone in Australia/New Zealand MMA.”
“What fans are going to see on July 16th is one of us is going to get knocked out, or we are both going to be standing there bloody, because that’s the way we both fight.”
“I go for the knockout or blood, and he goes for the knockout or blood. So, one of us is going to get what we want.”
– Eternal 67 main card will be streamed June 16th live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass.
Eternal 67 is shaping up to be one of the most impressive cards on paper in recent memory – a trend that has seen the promotion grow to new and exciting levels with each passing event.
Of course, with that comes the opportunity to showcase new and exciting talent both Australia and other counties around the world.
With the promotion making its return to the Gold Coast on July 16th, the co-main event of the evening will play host to the Eternal MMA debut of an Iranian-born juggernaut in the form of Mohammad Alavi.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Alavi shared his thoughts ahead of his highly anticipated matchup against Justin Van Heerden.
“I’m really excited for this fight,” said Alavi.
“I was supposed to fight for the featherweight title last year, but because of (the coronavirus pandemic) it was cancelled. (But) I’m really excited, Eternal is the biggest show in Australia – it’s a good platform for me to show my skills to everyone.”
Undefeated at 7-0 with six of his seven wins all coming by way of a finish, the now New South Wales based powerhouse is earning himself somewhat of a reputation as the “boogeyman” amongst the Australian featherweight rankings.
While he has been able to showcase his high-level talent against each of the opponents he has faced so far, it is Alavi’s belief that he is being avoided by most active featherweights in the country at present.
Mohammad Alavi ready to fly high at Eternal 67.
“I believe I’m the best featherweight in Australia,” he said.
“It’s really hard to get a fight. I want to fight with the best, whoever they think is number one. But all the top ten or top five Australian featherweight’s – they don’t want to fight me.”
“Even for this fight, they promised me it’s going to be a title fight, but I think the champion doesn’t want to fight me. That makes me feel like I’m the best featherweight because everyone is ignoring me, they’re ducking me.”
“I think I’m the most avoided fighter at featherweight.”
Although Alavi has felt frustrated by what he believes has been four years of struggling to find matchups, he concedes he feels the alleged avoidance is a compliment on his skillset. With lofty ambitions of his own to compete at the highest level, the man they call “Scarface” believes that there are some fighters who are turning down matchups in order to preserve their own record.
“It’s kind of a compliment but it’s really frustrating,” he said.
“I want to fight with the best, I want to fight for the belt, whoever is number one or number two, whoever is better than me. I want to fight with everyone!
“It’s hard because they don’t want to lose their belt. They don’t want to fight with me because nowadays everyone is looking for easy fights. They want to keep their records clean to get into the UFC.
“For me, I don’t care. In featherweight, I’ll fight anyone. Whoever in Australia or New Zealand, I don’t care.”
“Thankfully, Eternal found me an opponent, so I can finally fight.”
With Alavi feeling cold-shouldered by most of his potential matchups in Australia, the ever-ready Justin “Lockjaw” Van Heerden was more than happy to answer the bell – a revelation that surprised nobody familiar with the Freestyle MMA product.
“I know him, he’s been around for a long time, he’s an experienced guy,” said Alavi of his next opponent.
“He’s a good fighter, he’s experienced, and I respect him because he accepted to fight me. I really appreciate him.”
While the respect for his next opponent was evident, Alavi was not about to mince his words when it came to his intentions inside the Eternal MMA cage.
“I respect this guy, but he said I’m not on his level and he’s going to break me, so I’m going to punish him. I’m going to show him what his level is and I’m going (for the) kill. I’m going to finish him as soon as I can. I’m going to make sure all the people (watching) enjoy what’s going to happen.”
“After this fight, I’m going to be 8-0. I’ll have finished all my opponents. So, after this – because I’ll have proved I’m the best featherweight in Australia, I really believe (I’ll be) ready to fight in the biggest show in the world – the UFC.
“So, let’s see what’s going to happen. If they give me the chance, I’m going to show the world how good I am.”
“Just make sure 16th of July, be there, or watch on the stream because it’s going to be a beautiful finish.”
– Eternal 67 main card will be streamed July 16th live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass.
June 16th will see Eternal MMA return to Queensland with a stacked fight card at the GC Sports & Leisure Centre.
Occupying one-half of the co-main event at Eternal 67, Justin Van Heerden will be looking to secure his third victory in a row against undefeated Eternal MMA debutant – Mohammad Alavi.
A fourteen-fight veteran of the game with seven of his professional bouts taking place inside the Eternal MMA cage, Van Heerden has become one of the mainstays of the featherweight division in Australian MMA.
Known for his exceptional grappling and suffocating Jiu-Jitsu, the man they now call “Lockjaw” has been living up to his name with two impressive submission victories to kick off his 2022 season on the right foot.
The most recent of those wins came at Eternal 65 – a triangle choke in the second round against highly talented striker and widely respected UK and Australian MMA stalwart, Alan Philpott, saw Van Heerden’s stock rise considerably amongst fans pundits alike.
Justin Van Heerden defeats Alan Philpott at Eternal MMA 65
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Van Heerden reflected on his success that he feels has been discredited by his most recent opponent.
“He (Philpott) is sitting there on this podcast saying that he was winning the fight, he was outclassing me, he was piecing me up the whole fight, he had me hurt and nearly put away and that’s how he end up getting put in the triangle.”
“I had to respond to that (and say) ‘look man, here’s the facts. You hit air for most of the fight. You hit me cleanly probably two or three times.
“I made the adjustments at the end of the second round when I shot a takedown and got a hold of him. That sequence of me finishing that flight – that’s something that I was able to do in a calculated way because of the preparation and the work that I did leading up to that fight.
“I was in camp for my last fight and Volk (Alexander Volkanovski) was in camp for (Brian) Ortega – obviously Ortega is a very good Jiu-Jitsu guy, so throughout the whole camp I was trying to throw up submissions from all sorts of crazy positions.
“Ultimately that finish on Philpott – that came as a result of that work and the improvements that I made as I was helping my teammate improve for a title fight.”
“I have this chip on my shoulder because people keep putting me as an underdog in these fights, and that’s fine, keep doing that because I’m going to keep proving people wrong,”
2021 saw Van Heerden find a new gym in Freestyle MMA, home to UFC Featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, as well as world renowned MMA coach, Joe Lopez. The duo of Volkanovski and Lopez would form the spearhead of Van Heerden’s coaching, before a longer than expected stay in North America would prevent the team from being in Van Heerden’s corner for his first run of fights under the Freestyle MMA banner.
Freestyle MMA coaches Alexander Volkanovski & Joe Lopez
A disappointing first-round TKO loss to Rod Costa at Eternal 60 would be quickly turned around over his next two outings, a run that Van Heerden attributes to finally having his main coaches back in his corner.
“Every fight, every time you compete, you want to improve, build on things, identify the things you did good, identify the things you did bad,” said Van Heerden
“Post the fight with (Rod) Costa, when I came into the fight after that with Josh Riley and then my last fight with Philpott, it was the first time I could have my coaches in my corner.”
“Joe and Alex were away for my first few fights under Freestyle and that makes a difference. I’m pretty experienced, I’ve been around the game for a bit now, but to not have your coaches with you giving those adjustments (and) identifying the things in the heat of the moment during the fight, that’s a bit of an adjustment you have to make yourself.”
“I look at that fight (with Costa and think) if I was to run that fight back with my coaches by my side, I don’t see it going the same way.
“I think that’s evident if you look at my last two performances. You could see that having Joe and Alex there with me in my corner, you could see the mid-fight adjustments that I made. I was able to capitalise and get the win and also finish the fight in both instances.”
The benefit of having such a high calibre of training partner and coaching team in his corner is clearly not lost on Van Heerden. With Volkanovski in the prime of his career and Lopez continuing to be one of the masters of breaking down situations with his fight IQ, Van Heerden believes it is the perfect melting pot for him to succeed when combined with his own wealth of experience in combat sports.
It is through these combined minds that Van Heerden forecasts an even bigger leap in his performances in the near future.
“I think that’s why people would have seen the leaps I have made from fight to fight, especially so far this year in such quick succession,” said Van Heerden.
“That’s why this fight (against Alavi) I think people are going to see the leaps of improvement again.
“The Justin that’s going to walk into the cage on July 16th would run through the Justin that fought Alan Philpott inside one round.
“It’s not even the same standard or the same sort of level. I’m not the same person, I’m not the same fighter. That’s what you want at the end of the day, and I feel like that’s the real benefit.
“I’m in a place at Freestyle with my training partners, with the team that I have, with the coaching that I have – I’m able to continue to make those improvements because I’m just approaching it the same way.
With four wins from his last five fights that have resulted in three finishes, Van Heerden believes that he is nowhere near his fighting prime or anywhere close to where he potential truly is. Still just twenty-eight years of age, the South African native fully expects to have many more fights ahead of him in his career.
Of course, his immediate future holds a matchup with surging fellow featherweight, Mohammad Alavi. While he was complimentary of Alavi’s skill set, Van Heerden believes that it won’t be nearly enough to prevent him from getting his hand raised.
“I’m a complete mixed martial artist,” said Van Heerden.
“I’m fighting a dangerous guy, he’s undefeated. But I think that this fight is going to be another opportunity for me to showcase the levels of improvement I have made across the board.
“Obviously, the wrestling, the grappling and that side of things is always going to be in my back pocket. That’s always going to be sharp – that’s always going to be something I can rely on. When it comes to my fight IQ, my distance management, my abilities on the feet now and the timing that I have.
“The speed, the power – all that stuff is going to come through.”
While Van Heerden is confident in the evolution of his complete skill set, he admits that he feels no need to reach for style points in the pursuit of victory.
“For my ego, I don’t need to go out there and try to showcase something just for the sake of it or just to impress a few people and show that I can do something, I can capitalise on the opportunity’s as they present themselves.”
“At the end of the day, if I want to take a hold of this dude, put him on his back and smash his face in for fifteen minutes, I can do that.”
It’s no secret that Freestyle MMA has got its bases covered both internationally and locally when it comes to solid representation in combat sports. Of course, Alexander Volkanovski – the crown jewel of the Windang-based gym, recently defended his Featherweight title for the fourth time with a resounding decision win against Max Holloway at UFC 276.
While Volkanovski is holding it down for the team overseas, Van Heerden is looking forward to continuing to make his own waves in his now adopted home country of Australia. A natural featherweight himself, Van Heerden believes a victory at Eternal 67 against Mohammad Alavi should leave no questions as to who the main man is in his weight class.
“It puts me as the clear number one featherweight in the country,” said Van Heerden.
“The only other fight on the regional circuit that would make sense next would be (Eternal Featherweight champion) Jack Jenkins, but as far as I know, he’s off to the races.
“I think a win over Alavi puts me in a clear position of being the number one featherweight in the country and sets me up nicely. I’ll move to 10-5, I’ll be on a three-fight win streak and hopefully another finish.
“I think people forget – I’m 4-1 in my last five with three finishes. I’m 8-3 at featherweight, a couple of my losses were up in weight on short notice.”
“After this fight there can be no excuses. He’s a dangerous dude, he’s on a win streak, 7-0 and hasn’t experienced much adversity up until this point.
“If I go out there and perform, beat him, finish him – which is what I’m aiming to do, that puts me as the best featherweight in the country.”
Questioned as to how he sees himself getting his hand raised, Van Heerden visualises two clear paths to victory, with either outcome seemingly sitting just fine with the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown-belt.
“I’m either going to find an opening early and put him away with a submission or TKO, or it’s going to be fifteen minutes of brutal, brutal damage.”
“If you haven’t already, I suggest you sort out your UFC Fight Pass, unless you are going to be at the event itself. Eternal MMA is the biggest promotion in the country for a reason. They are putting these crazy cards together and it’s an absolute privilege for me to be in a co-main slot again.”
“Pay attention, stay tuned. I’m going to go out there and put another cracking performance on, get another finish and make my friends, family and all those supporting me a whole lot of money in the process.”
– Eternal 67 main card will be streamed July 16th live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass.
June 5th, 2021, presented as something of a potential career trajectory moment for a then twenty two-year-old Cody Haddon.
Touted by many as a future star of Australian MMA, Haddon was thrust into the spotlight of an Eternal MMA main event having notched just two professional fights in his young career.
His opponent would be then reigning Eternal MMA Flyweight champion, Stephen Erceg – a man in need of an opponent after a scheduled title fight with hard-hitting contender Paul Loga fell through and ultimately rescheduled.
Struggling to find opponents in his own division, Haddon jumped at the chance to face a champion moving up a weight class in search of a fight to fill the void left by the rescheduled title bout.
Erceg VS Haddon would go down as the 2021 Fight of the Year.
Questions were asked if this match up was “too much, too soon” for the then 2-0 Haddon. Erceg boasted a wealth of experience as a mixed martial artist and was well on his way to next phase of career, while Haddon was barely at the beginning of his journey.
Haddon would ultimately go on to lose a decision to the flyweight champion in a three-round war that would eventually be named “fight of the year” for 2021 – a fight that was anybody’s to win right up until the final bell.
It would be first blemish on the young prospect’s MMA record, but a huge boost in stock given his performance against a far more established opponent. It’s a performance that has aged finely, given the fact that Erceg would earn himself a call up to Dana White’s Contender Series less than twelve months later.
Fast forward to May of 2022, Haddon would steady the course and notch his third professional win at Eternal 66 against surging contender, Jarrett Wilbraham.
Haddon VS Wilbraham had the local crowd on their feet.
A fight that lived up to the hype in every way would see the twenty-three-year-old Haddon finish Wilbraham early in the third round with a series of elbows following a well-executed takedown.
For Haddon, it was a moment of vindication after dedicating himself to years of hard work as a martial artist. After taking some time to work on himself both personally and professionally following his loss to Erceg, Haddon found it tough to find an opponent who would be willing to share the Eternal MMA cage with him – a major hinderance for a competitor with high ambitions and a clear vision of the path he wishes to take.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Haddon reflected on his emotions after the win and what it means for his future.
“For me (winning) is always reassurance,” said Haddon.
“Obviously the fight was tough, and it got a bit messy. You kind of lose that assurance of yourself (during) the fight. Not that you’re doubting yourself, it’s just that it’s an intense fight.”
“After winning and getting the finish (I felt) relieved to have won, even though I thought I was going to win. At the same time, I was obviously very energetic and excited about winning, and (even) angry in a way.”
“(It’s) a bit off a mix of emotions. When I win, especially if I get the finish, it makes me feel like I want to start calling all these people out. That’s not my persona, it’s just how I feel. It’s kind of like ‘I deserve this’. I deserve another fight; I deserve people to stop running from me and actually step up and fight.”
Haddon was highly emotional after this win at Eternal 66.
Step up and fight was exactly what Haddon’s opponent, Jarrett Wilbraham set out to do when seemingly nobody else would.
A surging prospect in his own right with vast skill set, unorthodox style and a unique height advantage for the bantamweight division, Wilbraham presented as a dangerous opponent more than capable of squaring Haddon’s win-loss record.
Undefeated at 5-0 coming into the matchup, Wilbraham was riding a wave of momentum that included an impressive TKO victory over the durable Jamie Hunt at Eternal 63.
Suffice to say, this was not a matchup tailored to get Haddon back on track. Wilbraham is as tough a competitor as Australia has to offer with his own lofty goals. This was going to take a complete performance from the Western Australia native.
Haddon and his team, fronted by Luistro Combat Academy head coach, Romel Luistro, studied what little footage was available on Wilbraham prior to the match. According to Haddon, the game-plan was more about emphasising his own skill set rather than devising a specific plan for what Wilbraham would bring to the table.
“I definitely watched the fight with Jamie Hunt,” said Haddon.
He looked very, very good in that fight. I knew that he liked to throw big head kicks, I knew that he liked to throw big knee’s, I knew that he liked to clinch – go for the body lock. I knew he was very strong and fit.”
“My coach Romel said, ‘No game plan. You got out there and mix it up with the guy. You’re better than this guy in every area’. So, there was actually no game plan.”
“I went in with an adaptable mindset and just tried to be as adaptable as possible in there with Jarrett.”
The 22-year old looked comfortable everywhere the fight took place.
An adaptable mindset would prove to be an important key to success as the fight opened at a furious pace, with Wilbraham pushing the issue and forcing an early takedown. Wilbraham would advance position and attempt to take Haddon’s back, looking for a submission. Haddon managed to find his way back to his feet, only for Wilbraham to slam Haddon back to the mat with a thunderous takedown.
It was in these opening exchanges that Haddon became fully aware that he was in for a tough fight.
“He took me down and my first thought was ‘how much does this guy weigh right now?’, he felt like a lightweight,” said Haddon.
“He was super strong – probably the strongest I’ve felt in a fight. He just grabbed me and picked me up straight away.”
“When I started to move and noticed that he wasn’t trying to let go of grips, get better grips and advance position, that’s when I realised, he was just trying to hold me with strength. I knew that was only going to last a (short) amount of time. I was composed the whole time.”
“It was a matter of being efficient with my energy. I knew he was going to come hard. In my mind the whole time during the fight (I was thinking) ‘just keep putting pressure on him, he’s going to start slowing down’.”
“I definitely felt like he was dangerous the whole time, but I just let him swing and miss, get tired, and then I was able to have my way with it.”
As Haddon alluded to, efficiency would also play another vital part in securing the victory. With both fighters having their own moments in the first round, Haddon had the best of them with a well timed jab that dropped Wilbraham as he was loading up with his own right hand.
A three-time Australian amateur boxing champion, Haddon exhibited exceptional footwork, timing and range. His obvious skill set on the feet continued to be demonstrated as the fight progressed with well executed combinations and precise head movement that gave way to precise counter striking.
Beginning to sense a drop in energy from Wilbraham midway through the contest, Haddon took full advantage with his own takedowns and ground control. Never out of the contest until the finish, Wilbraham would continue to contest the fight from his back, making submission attempts and never accepting his position as Haddon continued to work within Wilbraham’s guard to impose his own dominance over his taller opponent.
The momentum that Haddon took into the third and final round would pay off almost immediately. A double-leg takedown in the opening minute was quickly capitalised on by a series of heavy elbows to the face of Wilbraham, leaving the referee no choice but to wave the fight off.
Haddon’s eventual victory came early in the third round.
What initially seemed like a possible early stoppage was quickly proven to be the right call from an alternative camera angle to the original broadcast. The initial takedown from Haddon was driven with enough force to stun Wilbraham as his head hit the mat, with the follow up elbows sealing the knockout victory for the fan favourite in his home state.
With the win in hand, Haddon’s attention turned immediately towards the rest of the Bantamweight division. Calling out no one in particular, Haddon made it clear that he wants all would-be challengers to come and see him when it’s time to step back inside the Eternal MMA cage.
Clearly of the opinion that not only his performance, but also his words may have lit a fire under the rest of the division, Haddon expects that he should now see a slew of challengers step up in attempt to take away some of his shine.
“I think now I’ve created a little bit of a response,” said Haddon.
“There is a few more people now that definitely want to fight me, they want to take something that I might have. Having a lot of fans and stuff like that, they definitely want to take that from me now. It’s lit a bit of a fire in their bellies, and they definitely want to put a stop to me because it makes them look better.”
“I definitely want to get another two, three, four more fights in by the end of this year and stay pretty active. Therefore, I can solidify my position. Then after that, I deserve to be going on to (bigger things).”
Haddon expects more challengers to put their name forward after Eternal 66.
The biggest question facing Cody Haddon right now is whether he truly is the future of Australian MMA. Considered by many fans and media to be the case, Haddon himself was steadfast in his opinion on whether it’s a label he is happy to shoulder.
“One hundred percent,” said Haddon.
“I feel like I’ve been the future of Australian MMA since before I had my first amateur MMA fight. I’m super happy to carry that. If I’m not carrying that, I’m a bit insulted. I’ve always seen myself as the future of Australian MMA. All my fans around me have always seen me as that, all my friends and family – coaches as well.
“I feel like I deserve that label. Like said, I’d be insulted if people aren’t labelling me that. Not being big headed or anything, (but) the thing is I’ve been wanting to do this since I was six years old – I’m twenty-three now. It’s the only thing I’ve thought about since I was six years old.”
“My schoolteachers would ask me ‘what do you want to do when you’re older?’ (And I’d say) I want to be UFC champion.”
“I remember I did a presentation in year three of the UFC, explaining to everyone in the class what I want to do, what the UFC is and why I want to do it.”
“I‘ve been a fan and I’ve been wanting to do it for a very long time. So, to be labelled that, I (feel like) I deserve it.”
– Cody’s match vs Jarrett Wilbraham at Eternal 66 can be replayed on UFC Fight Pass.
Eternal MMA sits down with Cody Haddon for a quick-fire Q&A ahead of his fourth professional fight at Eternal 66 against Jarrett Wilbraham.
Age: 23
Where were you born?
I was born here in WA – Joondalup.
Where are you based now?
Still in WA – Northern Suburbs, Balcatta.
What gym do you train out of?
Luistro Combat Academy.
Who are your coaches?
Romel Luistro.
What sports and activities did you participate in growing up?
I started off in Taekwondo when I was six years old and then from there I got into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and boxing. I would have been nine when I started doing all those sports (together). I was playing footy (Aussie rules) as well at the same time and I kept competing in those sports individually. Now I’m competing solely in MMA.
Only his fourth pro outing, Haddon has already shared the cage with the best.
When did you first decide to dedicate yourself to the sport of MMA?
The start of 2019, I would have been nineteen at the time. That’s when I went full-fledged focused on MMA.
In training, do you have any favourite techniques or areas that you enjoy drilling?
Not really, I like all of it. Just getting the heart rate up feels good. I can’t really say one aspect more than the other. I like it all equally.
What can fans expect to see from you when you step inside the cage?
I always bring a high pace. I like to put pressure on. I’m always looking to finish the fight at any chance I get – sooner rather than later as I don’t get paid overtime (ha-ha). I’m always looking for the finish, whether that’s a submission or striking.
What do you see as your biggest strengths as a martial artist?
I’d say my experience. I’ve only had “so many” MMA fights, but I’ve been competing in combat sports for so long. My knowledge in the sport itself, how much I know about it and all the disciplines.
What do you consider to be your standout performance as a professional up until this point in your career?
I wouldn’t say one fight I performed better than the other fight. In my last bout with Steve (former Eternal flyweight champion – Stephen Erceg), even though I lost the fight I feel like my performance was pretty good. I think if anything my biggest achievement was getting that first pro fight and winning. Not from a performance standpoint but more so from a success standpoint. That’s the big thing, being an amateur your whole life and then eventually turning pro. There’s not (to say) so much “pressure” on you, but everyone expecting (so much) of you already. To then go out and win it, that’s the biggest kind of achievement up until now because it’s what means the most to me.
Even through loss, Haddon rates his performance VS Erceg.
Could you compare your style at present to a UFC athlete?
People ask me that question quite often I can never seem to answer it. I feel like I haven’t had enough fights to explain exactly what my style is like. People haven’t seen the best of me yet and people haven’t seen what I’m capable of in all aspects of fighting.
Do you have a favourite fighter at a professional level?
Not really, I don’t have a favourite fighter. I respect all the fighters who are there in the UFC to be honest.
What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist?
I’m actually a Taekwondo black belt, which not many people know about, but that was my first martial art. I’m also a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
What are some of the accolades you have achieved as a combat sports athlete?
Australian champion in boxing – three-time national champion. Four-time Pan Pacific Jiu-Jitsu champion, that was at blue-belt and purple-belt.
What are your goals for both the immediate and long-term future as a combat sports athlete?
The UFC. That’s the goal, that’s the always the end goal. I want to be UFC champion.
“I want to be UFC Champion.”
How do you see yourself getting your hand raised at Eternal 66?
I think on the feet I might land something and then progress towards a finish from there, just because I believe in my hands. No disrespect to my opponent, he’s great, but I just feel like I’m probably going to land something with my hands.
A message of thanks to your supporters?
First and foremost, my gym – Luistro Combat Academy. A big shout out to my sponsors – Vex MMA, Gobsmacked Sports Mouthguards, Pro Fuel Meals, Victory Recovery Systems, HempCann Labs, Gorilla Chiropratic, my CrossFit gym – CrossFit Dignus, Margaret River Roasting Co, Steezy and True Nemesis.
A final message to the fans ahead of your upcoming fight at Eternal 66?
To the fans – thank you for all the support. Without them buying tickets, paying for PPV’s, we as fighters wouldn’t be able to do this. This is my full-time job. At the moment, we’re not making any money out of it, so we do it all for the love. Without the fans, we wouldn’t have the fighters. I appreciate all the fans who are going to tune and as you know, I’ll be hunting for the finish as always.
