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.
It’s Men’s Mental Health Week and I thought it might be time for me to weigh in with my experiences with mental health issues and my learnings thus far. I will start off by saying that this is just my opinion, mainly built around ‘bro’ science and my own personal struggles and coping mechanisms. I go by lessons learned in all aspects of my life, I am not a researcher or anything like that. It happens to me, I go through it and manage it as best I can and if I make it out the other side I have learnings! That’s how it works for me so I’ll do my best to get it on paper.
I walked in to the doctors on the morning of November the 11th, Remembrance day which is ironic being ex Army, for what was a fairly routine appointment. 2hrs later I walked out and my whole world had changed forever. At the end of 2019 I had a heart attack before the weigh ins for Eternal DS 1. I was released from hospital the next day and the Dr’s had said they could find nothing wrong with my heart and I was made an outpatient for follow up tests. Fortunately I made it to the show and I’m glad I did as it was a cracker!!! Anyway I was just headed to the Doc to get my results of those follow ups. It was the good news that tipped me over the edge, I had a perfectly healthy heart in fact it was in such good condition it was surprising I had found myself hospitalised. I scratched my head in confusion and then the doc asked me a simple question “ Are you stressed out at all?”. I expected to answer that question with a hard ‘No’ but what happened instead was a breakdown! I began to cry, I hadn’t cried (outside of funerals and The Green Mile) for 15 years. Then all these memories began flowing from my mind and out of my mouth, I hadn’t told anyone these things ever. I certainly hadn’t ever thought about telling them to a relative stranger. My 15 minute consult was stretching almost well in to the 3rd hour and I was still dripping like a tap. The Doc was unreal, she had been a serving Black Hawk pilot for 20+ years so kinda knew a lot of where I was coming from. “You might have PTSD” was her assessment after listening to my dribble for hours.
I was immediately in denial, no not me, I’m good, nothing happened to me at war etc….. She then explained that anything can be a traumatic event, if Cam drops his beer that’s a traumatic event for him! Everyone is different and we all suffer things in different ways. She recommended me to seek therapy and I was open to that but being mid COVID most therapists were solidly booked until the new year. She kept seeing me once a week at the surgery until I could get in to therapy. I had walked in to her office that day without a care in the world, thinking I had it all under control and life was good. To be perfectly honest I left a mess, confused, sad, angry and with what seemed like a permanent black cloud sitting right. I held it together to the car then broke down again, crying in the car would become a regular in my life for the foreseeable future. I managed to get home without crashing.
It was at home where the trouble started, I told my wife what had happened and she was amazingly supportive. She thought it explained a lot as I had been an emotionless robot for the most part of our relationship, she said she would help me through it and we would get there. The problem with mental health is it’s all consuming when it’s bad, I used to think it was weakness as most men my age do. When it had me it really had me, I used to have bad days but had developed a rule that I could sulk or feel sorry for myself for that day but on waking up the next day it was gone, move on and get back to happy, positive me. I couldn’t do that anymore, I would wake up each day with the dark cloud, feeling pessimistic and finding zero joy. Weird, as I have an amazing family, beautiful children and a job I love, what’s to be sad about. I could find zero joy in anything it was all miserable and I couldn’t stop crying. I was ashamed of myself, a weak man who was a burden to all around me and I started to think everyone around me would be better off without me.
One night I was laying in bed and I couldn’t sleep, the misery, self pity and self hate was peaking and I wanted to end it. Get away from everyone who’s life I could worsen. I was about to climb out of bed and who knows what would have happened next. Just as I was about to get up my daughters image flashed as clear as day into my mind. I stopped, I later found out that children who have had a parent commit suicide have a 20% higher chance of becoming a victim of suicide themselves (From a reliable Dr source but no I haven’t researched to fact check, it’s helps me remember I couldn’t pass that legacy on to my kids!), I woke the missus up and she reassured me that I was wanted and needed and I lived to fight another day. For the ensuing weeks and months I remained in this horrible parallel universe of feeling ‘OK’ one minute and being almost convinced I shouldn’t be here the next. Luckily I have a really close group of people around me, my family of course ( I didn’t tell my parents as due to COVID they were stuck on the other side of the world and I didn’t want to worry them unduly) and my gym community and my pals. Everyone was brilliant and I leaned on a couple of people hard over the time post that consult with the doc.
It was a roller coaster, I developed some difficulty with sleeping and people entering my room at night. In my younger years in the forces I had some bad experiences with attacks whilst sleeping. One night my poor daughter came through the door with a red night light (Red light is very commonly used as a filter on torches in the Army) I don’t remember this my wife retold it, I sprung out of bed and grabbed her. I woke to both my wife and my daughter screaming and hysterical, terrified. This broke me, I could have potentially done harm to one of the people I would never knowingly hurt, ever. Sending me back in to a tailspin mentally as it made me think I was even more of a liability to the people around me. This happened again a few weeks later this time with the wife, she came to bed later and when she came in I freaked out again, I don’t remember doing it but came too with her screaming at me from behind the en suite door. I never was physical but was very aggressive, I have zero recollection of this and just came through coated in sweat and confused. The solutions we came up with at home were for me to sleep locked in the spare room for the foreseeable future. A good solution as I knew my family were safe but I found the worst in it. I’m a prisoner in my own home, sleeping locked in the spare room, negativity, negativity, negativity. Old me would have found the positives but I just couldn’t find any. I reached what I hope is my lowest ebb shortly thereafter, my wife was working late, the kids were in bed and I was left with my own thoughts. I quickly got on to the negative thought cycle and before I knew it I was walking circles of my kitchen bench with the biggest knife I could find wondering whether to use it or not. I was calm and I had talked myself to 2 options:
If I carry on down this path of misery It will end up one way, why be miserable for all that time just put an end to it.
Stop being miserable, choose to find positives and live life, embrace it and treasure it.
To me it was that simple, fuck off the face of the earth or grab life by the balls and sort myself out. Obviously, I sit here writing this so I made the right choice. I put the knife away, sat down on the couch and cried which was not unusual those days. By the time my wife got home I was in fine form, I sat her down and told her what I had been up to while she was out she was obviously shocked but she said I was noticeably different and we left it at that.
Since then I’ve been very good, once you hit rock bottom everywhere above it is a nice spot. What I have learned from working through all this, what has worked for me in dealing with it is what I will try to explain here. First and foremost I feel like I have to choose how to view life, I have to worry about what I can control. I made a choice marching around my kitchen bench to choose life. It’s a cliché and I think I first heard it being said in the movie Trainspotting but for me it makes perfect sense. My happiness and how I decide to live life is essentially a choice. Literally, everything I’m confronted with on the daily it is my choice how I deal with it. I try to find the positives or if it’s something out of my control I try to not even stress about it. Trust me, I know it sounds simple but it really is a choice, granted it is not an easy choice and I literally had to reach the bottom of the barrel to make it.
The second thing that has been a saviour has been talking about it, I have very open dialogue within my circle and am not afraid to speak up when I’m having a bad day and encourage those around me to do the same. I spend time now asking others how they are doing, not briefly as a pleasantry but a serious question with my full attention attached. It’s amazing how many people have opened up to me as a result too. A problem shared is a problem halved is another saying that is very appropriate, I try to regularly engage those around me in sub surface conversations. It really is good to talk and I personally think mental health afflicts men so badly as we are so reluctant to talk on how we are feeling as it is perceived by many as a weakness. I believe it’s a strength, Tyson Fury is the baddest man on the planet, the heavyweight champion of the world and he is very outspoken about his mental health and is as hugely inspirational character.
The third step I have taken is to seek regular appointments with a professional. It is actually nice to sit with someone who is completely impartial and just get some shit out of your head. I have begun to figure a lot of things out about myself as a result of these chats and I definitely have a better understanding of mental health as a result.
If you are struggling then tell someone, you’d be surprised to know how many people out there are also hiding there struggles. During my time coping with this I was surprised with the amount of close friends I spoke to who were dealing with similar issues or had similar thoughts to me. What has hit home is I am not alone and there is always someone willing to lend you an ear if you have the courage to ask. I have tried to put myself in peoples shoes if they are rude, stand offish, miserable or distant wheras in the past I may have thought ‘Miserable Fucker’ I now try and tell myself that I don’t know what they are dealing with and try cut everyone a bit more slack.
I will leave you with this famous Winston Churchill quote
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.
There is often a time during a mixed martial artist’s career where they truly find out who they are as an athlete, who they are as a competitor, and maybe more importantly – who they are as a warrior.
A moment in time that can be retrospectively looked upon as vital growth experience for a fighter when they need to remind themselves exactly what they are capable of. You know you have the skills, the training, the courage to lock yourself in the cage with another human being and go to war. But what happens when you face adversity at the highest level in one of the toughest fights of your life?
It can be said that it is the measure of a combat sports athlete when he can dig down into his soul and will himself to a place, he maybe didn’t realise he could take himself to. After all, until the fibre of your very being is tested to its limits – how do you truly know?
For Eternal MMA’s Flyweight king – Stephen ‘AstroBoy’ Erceg, that moment in time may very well have been in the proceeding minutes after his most recent fight – a three round war with a highly touted prospect and potential star of Australian MMA in Cody Haddon.
Stephen Erceg and Cody Haddon put on a show for the fans across three rounds.
A fight that came to pass after the originally scheduled rematch with Paul Loga unfortunately fell through due to injury, there was something of a common feeling amongst fight fans when the bout with Haddon was first announced – was the risk-reward factor truly worth it? What was there to gain for Erceg in taking a late notice fight against a dangerous and hungry young talent with nothing to lose?
But herein lies the answer…
“If I’m going to be the best in the world, I have to be able to beat people like this, young and up-and-coming guys. And if I can’t beat him, I shouldn’t be where I think I’m going to be so, nothing to lose, everything to gain”
These were the sentiments shared by Erceg on ‘Eternal Insiders’ prior to the main event showdown at Eternal 60. Words that speak to mindset of a true champion, who’s confidence in his abilities allow him to take on challenges that some may view as too much of a risk. This wasn’t a risk in the mind of one Stephen Erceg. This was an opportunity to show who the man is. A martial artist that can win in multiple weight classes. A competitor always ready to stand and face whoever is put in front of him.
By Erceg’s own admission, Cody Haddon was a much tougher out than he had given him credit for.
Victorious by the way of unanimous decision, a clearly spent Erceg took stock of the fight in the centre of the cage with Eternal MMA announcer Daniel Maudsley. As he ruminated on his thoughts, he shared with the crowd that he “thought he had him in the first round”- referring to a rear naked choke he seemingly had locked in tight against his bullish young opponent. Surely this was it? Surely a quick night at the office and on to the next we go…
Erceg nearly had him done in the first round.
It wasn’t to be, as Haddon hand-fought with all his might to break the submission attempt and earn himself a trip into round 2. This was going to take something extra. This was going to take a 3-round effort at a fast and furious pace.
With Erceg eventually getting his hand raised at the final bell in one of the most exciting fights we have ever seen in Eternal MMA history, it would see his current win streak move to 6, with the previous 5 all being at his true home at Flyweight.
Now with a professional record of 7-1-0, it’s an impressive run that has seen him dominate his opponents at almost every juncture, with five of his seven wins coming by way of finish.
A well-rounded fighter whose strength is in his ground game, now boasts 4 submission wins on his pro record. But what makes him so dangerous is that his stand-up game is arguably just as sharp as his grappling skills. It’s quickly become a matter of ‘pick your poison’ for many of his opponents, Erceg already claims a win via knockout against his next opponent in title challenger, Paul Loga.
Perhaps the biggest statement win to date was the submission win against then champion, Shannon Ross at Eternal 52, the crowning moment in his surging run to his first title shot. A win via rear naked choke by Erceg was something he predicted in the lead up to their title fight. But what made it even more impressive was the calibre of his opponent. At the time, Ross was undefeated at Flyweight with 5 wins in that weight class. A streak that would culminate in a round 3 knockout victory over mutual opponent Paul Loga.
Erceg made a huge statement in his title fight victory over Shannon Ross.
That run would be brought to a sudden halt, as the Jiu-Jitsu brown-belt did what he does best and picked up the submission win in the very first round. Showcasing his vast skillset, Erceg mixed up his strikes to the head and body, softening the legs of Ross with sharp kicks, all the while utilising his combinations to good effect.
A dangerous and powerful striker, Ross gave Erceg plenty to think about early even while spending most of the fight on the back foot. But it was Erceg who would get the better of the exchanges with a perfectly timed right-hand counter to the side of the head of Ross, dropping him to the canvas.
The fight would never leave the mat and it would never make it out of the first round.
Deadly, calculated, ruthless.
Fast forward to October, with another hard-earned victory under his belt and a rematch with Paul Loga on the horizon, Stephen Erceg’s attention is now firmly back on his weight class that he calls home. It is clear to Erceg that the battle with Cody Haddon was an experience that levelled him up in all the ways that truly matter.
Speaking with Eternal MMA, Erceg gave his thoughts on how the fight with Haddon elevated him as a mixed martial artist.
“You always learn something from every fight. There was a lot of things in that fight, mostly from a heart perspective. You know you’ve got the skills and everything. But you watch something Volkanovski vs Ortega last weekend, you see those guys get put in the positions you’re like, could I even do that?
“I was that tired after the third (round), could I go to the fourth like Ortega did or get out of the triangle? When you get put in those moments and you get to look back and you’re like oh man, yeah, I am that tough too. I can dig deep when I’m absolutely f*****.”
Erceg levelled up in all the areas that matter at Eternal 60.
After speaking with Erceg, it became apparent that his qualities not only as a competitor, but as a human being, could be in-part attributed to a close unit and support system within his camp. The relationship shared with his coach (Wilkes Martial Arts and Fitness Academy head coach, David Wilkes) and his father Matthew, is something that has been voiced by Stephen after past fights. It is his belief that the guidance provided from the pair have been the biggest contributing factors to his success.
“After watching one of the UFC events where Brock Lesnar fought, I just told Dad I really want to do MMA. So, he found an MMA gym and took me to (that) gym.”
“I quickly realised that at that gym it wasn’t a ‘fight’ gym, it was a martial arts gym. It was ‘Mixed Martial Arts’, but it wasn’t (necessarily) for competition. So, my dad and I both did that together for a long time. And then eventually, one of the guys from that gym got booked to do a sparring day. I didn’t realise that you could fight from our gym at the time, so I was obviously very excited.
“I told my dad that I wanted to fight, and I’d just turned 18 at that stage. Obviously, I told my mum and everything as well… Mum was obviously against me fighting.
“Dad was the first one to say, ‘look, he’s 18 he can do what he wants’, and so he supported me in that decision. Obviously, my mum’s there to support me but, she’s obviously worried about her little boy getting beat up and all that sort of stuff. So, she was just trying to protect me in a different way.”
Erceg’s father is a huge factor in his success.
“(Dad) obviously held pads for me, he was there in my corner. He’s been there, always. He helps coach at the gym now. He’s been doing it as long as I have, so he coaches the MMA class at the gym now as well. Which is obviously very helpful for me because it means I can spend more time training.
“I go to my parents house once a week or so. I can talk to him about different things, we have a very close relationship in that way.”
Of course, every athlete needs a symbiotic relationship with a coach in order to reach the upper echelons of their respective crafts. For Stephen Erceg, David Wilkes figures as the man behind the pads on a weekly basis and has been vital in Erceg’s meteoric rise to flyweight champion. Though the coach himself was also initially taken by surprise when it came to his attention that Erceg had plans to fight inside the cage.
“He had fought competitively for a long time.” – said Erceg on his coach.
“When I said I wanted to fight, I think it sort of took him by surprise too. And he goes ‘look, if you’re going to fight, you need somebody to hold pads and coach you. Do you want me to do that for you’? And I said, ‘I’d love it if you held pads for me’. So, twice a week, every week he’d hold pads and all that sort of stuff in the lead up to the sparring day. I had my sparring day; it went well and then we kept doing the same thing (going forward).”
The coach-student relationship for Wilkes and Erceg would eventually lead to a job offer being tabled to the man they call ‘AstroBoy’ at the same gym where he trains. Another piece of the puzzle falling into place that would help solidify a solid base of work and training to support a burgeoning career in mixed martial arts.
“He’s been very good.” said Erceg.
“I work at the gym. He gave me a job at the gym. He’s helped me build my life around martial arts and fighting. So, without those two (Erceg’s father and Coach Wilkes) I couldn’t even dream of doing what I’m doing right now.”
It’s this support network that will continue to play a key role in the lead up to Erceg’s upcoming rematch against Paul Loga. Only this time, there is silverware on the line as Erceg will be looking to make his first title defence since he first won the flyweight belt from Shannon Ross.
A highly touted matchup prior to their first meeting would end in quick fashion, with Erceg winning by knockout in the very first round on the main card at Eternal 47. While the fight may have ended early, it was not without its early challenges for Erceg, as Loga pushed a heavy pace from the opening bell – pumping his jab to good effect and landing some seemingly heavy right hands-on Erceg’s chin. Of course, it wouldn’t be the story of the night, as Erceg literally punched his ticket for a future title shot with a swift left hook to the chin of Loga, leaving the referee no choice but to step in.
Erceg and Loga originally met back at Eternal 47.
Since then, Loga has gone on a two-fight win streak of his own, and earning himself a rematch with the now champion, Erceg. A prospect that has the champ eager to prove once again, just who the king of the hill is at 57 kilograms.
“It’s something I wanted to do, fight him again.” – said Erceg.
“I know to start with he was landing good shots, and it was just all of a sudden I landed this one shot and put him out. It’s not like it was super dominant and clear to everybody that I was a level above. So, I want to make sure this time that, not only that everybody knows – but he knows that it’s my title, I’m the better guy and I’m coming to take him out.”
It’s this type of attitude that embodies what it means to be a true champion. Erceg is cognisant of the fact that – while there were certainly no question marks surrounding his first victory over Loga, there may still be a question as to who the true best fighter in the Flyweight division is.
In his mind, he already knows the answer to that question. But this time, Erceg wants to leave no doubt.
“I want to finish him on the feet. That’s where his strength is, and I think I’m better than him there.”
The desire is clear for anyone to see. This is a man who wants to put on a show and take his stature amongst fight fans to another level, while also gaining the respect he deserves from his peers. Another notion that should have fans salivating is the idea that Stephen Erceg’s recent foray into a higher weight class may not be his last. With no issues competing at either weight, a game Erceg has one eye set on a potential matchup with the cream of the crop in the Bantamweight division.
“The home for now is at Flyweight. The only reason I’d go (back) up to Bantamweight is to fight Shaun Etchell.” remarked Erceg, regarding his fighting future.
Etchell of course is the current reigning champion in the Bantamweight division.
But for now, Erceg’s focus is firmly squared on the upcoming rematch against Paul Loga for the undisputed Eternal Flyweight Championship at Eternal 62 in his home city of Perth.
With an unwavering confidence, a loyal team and a healthy run of momentum on his side, we still don’t know just how high the ceiling is for one Stephen ‘AstroBoy’ Erceg.
On October 30th within the confines of the cage inside HBF Stadium, we may just get another piece the answer.
A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend Eternal MMA 61 at Southport Sharks, an eventful night marked by excellent fights and capped off with a title change.
For those who haven’t been to an Eternal MMA show, the experience is vastly different to what you see on television. There is an energy inside the building which can’t be replicated at home – the brisk sound of the mat; the sound of leather hitting flesh; the intensity of the crowd.
My only other live MMA experience was watching UFC 243 at Marvel Stadium in 2019. Though it had all the bells and whistles that come with a UFC show, particularly a stadium show, the scale of the stadium meant good seats were few and far between, (and ridiculously expensive too boot) and for most of the night I was stuck watching a screen.
And though there were screens at this event, I didn’t use them much. Why would I have to? The intimate atmosphere of the venue, the Southport Sharks Event Centre, meant regardless of where you sat, you were close to the action – good seats all around.
“The energy inside the building can’t be replicated at home.”
When I first entered the venue, I happened to find the then-lightweight champion and one half of the main event, Dan Hill, relaxing at the back of the room, relaxing watching the preliminary fights unfold. It was an unusual sight.
Then I grabbed my seat and found Dimp Gillies, one half of the co-main event, sitting with his family watching the fight.
A reminder that these fighters are fans just like the rest of us, and a visual reminder of who these men fight for.
On a regional show, one might think that the quality of fighters might be lacking. I can assuredly tell you that this is not the case.
Top to bottom the fights were competitive and compelling encounters, especially the fight between Diego Pereira and Abdalla Eltigani, where Eltigani appeared to be coasting before falling into Pereira’s heel hook in the second round which ultimately stopped the fight.
Diego Pereira cinches up a fight-ending heel hook submission.
In the week leading up to the fight, I had a chance to sit down with Pereira and discuss his bout with Eltigani. He told me it was the perfect fight to showcase his ground game, something he hadn’t had the chance to do in previous fights.
The card wasn’t without controversy either, which occurred in the main event when Jack Becker finished then-Eternal lightweight champion, Dan Hill, in the first round with a barrage of punches, followed up by an unfortunate knee to the head which appeared to land after Hill collapsed into the cage.
Though Becker is returning to defend his new lightweight championship in November against Brentin Mumford at Eternal 63, it would be fantastic to see a rematch.
Of course, being stopped in the first round never bodes well for a rematch claim, but there were variables which support Hill’s case. For one, it was his first loss – a controversial one at that. And secondly, the late replacement Becker was arguably a tougher opponent than the previously scheduled, Mumford. That’s certainly a fight I’d like to see again.
Jack Becker gets his hand raised in the main event.
The highlight of the night was Dom Mar Fan’s – who also won Performance of the Night – performance against Tasar Malone on the preliminary card. It was a smooth and dominant performance capped off by an excellent triangle choke submission in the second round. Certainly someone to keep an eye on.
Eternal MMA is Australia’s premier MMA promotion for a reason. The matchmaking is excellent, the events are well-organised (kudos to Cam, Ben & co. for persevering through the setbacks) and the production is top notch too.
And for MMA fans living in South-East Queensland who haven’t attended an Eternal show, I have to ask: what on earth are you waiting for?
Here I sit in my travel jail cell, more on that later, with an abundance of time to reflect on a crazy two weeks, for me, for Jack Della and for Eternal. Let’s start with the latter, Eternal 61 took place on September 11th at the Southport Sharks. This card was a testament to the never say die attitude of the Eternal team and the flexibility and understanding of the fighters and teams involved. This pandemic is certainly challenging and without wanting to get too political, I will later, a pain in the fucking arse! If Cam had any hair he would have yanked it all out with not one but two postponements but after many changes to the card and the restrictions etc we had a sold out show. What a show it was too, as always the amateurs brought it, three first round arm bars on the bounce is unreal skill in modern MMA, a couple of third round finishes and only one decision it set the scene perfectly for our stacked main card. What a card too, with Jack Becker taking Dan Hill’s title with some brutal striking, not without controversy an illegal knee as the referee was stopping the fight means that Hill will get a re match when COVID allows so that’s something to get excited about. Obviously as head coach of Scrappy MMA I was super pumped for Jack as I know how hard he works, and has worked for the last decade so to see him achieve his goal was special for me and the perfect start to our big week as a gym. Before we get on to that Eternal 61 was the first show I’ve taken my working hat off and sat back, in glorious Las Vegas, and enjoyed the event as a fan. Damn it was good to watch, well done to the team and all the fighters and coaches for the effort that went in to it.
Vegas, Vegas, Vegas! I have had many trips to Vegas over the years and this one was very different:
I no longer drink and
Because we isolated ourselves to avoid a positive COVID test which could have spelt the end to Jack’s UFC dreams without the gloves being donned.
Training at the UFC Performance Institute
It was amazing to have two weeks to do nothing but train, eat healthy food and relax in preparation for a fight. That pro fighter lifestyle that many only dream of, jack included until this camp, is so helpful in the lead up to a big fight. Training every day at the UFC Performance Institute, using the recovery tools there and generally living the life was all instrumental in Jack putting on the performance of a lifetime and getting his UFC contract. I must give a shout out to Ange Loosa as he brought the best out in jack and wanted that contract badly. He took everything Jack threw at him and gave it back but Jack’s class shone through in the end. It’s been a long road, not without its challenges but the ten fight win streak is real and the goal set after Jack’s last loss, to win ten straight, has been achieved. Jack is a testament to the pathway Eternal provides and it shows if you can become an Eternal Champ you have got the skills to hold it down at the highest level. First Casey O’Neill proved that and now Jack has strengthened the fact that if you trust the process at Eternal and win the belt you have the stuff to make it anywhere in world MMA. I am one very proud and lucky coach to have had an athlete willing to make the sacrifices and put the work in to achieve greatness. Watch this space because I see a shiny gold belt in Jack Della’s future.
Ten straight wins – Jack Della earns a standing ovation from Dana White on his Contender bout. Photos provided by UFC.
We knew when we signed up to leave Australia we would need to quarantine on the way home and although it’s definitely not ideal it is what it is. However, having done almost three days here in hotel hell I feel like the treatment of a law abiding citizen is in humane. Our only ‘crime’ is leaving Australia and we are now locked for two weeks in a twin hotel room, zero fresh air, zero sunlight and today we asked for fresh towels as we have been training twice a day and ours are sweaty. We cannot have fresh towels until Day 6! To wash clothes is $40 for ten items so we are reduced to hand washing clothes and hanging them to dry in the shower room, but with no light or heat in there they never dry. I am definitely not seeking sympathy, like I said I knew what I was getting into but never in a million years did I think I wouldn’t even have the luxury of fresh air. I have just returned from a country where COVID is rife, it is open and I have been out and about there. I have had six COVID tests in the last two weeks, all of which returned negative. Surely there is a better solution than locking law abiding citizens in essentially cells, in fact in jail you at least get to leave your cell and have access to air. I can’t imagine sitting here with Jack having been unsuccessful in his quest for a UFC contract as it’s taxing enough on the old mental health as it is.
Hotel quarantine with UFC’s newest signed athlete
Anyway, we shall endure. It’s a funny old game, from the highest highs having Dana sing Jack’s praises and walking the Vegas strip as a newly signed team to the UFC to languishing in a 5-star jail cell without even fresh air being afforded to us. Welcome to 2021 and communist Australia. I love this country, I am a proud citizen but fuck me the government has lost it!
There’s a saying – “You know what happens when you assume? It makes an ass out of u and me.”
I have historically been very guilty of assuming everyone knows what I expect. They don’t! And it’s wrong of me to think they do. I am making strides to lay out my expectations early and it definitely helps in achieving results.
What the whole Australian MMA scene is guilty of assuming is that officials should be good at their job. If they aren’t receiving the appropriate training, how can we expect them to be high level? If a fighter didn’t train we wouldn’t expect a high level performance from them, would we?
Eternal puts on roughly 60 pro fights a year nationally. The rest of the events cover maybe another 20. So, for argument’s sake, let’s say 80 fights a year. Maybe 20 in Perth, 30 on the Gold Coast, and 30 elsewhere. Each referee is getting maybe 6 or 7 fights a year domestically, often separated by months at a time. There is no consistency for the officials. They work in a high pressure environment and have to make split second decisions with huge repercussions. The best they can hope for is to go home without anyone slating them. Thankless task.
Perth’s Matt Wynne, officiating the Eternal 60 Main Event.
A few years ago Eternal, in conjunction with the Western Australian Combat Sports Commission, sponsored an Officials Development Day with Peter Hickmott. Peter is an experienced UFC referee and is widely regarded among the cream of the crop of Australian officiating.
This was repeated this year at the amazing UFC Gym in Balcatta. 20+ Perth officials and commission members attended a 3hr practical training seminar with one of the most experienced referees in the game – UFC referee John Sharp. ‘Sharpy’ was able to practically assess and debrief all attending officials at Eternal 60 that night.
UFC referee John Sharp, discussing the ruleset with the WA Sporting Commission.
We are committed to developing all those who work for us in order to ensure the fighters get the right decisions made on the night so as not to ruin their moment. At the end of the day that’s what we do it for. To allow the fighters to turn up and fight their hearts out without worrying about poor stoppages or bad calls. It will never be perfect, the job is too hard, but we have to help make it as near to perfect as possible.
Referee course underway with live drills.
Eternal will be bringing the course back to Perth in October and we will run courses on the Gold Coast and in Melbourne this year also. We are determined to make this sport as professional and exciting, but most importantly as safe as possible.
Thanks must be extended to The WA Combat Sports Commission, John Sharp and a massive thanks to Matt Wynne for organising.
It was with an enormous amount of excitement that I jumped out of my bed at 5am on Wednesday 17th of March. I can assure you that it’s not often I am excited to wake up at 5am! The first ever ‘Eternal Fight Weekend’ was the cause of that excitement. An ambitious and ballsy move from the Eternal Team to put on two shows over two nights in the same venue, where four championship belts would be retained or rehomed. I can tell you sitting here post the event, we pulled it off!
Even travelling felt weird, living in WA every trip is a marathon, COVID had put a stop to my frequent travelling (I’d been on one plane trip since we kicked off 2020 with the three shows in three weeks). I definitely think travelling is like training, you get better at it the more you do it. Add to the usual discomfort of being sandwiched between two, usually oversized, FIFO workers the good old facemask and the hitleresque air stewardess shouting at you if it isn’t covering pretty much all your face and the fact that due to budget constraints the entertainment has been switched off, it makes for a torturous five hours. I’ve always been a terrible sleeper and struggle to sleep in my comfortable bed, so sleep is out of the question but I was excited and the trip passed really quickly.
Arriving at the beautiful Mantra at Sharks Hotel is always nice, I have stayed there so many times now I know all the staff and am made to feel super welcome. Up to the room, quick shower, dump bags and first meeting with Cam in the books it’s a restless night’s sleep and up for weigh-ins for Eternal 57. As seems to be the case this year we had a late pullout, this time in the bantamweight tournament. To add insult to ‘injury’ our replacement missed weight by nearly three kilos and the tournament was off and poor Shaun Etchell was without a fight but as small consolation would get first crack at the winner of Meech vs Hibberd which would now be for the belt. All other fighters made weight at the first time of asking and we had ourselves a show! The rest of the day was spent checking in teams for Saturday and prepping the venue for Friday night. Two shows in two nights seems full on, but add to that all the associated work that goes with it and you have two very stressed promoters running around like blue arsed flies.
Patrons filling out two nights for MMA action.
Australian MMA history in the making.
Friday morning and we were up with the sparrows to supervise the cage going in then back to Southport Sharks for Saturday’s weigh ins’. Don’t worry, I’m also confused and I was there. Saturday weigh-ins ran much smoother than Friday’s with all fighters making weight at the first time of asking. Friday’s card was strong but Saturday’s card was the best I’ve ever seen in domestic MMA in my 10 years down under. Post weigh-ins we headed back to Carrara Indoor Stadium to get things underway. I won’t go into the fights but you can catch them here but i will say the standard across the board from Fight 1 to Fight 8 was exceptional. Special mention must go to the Absolute MMA team with Sam Hibberd winning the bantamweight strap in spectacular fashion and Jack Jenkins with his first defence of his featherweight title, making short work of Jesse Medina in the much anticipated rematch. First night in the books and what a night, the atmosphere was through the roof and there were less than half the expected crowd for Saturday in attendance, which meant Saturday night would be wild. No time to celebrate, bed and an early rise for the crescendo.
Jack Jenkins sticks to his gameplan.
#AndNew – Sam Hibberd is the new Eternal Bantamweight Champion.
#AndStill Jack Jenkins successfully defends his title.
I must just say that the Eternal 58 event was the finest fight card, on paper, we had ever put together. Every fight had the potential to blow the roof off the venue. Add to that close to 2000 fans and the stage was set for fireworks. Every single fight was above and beyond expectation and the bar was set high in Bout 1 and continued to rise all the way to what was one of the most intense main events we have ever witnessed. John Fraser stepped up to the biggest challenge of his career and took everything the vicious Kitt Campbell threw at him, weathered the early storm and paid Kitt back in spades in the late rounds to get his hands on the middleweight title recently vacated by now UFC fighter Isi Fitikefu. Fraser will be a hard man to dethrone and I look forward to his first defence. Congratulations must also go to Dan Hill with a come from behind fourth round submission of the hugely talented Josh Togo. Hill taking the lightweight strap from the Australian Top Team man.
Eternal 58 was phenomenal and all fighters and coaches should be remarkably proud of their fighters. The standard in Australian MMA right now is outstanding. Now there will be some people reading this saying “But what about the slippy canvas?” and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the heroes on the internet with their opinions on what we should do and how we should have had a different material and all the other brain busting ideas. For those people let me tell you this, if you were upset, frustrated or pissed off by the canvas multiply your emotions by a million and you may get somewhere close to how Cam and I felt about it. We have used that canvas for 2 years and 8 shows and never had an issue, we also poured our heart, soul and money into this landmark weekend only to have to nearly call it off. Here at Eternal we are good, the best in the business but we can’t control the weather. The humidity was through the roof and it made the canvas like an ice rink. Credit to the fighters who changed game plans and pushed through those terrible conditions. Mumford and Dimps put on one of the finest scraps I’ve ever seen and they had the worst of it so props to those two beasts. Mumford will get the next shot at Dan Hill’s strap.
Pressure gameplan earns Dan Hill the elusive lightweight title.
John Fraser picks apart Kitt Campbell.
A new middleweight king crowned.
I’ll be honest and say I wasn’t so excited about the length of the trip home but knowing i’ll see the wife and kids helps with the monotony of it all. Also, being exhausted helps with the plane sleeping situation. In summary Eternal put on the biggest weekend of MMA that has ever been seen at a domestic level in Australia (outside of the UFC and even then I’d say it was close) and we put over $60,000 into the pockets of the fighters. This is what makes me proudest about the whole thing. I have always said Eternal is a show for the fighters run by fighters (Albeit many moons ago for Cam and I to have laced the gloves up in anger) and we feel very strongly about giving back to the sport we love so dearly. I need a rest but I can’t wait to do it all again, which won’t be a long wait as we go again in Melbourne, May 7th.
