Know Your Fighter: Connor Downey

Full Name:

Connor Downey

Age:

26

Where were you born:

Penrith

Where do you live:

Penrith

Which gym do you train out of:

Sydney West Martial Arts

Who are your coaches:

Luke Martin

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

Karate black belt BJJ purple belt

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Growing up I did karate with my dad. It gave him a good excuse to be able to hit me and it not be child abuse.

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

In my first fight I took a bit of a beating but I fell in love with the rush that came along with it. That’s probably the point when I started to take it seriously.

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

My favourite session would definitely be sparring. It’s always a lot of fun to pressure test new things you’re working on.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

Being able to find ways to win from any position

How would you describe your fighting style:

Weird and wonderful

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA. There’s really no other option.

Who is your favourite athlete:

Wonderboy

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Wonderboy

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Immediate goal would be to turn pro and start racking up some wins. Long term I’ll just see where it takes me.

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

Highlight reel finishes

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

I’ll be getting my hand raised.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Have a beer ready for me after the fight

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

Instagram: @connordowney98

Know Your Fighter: Spencer Mosley

Full Name:

Spencer Mosley

Age:

31

Where were you born:

San Diego California

Where do you live:

Perth

Which gym do you train out of:

Luistro Combat Academy

Who are your coaches:

Romel luistro is my MMA coach And I a can’t forget my boxing coach Ile Petrovski!

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

White belt in Ju Jitzu

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

I played a wide range of sports growing up! I started with t-ball , then baseball, I used to swim, played tennis then moved on to ice hockey, I played footy for the Quinn’s bulls, then I found boxing which led me to Mma and I have no time or interest for anything but this game i love it!!

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

Basically the first time I walked into a gym when I was driving home I knew this is what I wanted to do!

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

I would saying I enjoy sparring days the most maybe not before fights because well I don’t want to give our training resign away but it’s brutal! I used to enjoy striking the most but recently I’ve found a love for wrestling! Monday’s we wrestle then Toby smith takes a muah Thai class it’s probably my favourite day!

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

Well everyone says I hit hard, I’m not the strongest guy in the gym but my timing and technique with punching brings out my power!

How would you describe your fighting style:

I was on the back foot in my last fight but normally I would say I’m the aggressor!

What is your favourite sport and why:

Mma is King if there was no Mma I’d say ice hockey would be my favourite!

Who is your favourite athlete:

Auruto Gatti

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Boxing would be Auruto Gatti, MMA would be Dustin Poirer Kickboxing would be Ramon Dekkers

What are your immediate and long term goals:

I plan on making this my last Amateur fight. I want to go pro and one day become the eternal lightweight champion!

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

A fun fight, that will probably end before the 3 rounds is up!

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

I have a lot of respect for my opponent and his coach Marcus but I think I get this done early I’m prepared for where ever the fight goes!

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Thanks so much to anyone who buys a ticket or supports us in anyway with out you guy we wouldn’t be able to do what we love! Thankyou!

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

Instagram: @spencermosley

Know Your Fighter: Courtney Martin

Full Name:

Courtney Martin

Age:

31

Where were you born:

Perth

Where do you live:

Perth

Which gym do you train out of:

Wolves Den

Who are your coaches:

Stephen Walton

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

Purple belt in bjj

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Tee-ball, Baseball, golf, hockey, swimming, basketball, I was an active kid

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

I started competing in 2017, as soon as I decided to compete I took it as seriously as a heart attack. That didn’t really change when I transitioned to Pro. I was already making changes in my lifestyle to prioritise training and put that first.

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

I like the routine and grind of fight camps but I love the learning and growth you make out of fight camps. I love MMA because some weeks my favourite thing to do is jits and then other weeks it’s striking.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

I’m stubborn and if it comes down to it I’m more than happy to scrap

How would you describe your fighting style:

Adaptive, I’m comfortable standing, wrestling or on the ground.

What is your favourite sport and why:

Baseball, I started playing again last year just as a casual hobby and fell back in love with it

Who is your favourite athlete:

Shohei Ohtani

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Zhang Weili and Xiong Jing Nan They both eminate champ energy, head down, work hard, get shit done

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Win this fight against Amena and then keep working.

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

Just a girl that’s pretty fucking happy to be in the cage

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

Ideally with a stoppage

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Everyone supporting me is so so appreciated, you all mean the world to me.

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

Instagram: @court.in.a.cage

Know Your Fighter: Lorenz Araneda

Full Name:

Lorenz Araneda

Age:

23

Where were you born:

Sydney Australia

Where do you live:

Perth

Which gym do you train out of:

Luistro combat academy

Who are your coaches:

Romel luistro

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Blue belt

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

I really had a passion for football and thought I could make it in the football world.

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

After fighting Wyatt Fraser I thought to myself even though I lost and was scared at the time I was able to hang in with a formidable opponent. Since that fight I started taking it serious it wanting a profession out of this sport. My record may say otherwise however I’ve only gotten better as the years have come and at the start of last year I finally had the courage to leave my original gym and make ends meet at LCA. Honestly the best thing I could’ve done was move there.

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

I think every week at training is amazing. Everyday is a grind at LCA. Drilling, sparring, juijitsu and wrestling, it’s all at 100% and no one isnt not breathing heaving or drenched in sweat. Everyone single person in that gym is shooting for the stars including myself so I well and truely belong their.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

I feel like as I’ve trained over the course of the months at LCA I’ve become very al-rounded I think I’m strong everywhere without a doubt, physically and mentally!

How would you describe your fighting style:

A Mixed Martial Artist.

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA of course. I don’t watch much of it however the reason why I love it so much is because I relate to every single fighter that may be going through setbacks in life whether they’re getting ready for a fight or not. We can all relate no matter what we’re going through we have to show up to training 6 days out of the 7. Cut weight and perform infront of hundreds, thousands of people. If you think about it, it’s quite funny actually. Imagine you train 6 days a week, 2 times a day for 2 months just to fight 9, 15 minutes! Quite a cool, yet funny fact.

Who is your favourite athlete:

David goggins of course! “WHOS GONNA CARRY THE BOATS AND THE LOGS”

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

I do have a list however I’d have to say Petr yan I love is style, his furnace.

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Right now to be a strong opponent in harvey youngmen. Long term currently is to look at an amateur title after a couple wins.

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

“EL MATADOR IS BACK BABYYYYYY”

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

I’ll keep this to myself.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

I appreciate all their love and support. It means everything to me and it’s a blessing.

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

Instagram: @Lorenz.aaa

Know Your Fighter: Amena Hadaya

Full Name:

Amena Hadaya

Age:

25

Where were you born:

Australia

Where do you live:

Wollongong

Which gym do you train out of:

Freestyle mma

Who are your coaches:

Joe Lopez

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Purple belt jujitsu

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Soccer Boxing

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

I began training to keep fit as a kid at 8 years old then I had a a few boxing fights from 18 years old won those 5 then transitioned to MMA after some injuries and started fighting mma at 20 after my first fight I knew I wanted to chase this dream

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

Pushing my body to extreme limits and wrestling

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

The team I have around me and my will to keep going no matter what

How would you describe your fighting style:

Unorthodox

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA I love the art of the sport and how things can change in a second

Who is your favourite athlete:

Don’t really have one but those who support the needy

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Volk

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Get atleast 4 fights in this year win them all grow as a fighter and make it to the UFC

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

Carnage

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

A scrap

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Without these people the sport wouldn’t be what it is

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

Instagram: @amenamariam

Know Your Fighter: Joel Hogan

Full Name:

Joel Hogan

Age:

35

Where were you born:

Perth

Where do you live:

Perth

Which gym do you train out of:

Scrappy Mma

Who are your coaches:

Ben Vickers, Ryan Gray, Jack Becker

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

KO of the night on Bragging Rights

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Muay Thai, Zen do Kai, Surfing and Ninja Warrior.

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

In 2014 I had my first Mma fight and took it seriously for a few years. Then focused on other interests after. I help build a retreat in Peru and then competed on two seasons of Australian Ninja Warrior. Then I returned to the sport as a coach in 2022 I realised my passion for the sport was really strong and now I have decided to become a professional.

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

Striking. It’s always been my favourite. I love that aspect of mma. It’s exciting, intense and unqiue to your own style. Hitting pads is my favourite session of the week..

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

My greatest strength is timing. Creating openings and being able to generate lots of power from unorthodox positions.

How would you describe your fighting style:

Explosive striker with heavy ground and pound.

What is your favourite sport and why:

Mixed martial arts because it is the most exciting sport to watch and participate in.

Who is your favourite athlete:

Conor Mcgregor

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Conor Mcgregor

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Win my next eternal mma bout on Feb 10th, 2024. Become Eternal Champion and then Ufc Champion and hall of famer

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

They can expect fireworks and an exciting showcase of striking and mma.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

Getting the victory by way of knock-out.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Massive love to the my friends, family and supporters. Thanks for pushing me, motivating me and encouraging me every step of the way. Also to my son who inspires me to become the best I can be. Huge love to you little man.

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

Instagram: @superspiritmma

Know Your Fighter: Daniel Mitchell

Full Name:

Daniel Mitchell

Age:

27

Where were you born:

Sydney

Where do you live:

Western Sydney

Which gym do you train out of:

Sydney West martial arts and premier fight team

Who are your coaches:

Craig Jehn, Luke Martin & David Ward

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Brown belt BJJ

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Athletics Swimming Rugby league

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

After my first fight win I knew this was something I wanted to take seriously at the age of 20.

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

1 on 1 sessions with my coaches. Learning and developing

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

My endurance and my competitiveness

How would you describe your fighting style:

All round with lots of pressure

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA of course. Only do it because I love it

Who is your favourite athlete:

George’s St- Pierre

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

George’s st- Pierre

What are your immediate and long term goals:

2024 1 bantamweight in Australia/New Zealand as a professional fighter. Long term goal is the UFC and be a regular fighter

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

Entertaining fight as I won’t stop bringing the heat

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

Always hunting to finish him either way and always putting relentless pressure in

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Thank you to everyone that has supported me all the way, you all know who you are.

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

Instagram: @daniel_thestorm_mitchell

Facebook: Daniel The Storm Mitchell

Know Your Fighter: Dallas Denniss

Dallas Denniss, Eternal MMA

Full Name:

Dallas Denniss

Age:

25

Where were you born:

Darwin, Australia

Where do you live:

Sunshine Coast, Australia

Which gym do you train out of:

Combat Lab Martial Arts

Who are your coaches:

Joel Szepesvary

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Blue Belt in Jiu Jitsu

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

I grew up doing various martial arts like taekwondo and kyokushin karate but never stuck to it as a kid. I was pretty athletic growing up and tried out heaps of different sports on and off like basketball, AFL and rugby but never stuck to them.

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

Not until my 3rd armature fight. People would always ask me what I wanted to get out of fighting, why I did it and where I wanted to go with it. I would always reply with “I’m just taking it as it comes and having fun” but now I’m fully aware of my potential and I’m committed to becoming one of the best.

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

my favourite session is the strength and conditioning circuit, I love the challenge and the pain that comes with it, I love the feeling of having to push the extra mile to get the work done.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

my dedication to the sport and my training. I pride myself on being able to train while everyone else is resting on a Sunday. While people sleep in I’m getting better and mastering my craft.

How would you describe your fighting style:

im not just a striker, a grappler or a wrestler. I’m a mixed martial artist and that what i train to be. I want to be able to stand with the best, wrestle with the best and roll with the best. This is a never ending journey of mastery.

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA because there’s a never ending amount of information and skills to learn. You’ll never run out of things to learn and techniques to practice. It’s a life long journey that will never get boring.

Who is your favourite athlete:

Georges St-Pierre

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

It’s always changing but as of now Retired – GSP Active – Corey Sandhagen

What are your immediate and long term goals:

I want to become a complete mixed martial artist and have no weaknesses anywhere in my game. I want to fight as much as I can while I have youth on my side and eventually become a multi division champion.

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

They should expect fast paced, controlled chaos. A fight full of highlights.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

I believe wherever the fight plays out, that’s where I beat him. I don’t think he’s on my level

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

I hope I can put on a show for the fans and also do my family and mates proud, the people closest to me know how much i put into these fight camps so thank you to those who are by my side and supporting me all the way

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

Instagram: @daldimadome

Facebook: Dallas Denniss

Know Your Fighter: Nikita Laptsevich

Nikita Laptsevich Eternal MMA Gold Coast

Full Name:

Nikita Laptsevich

Age:

21

Where were you born:

Minsk, Belarus

Where do you live:

Gold Coast, Australia

Which gym do you train out of:

Fight Club Jiu Jitsu / Black Dragon Kai

Who are your coaches:

Gavin Hain, Daniel Lima, Geordie Lavers-Mcbain

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Purple belt in BJJ

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

A bit of everything, however I didn’t particularly feel a passion towards most sports. Riding BMX at the skatepark was something I did pretty much everyday as a teen and still do sometimes.

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

I trained karate for 2 years starting at the age of 7, then proceeded to not parttake in any martial arts until I turned 15 when I started training mma as a profession since day one. Since my first day I wanted to compete in everything from bjj to wrestling to kickboxing, but the main goal was always mma.

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

I can’t choose, I love to submit someone as much as I like to take them down and as much as I like to throw strikes at them. My training doesn’t always focus on what’s best for mma, I will often train bjj in a sport bjj style, playing on bottom and using techniques not recommended in mma. Same with muay thai, I will have a narrow stance and think like a thai fighter. I love the arts and want to explore them individual as well as mixing them for mma.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

My grappling, however I have technical striking which I haven’t shown yet in the cage, hopefully I get to be more confident with it soon.

How would you describe your fighting style:

I want to be as well-rounded as possible, I want to take someone down if I want to and I want to kick someone in the head if I want to. I want to be a fighter like Demetrious Johnson, GSP, Alex Volkanovski, Jon Jones etc. I don’t want to have a strong part of my game, I want to be able to mix the martial arts better than anyone.

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA, there no other sport in the world where anything can happen at anytime. How unpredictable it is is what makes it exciting.

Who is your favourite athlete:

Max Holloway, Chingiz Allazov, Giorgio Petrosyan, Demetrious Johnson.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

Max Holloway, Chingiz Allazov, Giorgio Petrosyan, Demetrious Johnson.

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Improve my confidence with every fight and perform at my best. Eventually I will be a champion in the UFC and ONE fc.

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

I always aim for a finish, I never go into a fight with the mentality to go to decision.

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

I want to beat him in the stand up and also be the first take him down and keep him down, he’s good at getting back up but he’s never faced a grappler like me. I also intend to strike more confidently than my last fight and won’t complain if I can get a ko.

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

Thank you for supporting me and thanks to my teammate and coaches for being patient with me and for all your efforts. I love ya’ll.

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

Instagram: @nikitalaptsevichsucks

Know Your Fighter: Dom Mar Fan

Full Name:

Dominic Mar Fan

Age:

23

Where were you born:

Brisbane

Where do you live:

Brisbane

Which gym do you train out of:

Team Compton

Who are your coaches:

Steve Compton

What belts or rankings do you currently posses as a martial artist:

Brown belt BJJ

What sports or activities did you participate in growing up:

Played football (soccer)

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

Stepped into an mma gym for the first time at 17 years old and immediately became obsessed and training twice a day. By the age of 20 I was training 3 times per day.

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

I like breaking down the tiny details of a technique or sequence. I’m a bit of a nerd for mma. Wether that’s watching tape and having coffee or hitting pads with coach Steve and extracting every crucial detail from him, I always thrive in the endless pursuit of perfection as a martial artist.

What are your greatest strengths as an athlete or a fighter:

I believe my grappling is world class, I’m confident I would hang with the top mma grapplers in the world. I also believe that my timing and shootboxing understanding is better than the mma grapplers that can outgrapple me in a traditional sense.

How would you describe your fighting style:

MMA grappler

What is your favourite sport and why:

MMA. I don’t watch or play other sports

Who is your favourite athlete:

Favourite athlete outside of combat sports would be Kobe Bryant. I like his work ethic and mindset.

Who is your favourite combat sports athlete:

khabib nurmagomedov

What are your immediate and long term goals:

Immediate goal – win my next fight and shock people with how much my skills have sharpened. Long term – Become UFC champion

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

They should expect violence. I’m not a lay and pray grappler, if I take you down, I’m gonna hurt you and leave you broken or unconscious

How do you see your upcoming fight playing out:

Il finish him

A final message to any friends, family and supporters:

I fight to prove everyone that believes in me right and to prove the haters wrong. Anyone that comes to my fights I appreciate you more than you know, I love this sport and i really in enjoy having the opportunity to share what I love with you all.

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

Instagram: @street_buddha_mma