The Australian MMA Podcast

Jesse Swain joins Australian MMA after his loss at Eternal MMA 111 to Rehaan Lulla in 31 seconds. He discusses the shock of the defeat, the confidence he carried into the bout and how he is handling the reaction.

Swain explains where he believes he went wrong, including underestimating his opponent and shooting from too far out, and talks through being caught in the guillotine. He also discusses his plans to stay active, pursue an Eternal title and keep working towards his UFC ambition.

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Twenty-year-old Zane Martin joins the Australian MMA Podcast after his professional debut win over Jesse Ukich at Eternal MMA 111 in Perth. The performance drew praise from Alexander Volkanovski, but Martin says he wants more experience and stronger wins before thinking he’s ready for the UFC.

Martin talks about starting martial arts as a child, training at Freestyle alongside high-level fighters, and what he learned from the guillotine and kimura exchanges in his debut. He also discusses the work ethic behind his progress, the support that helps him keep fighting, and his interest in re...

LWT 31 recaps a packed weekend in Australian MMA. The host covers Tom Nolan’s third-round TKO of Renato Moicano, title fights at Beatdown 15 and Eternal MMA 111, and Jesse Swain’s 31-second submission loss. The episode also discusses Zane Martin’s kimura win and other regional results.

Looking ahead, the show covers UFC Sydney’s announced main and co-main events, George Mangos’ Road to UFC final, other reported matchups, and upcoming UFC and regional cards. Hear the host’s reaction to the results, which fighters he sees as ones to watch, and what’s coming up next.

Jake Piper joins Australian MMA ahead of his October 30 fight with Ben Watson for the Beatdown Promotions bantamweight championship. The bout is set for Eatons Hill Hotel and will be shown on DAZN.

Piper talks about fitting training around work and fatherhood, his loss to Chris Stojanovski and why he believes he was underprepared. He also gives his views on Watson’s approach to mental preparation and explains how he plans to fight.

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Eternal MMA featherweight champion Kevin Kophamel joins the Australian MMA podcast ahead of his title defence against Tasar Malone at Eternal MMA 111 in Perth on 31 October. He discusses what it means to be champion, handling the attention that comes with the belt and the respect he has for his upcoming opponent.

Kophamel also talks about injuries and recovery, what he has learned from his hard fights, and his ambition to reach the UFC. He explains why he wants to earn that opportunity through his performances, while sharing what he expects from Malone’s cardio, wr...

Alfred Stoddart joins the Australian MMA Podcast ahead of his October 30 Beatdown Promotions title fight with Jack James. He discusses what he expects from the matchup and gives his prediction for how it could unfold.

Stoddart also explains the “Breaker” mindset he says helps him stop overthinking and switch from controlled sparring to fight-night aggression. The conversation covers his frustration at waiting for fights at Eternal MMA, his views on Sam Marles vs Loni Filimoehala, judging and welterweight matchmaking, and why he says his trash talk is based on facts.

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This host-led roundup looks back at a big weekend for Australian MMA, including Alex Volkanovski’s UFC 333 win, Colby Thicknesse’s split-decision victory and other Australian results. It also covers the host’s reaction to the performances and what they could mean for the fighters.

The episode looks ahead to upcoming bouts and cards, including Tom Nolan’s next fight, local fight announcements, Beatdown 15 and Eternal MMA 111. The host also shares his opinion on what a possible lightweight title run in Sydney could mean for Volkanovski’s legacy; that scenario is discussed as speculation, not a conf...

American MMA fighter Alex Polizzi joins the show ahead of his trip to Australia to face Darcy Vendy at Beatdown on October 30. Polizzi trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and discusses how his wrestling background led him into MMA.

He also talks about preparing for Vendy, managing fear and pressure, working with a sports performance therapist, and learning from years in the sport. Polizzi shares stories from training, including a memorable round with Francis Ngannou, and explains why he wants opponents to remember fighting him as a hard night’s work.

Jack James, known as “Bricktop”, joins Australian MMA after his August win over Emrehan Hekimoglu earned him the interim Hex Fight Series welterweight title. He’s now preparing to defend his Beatdown welterweight belt against Alfred Stoddart on October 30.

James revisits the straight ankle lock he escaped, discusses what he expects from Stoddart and explains why he wants to finish fights and stand out in Australia’s crowded welterweight division. He also talks about future matchups and his plans to showcase the work he’s put into training camp.

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UK fighter Duval Pierre joins us ahead of his bout with Lawrence Whitesmith at Eternal 111 on 31 October. Now based in Phuket, Pierre talks about his route into MMA, from cricket and boxing to Muay Thai and training overseas.

He also explains how he built his social media presence and began helping other fighters grow theirs, and why he believes an online following can affect opportunities in the sport. The conversation covers his thoughts on Whitesmith, his preferred approach to the fight and why he would like a knockout despite putting plenty of time into...

Mitchell Tinley hosts this edition of Last Week Today, running through recent Australian MMA results and announcements. It covers Chelsea Hackett’s unanimous decision loss to Paulina Wisniewski at PFL Chicago, Kyle Mayocchi’s scheduled Shooto 19 bout against Hikaru Yashiro in Japan, the recording does not confirm the result, the return of Dynasty of Combat in Canberra, and a Sydney event announced by Dynasty Championships.

Also in the rundown: Aldin Bates being elevated to Eternal MMA’s middleweight title after Darcy Vendy vacated it; matchups and title bouts across Beatdown, Eternal, Vital Kombat and HEX; u...

This week’s Australian MMA update covers Josh’s $10,000 win in a last-man-standing event, results from Element Fight Night 8, and Adele Fornarino’s UFC BJJ title bout.

The episode also looks at Miles Muecke possible move into MMA competition and Jesse Swain’s new opponent for Eternal 111 after Luke Jones withdrew with an injury.

There’s also news on Josh Grove, an injury affecting Beatdown Promotions, and upcoming fights at Eternal 112 and HEX Fight Series 40. Hear the latest results, match-up changes and fight announcements from around the Australian scene.

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Adele Fornarino is an Australian jiu-jitsu athlete competing with UFC BJJ. In this interview, she talks about the opportunities and consistency she sees in competing with the organisation, and what life is like training at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

A major part of the conversation focuses on safety and accountability in jiu-jitsu. Fornarino discusses why she speaks up, how the sport’s hierarchy can make it difficult for people to raise concerns, and why she believes education and clear ways to respond matter. She also talks about making a living in th...

A packed week of MMA news, from BKFC Australia’s recent event to the return of UFC Sydney. This Australian MMA roundup covers the results and standout moments from BKFC, plus the announced UFC Sydney date and matchups discussed for UFC Qatar/Doha.

The episode also looks at Kim Tran’s upcoming Eternal MMA 113 bout, a late change to the Beatdown Promotions card and other Australian shows on the calendar. Hear the host’s take on the stories and fighters shaping the local scene.

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro

00:13 BKFC Australia weeken...

Mitch Tinley runs through the latest Australian and New Zealand MMA news, including results from Canada, Japan and Thailand, newly announced UFC fights, and upcoming local events.

This week’s round-up covers Josh McCulloch’s MMA debut win, Sarmad Jahanara’s ONE Friday Fights bout, Jacob Malkoun and Colby Thicknesse’s upcoming UFC match-ups, Eternal 113 in Geelong, and BKFC’s Brisbane card.

Mitch also discusses Josh Kuhne’s move to bare-knuckle and Jesse Swain’s $2,000 challenge to Luke Jones ahead of their Perth fight.

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The UFC is returning to Sydney on 7 February 2027 for a Fight Night event, the first UFC Fight Night in the city since 2017. In this Australian MMA update, we look at what the announcement means and which local fighters could feature.

We discuss possible names including Quillan Salkilld, Robert Whittaker, Tai Tuivasa and George Mangos, as well as whether Eternal could be part of the Sydney event. These are the host’s predictions and wishlist picks, not confirmed match-ups. Who do you want to see on the card? Share your picks in the comments.

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This week’s Australian MMA roundup looks at Casey O’Neill’s impressive first-round helicopter armbar submission at UFC 331, as well as Tai Tuivasa’s split-decision loss and what could be next for the popular heavyweight.

The episode also covers results from Domination MMA, Melbourne Fight Series and Vital Combat Series, plus upcoming bouts involving David Martinez, Michael Barber, the Mayocchi brothers, Ash Bristow, Jesse James Parr, Oli Schmid and more. There is also a look at Isaac Hardman’s move into International Brawling Championship and the latest Australian and New Zealand fight news.

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Josh McCulloch joins the Australian MMA podcast ahead of his professional MMA debut at Fight League Atlantic in Canada. Originally from Tamworth, New South Wales, McCulloch has transitioned from an accomplished Muay Thai career into mixed martial arts and is now building his career in North America.

McCulloch discusses why he moved to Canada, the challenges of starting grappling with only six months of experience, his Muay Thai background, the financial realities of the sport and his plans to work towards opportunities such as Road to UFC or Dana White’s Contender Series. He al...

This week’s Australian MMA roundup covers the major results from Eternal MMA 110, including Albert Tu’ua’s impressive MMA debut, Jesse James Parr’s continued rise and Marwan Rahiki’s closely contested UFC bout with Tommy McMillen.

The episode also looks ahead to upcoming Australian events, including Domination MMA, Vital Combat, Melbourne Fight Series and BKFC Brisbane. There is also discussion of several newly announced matchups before the breaking news that Tom Nolan has been offered a UFC main-event opportunity against Brian Ortega after Renato Moicano’s bout was cancelled.

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Matty “Bones” Williams joins Australian MMA to review a huge weekend for the local scene, including Eternal MMA 110 and Tommy McMillen’s UFC win over Marwan Rahiki.

Williams breaks down the rise of young amateurs Jesse James Parr and Ash Bristow, Robin O’Neill’s loss to Yasmin Knight, the controversial stand-up involving Jesse Wynne and Odin Muscat, and Max Krueger’s unusual decision win over Logan Miller. He also discusses standout performances from Zac O’Brien, Tom Ackerley and Josh O’Brien, Albert Tu’ua’s move from Muay Thai to MMA, and the upcoming Eternal...

BKFC founder and president David Feldman joins Australian MMA ahead of the promotion’s upcoming Australian event at Eatons Hill Hotel in Queensland. Feldman discusses BKFC’s growth, the challenges of gaining government approval and why he believes Australia could become one of the promotion’s biggest markets.

The interview also covers BKFC’s relationship with MMA and boxing, the possibility of major names such as Dan Hooker crossing over, the promotion’s approach to building fighters and Feldman’s early struggles, including the major financial risk he took before Conor McGregor became involved with BKFC.<...

Max Kruger joins Australian MMA ahead of his rematch with Logan Miller at Eternal 110 on September 12 on the Gold Coast. The amateur fighter discusses returning to competition after their first bout fell through, his preparation in Bali and the improvements he has made since his last fight.

Kruger also talks about balancing MMA with his growing social-media presence, DJing, life in Bali and training at CMT. He explains why he is not rushing into the professional ranks, how he reviews his own performances and the mindset behind his unpredictable fight style.

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Jesse James Parr joins Australian MMA ahead of his second amateur fight at Eternal MMA 110 on September 12. The highly touted prospect was originally scheduled to face Ash Bristow, but will now meet Jayden La petit after Bristow withdrew with an injury.

Parr discusses the hype surrounding his MMA career, carrying on the legacy of his father John Wayne Parr, his 33-second amateur debut and the pressure that comes with being one of Australia’s most talked-about young fighters. He also explains his creative grappling style, backflips, training with Daniel Mader, his relationship with Ash Belcastro and his lo...

This week’s Australian MMA roundup looks ahead to a packed weekend of fights, led by Marwan Rahiki’s undefeated UFC Noche clash with Tommy McMillen. The episode also previews Eternal MMA 110, including Darwin Sagurit versus Albert Tu’ua and several key domestic matchups.

The latest news also includes Dan Hooker’s loss, Ethan Brockett’s cancelled ONE Championship bout, Israel Adesanya training at Freestyle MMA and the return of Jesse James Parr. Hear which fights are expected to have the biggest impact on the Australian scene.

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Albert Tu'ua joins the Australian MMA Podcast ahead of his professional MMA debut against Darwin Sagurit at Eternal MMA 110 on September 12. A highly accomplished Muay Thai fighter, Tu'ua discusses why he decided to pursue MMA and what it has been like learning grappling and wrestling after building his career in striking.

Tua talks about his preparation, his favourite submission, training with Jesse James Parr, the challenge of balancing full-time work and family life, his Samoan background, the difference between Muay Thai and MMA, and his long-term goal of reaching the UFC. He also explains...

EDITE: Ben Watson is coming off a victory on Beatdown Promotions against Tetsuo Nakanishi. Appologies to Mr. Watson and that's why it was confusing he got a title shot coming off a loss. Because he didn't...

It was a massive weekend for Australian and New Zealand MMA, with major results across Hex Fight Series 39, Road to UFC, UFC Shanghai and several domestic promotions.

We break down George Mangos advancing to the Road to UFC final, the semifinal defeats for Joseph Larcinese and Seb Murdock, Jack Jenkins’ split-decision loss to Se...

Jack Jenkins joins the Australian MMA Podcast shortly after his closely contested split-decision loss to Sean Woodson. The UFC fighter gives his honest assessment of the fight, including what he felt went well, where he could have made different decisions and how he dealt with the result immediately afterwards.

Jenkins also discusses the challenges of fighting a much taller opponent, the expectations surrounding his leg kicks, his future in the UFC and why he is already looking to return. The conversation also covers weight-cutting issues in Australian MMA, regional fight rivalries, teammate Emrehan Hekimoglu...

Australian flyweight Joseph Larcinese joins Australian MMA ahead of his Road to UFC semi-final against Takaya Suzuki. With a place in the tournament final at stake, Larcinese explains why this camp has been completely different from the injury-plagued preparation behind his previous split-decision victory.

Larcinese discusses Suzuki’s speed, his own push to return to finishing fights and the mentality he has developed by consistently accepting difficult opponents. He also explains why Road to UFC can be such a demanding route into the promotion, embracing the underdog role, working with coach Igor and his br...

Mitchell Tinley runs through the latest Australian MMA results and news following a busy weekend at home and overseas. The episode covers James Vake’s defeat at PFL Tampa, Paddy Hill’s appearance at ONE Friday Fights and the major results from Eternal MMA 109, including Sam Marles claiming the welterweight championship.

There is also discussion around the latest City Kickboxing moves, the possibility of Jacob Malkoun spending time with the team, Sam Marles calling out former opponent Max Kelly and Cooper Royal’s move into boxing. Mitch then previews Marwan Rahiki versus Tommy McMillen, Eterna...

Matt Williams, Eternal MMA commentator, coach and qualified MMA judge, joins Mitch Tinley to review Eternal MMA 109 following the promotion’s latest event in Geelong. The conversation centres on Sam Marles’ close title victory over Loni Filimoehala, with Williams explaining how he scored each round and why effective striking and grappling shaped his assessment.

They discuss the performance and pressure facing both main-event fighters, possible next steps in Eternal’s welterweight division and the danger of labelling close decisions as robberies. Williams also breaks down Moses Deng against Michael Alsop, Jett Fisher’s submission victory, Charlie Joyner’s heavywei...

Eternal MMA commentator, coach and former fighter Matt 'Bones' Williams joins Australian MMA ahead of Eternal MMA 109 in Geelong. He explains how a missing commentator at a local Muay Thai show unexpectedly put him behind the microphone, reflects on fighting Josh Della Maddalena, and discusses why injury and family eventually shifted his focus from competing to coaching.

Williams also discusses the growth of Australia’s regional MMA scene, the importance of commentary and fighter storytelling, coaching Kim Tran, and what it is like to commentate or corner athletes he knows personally. The interview closes with an Eternal MM...

Alexander Volkanovski’s next title defence against Movsar Evloev leads this Australian MMA news roundup. We also cover Quillan Salkilld’s rise in the rankings and his continued interest in a fight with Paddy Pimblett.

Elsewhere, Jesse James Parr and Ash Bristow prepare to meet at Eternal MMA 110, while injuries have forced the cancellation of Val Sharipov vs Oscar Marlow and Jack James vs Hoshi Friedrich. Plus, Aaron Tau wins at Bare Bones III, Josh Allsop collects $10,000 and we look ahead to Eternal MMA 109, PFL, ONE Championship and the upcoming Road to UFC action.

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Quillan Salkilld’s rapid rise takes centre stage in this edition of the Australian MMA Podcast. Mitch breaks down Salkilld’s victory over Mateusz Gamrot, his willingness to meet opponents in their strongest area and how his only professional loss helped shape the fighter he has become.The episode also covers Salkilld’s next-fight ambitions, the possibility of eventually facing Paddy Pimblett, Tai Tuivasa’s expected return and why his entertainment value continues to matter. There are also updates involving Chelsea Hackett and Marwan Rahiki, recognition for emerging Australian MMA media creators and a look ahead to Eternal MMA, Diamondb...

This week on Australian MMA News: Last Week Today, host Mitch Tinley breaks down the results and major talking points from Eternal MMA 108 on the Gold Coast. The recap covers Jesse-James Parr’s 33-second armbar in his MMA debut, Christian Lapham’s first-round main-event finish and performances from Ayden Todoroff, Dominic Aston, Nima Behrouz and several other emerging fighters.

Elsewhere, Mitch reviews Navajo Stirling’s stoppage of Jan Błachowicz at UFC Belgrade and Sean Gauci’s unanimous-decision win over Allan Begosso at PFL New York. He also runs through newly announced fights involving Jack Jenkins and Casey O’N...

Episode 17 of Last Week Today reviews a difficult week for Australian fighters overseas, with Reece McLaren, Tyson Pedro and Steve Erceg all suffering first-round stoppage losses.

Attention then turns to Sean Gauci’s PFL New York appearance, Navajo Stirling stepping in against Jan Błachowicz and the status of Road to HEX 8. The second half previews Eternal MMA 108, including Tasar Malone versus Justin Van Heerden, Christian Lapham versus Luke Stokman and the emerging featherweight group moving from the amateur ranks into professional competition.

Timecodes:

00:00 Intro
00:33 Last Week Today begins
00:49 Reece McLaren vs...

Former UFC flyweight title challenger Steve Erceg joins the Australian MMA Podcast ahead of his fight against Ramazan Temirov. Erceg discusses the matchup, Temirov’s unexpected preference for striking, the pressure that comes with fighting a lower-ranked opponent and the mindset he is taking into the contest.

Erceg also shares his thoughts on Joshua Van’s championship win and a potential rematch with Alexandre Pantoja, explains why “Angry Steve” remains part of his approach, and discusses fighter callouts, training with a former regional opponent, Perth’s collaborative MMA scene and the growth of Wilkes MMA. He also addresses...

n this edition of Last Week Today, Australian MMA’s Mitch Tinley breaks down a major run of upcoming fights led by Navajo Stirling’s quick turnaround against former UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz. He also previews Reece McLaren challenging Asaf Chopurov for the UAE Warriors bantamweight championship and Steve Erceg facing Ramazan Temirov.

Elsewhere, the show covers the weekend’s amateur action at Grow Strong Fight Series and Exile Fight Night, Cody Robinson’s serious leg injury, Stewart Nicoll’s latest UFC result, Isaac Hardman’s IBC performance and newly announced Eternal MMA match-ups. Mitch also hi...

Australian MMA’s Last Week Today returns with the biggest news, results, rumours and talking points from across Australian and New Zealand combat sports.This week, we discuss Israel Adesanya’s departure from City Kickboxing, Robert Whittaker’s latest victory and what could come next, and Jesse James Parr’s MMA return at Eternal 108.We also recap Fusion Fighting Championship and Domination 14, discuss Rory Turner being ruled out of his ONE Championship fight, preview the regional events ahead and examine Stewart Nicoll’s important upcoming UFC matchup.Plus, Eternal MMA appears during a UFC pay-per-view and we settle the most impor...

Jesse James Parr is preparing to carry one of Australian combat sports’ most famous names into mixed martial arts.

The son of ten-time Muay Thai world champion John Wayne Parr will make his amateur MMA debut against Lakota Daniel at Eternal MMA 108 on August 1.

Jesse opens up about growing up inside the Parr fighting family, taking over the Gunslinger nickname, dealing with the pressure surrounding his debut and why he believes he can eventually reach the UFC.

He also discusses his years of Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition, training alongside his father, the physical cost of...

Robert Whittaker joins Australian MMA from Las Vegas ahead of his move to light heavyweight.

The former UFC middleweight champion opens up about why life is better at his new weight, bringing his family along for fight week, training at City Kickboxing and why he does not want to fight for too much longer.

Whittaker also discusses the reality of retirement, adjusting to life after fighting, being back on the prelims, his matchup with Nikita Krylov and why bare-knuckle boxing is definitely not in his future.

Plus, we finish with the important stuff...