Two New Zealand mixed martial arts titles will go on the line and kickboxing will come to the fore at a fight night at the Edgar centre tonight.
Top billing for the six MMA and seven kickboxing fight card is a battle for the International Sport Karate Association NZ amateur lightweight MMA strap between Team Hammerhead Dunedin fighter Shem Murdoch (nine wins, five losses) and Queenstown's John Lloyd Hayward (3-3).
Both men faced off in 2013, when Hayward won via a guillotine choke. Hammerhead Productions promoter Matt Toa said he expected a classic matchup between two guys who were skilled in all areas.
Hayward's brash style has proven his downfall at times but when he gets it right, he shows both skill and flair, while Murdoch has sharply improved his striking to complement his wrestling base, claiming a full Muay Thai knockout win on November's Hammerhead show.
Toa initially planned to have a four-man tournament with the winner claiming the title and gaining New Zealand team qualification for the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation (IMMAF) amateur world championships in Las Vegas in July.
But, because both Murdoch and Hayward had previously fought five-minute-round fights with strikes such as elbows, they were ineligible under IMMAF rules.
Hamilton fighter Frank Jarrett and Auckland's JJ Wilson will contest the New Zealand team spot on tonight's Shuriken show in Auckland and Murdoch or Hayward will eventually face the winner.
IMMAF was formed in 2012 and has different amateur criteria from many New Zealand promotions that have been around longer and use the unified rules, Toa said. The New Zealand Mixed Martial Arts Federation would look into the amateur issues this year.
The fight is scheduled for five three-minute rounds.
In the co-main event, Team Hammerhead's Brogan Anderson (5-2) will face Auckland's Strikeforce fighter Beau Rawiri (9-3) for the Supremacy Fighting Championship New Zealand professional welterweight title.
It shapes as an intriguing battle. Anderson looks sharp after three months at the JacksonWink MMA Academy in Albuquerque and Rawiri steps into the fight after his initial Shuriken opponent was injured.
Rawiri lost to Anderson in 2012 but is coming off two strong wins in Australia.
The fight is scheduled for three five-minute rounds.
Kickboxing will get its chance to shine when the lightweight King in the Ring South Island contenders throw down.
Nic Aratema (Hammerhead), StrikeForce Lee Gar's Mike Beavington and Nikora Lee-Kingi and Josh Clarke (Tasman Kickboxing) will compete in a semifinal and final format over three three-minute scheduled rounds.
Aratema (7-7) and Beavington (11-11) are the favourites, while Lee-Kingi (4-0) and Clarke (7-9) are the wildcards.
Toa said fitness and conditioning to warm up and down for two fights would be the key to winning and no-one should be underestimated. In a local kickboxing middleweight derby, Dunedin's Craig Masina (Hammerhead) and Mike Pascoe (Hooligan MMA from the NZ Fight & Fitness Academy) will renew an old rivalry.
Both men fought out an entertaining MMA draw in 2014 and Toa expects things to be just as tough without the ground game.
In what shapes as a bruising encounter, Siitia Leti (Ultimate MMA) faces Braden Wells (Strikeforce) in a 75kg catchweight MMA fight.
Leti (4-2-1 disqualification) beat Wells (4-4) by knockout with just seconds remaining in the second round of their 2014 fight after both men had traded punishing shots.
Toa said he expected the three, five-minute fight to be a real crowd-pleaser.
Among other matchups will be a full Muay Thai five-round fight between Blake Tomlinson (Hammerhead) and Kieran Garcia (Jai Brothers) and one female MMA fight between Beathe Korneliussen (Hammerhead) and Sindy Lee (Hori Thai MMA).
The first fight is scheduled to start at 6.15pm tonight.
- Jack Salter
