It is New Zealand v Australia - but not as we know it.
Three international fights, one New Zealand title fight, a local derby and Dunedin's first female MMA fight will highlight a Hammerhead Productions fight night at the Caledonian gymnasium tonight.
The 10-bout fight card is one of the strongest to be held in Dunedin, and includes three Sydney-based Kyoshi MMA fighters.
In the co-main event, Brogan Anderson (Hammerhead) takes on Adam Matheson (Kyoshi).
Anderson, the Supremacy Fighting Championship New Zealand professional light-heavyweight champion, will drop 9kg for the middleweight fight.
He goes into it on the back of two light-heavyweight submission wins and an eight-win, four-loss record, while Matheson's record (five wins and one loss) indicates he will be no easy-beat.
Promoter and Hammerhead coach Matt Toa said while Anderson had ''shed a bit of muscle'', he had fought at 84kg before, so it should not be an issue.
He said Matheson was a regular middleweight with a strong all-round game, so Anderson needed to be ready for the ''unknown''.
In the other main event, Hammerhead's Robert Dean will attempt to defend his International Sport Karate Association New Zealand professional middleweight title against Christchurch's Dan Reveley (UMAF).
Dean (eight wins, three losses) has a fierce striking game and some fine natural ability, but he has not fought for about a year, and Reveley (six wins, one loss) is a no-nonsense fighter.
Toa said Dean was likely to have some ''ring rust'', but while Reveley was a ''tough guy'', he was confident Dean could win.
Hammerhead's Dan Aitken hopes to add to his unblemished three-fight record when he takes on Brett Ryan (six wins, four losses), from Kyoshi, in a lightweight international fight.
Aitken was recently selected in the New Zealand team to compete at the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation amateur world championships in Las Vegas in July, and has won all his fights by submission.
Featherweights Aaron Walton (Strikeforce Christchurch) and Josh Oxenbridge (Kyoshi MMA) appear in the third international bout.
A local rivalry will be renewed when Hammerhead's Craig Masina fights Mike Pascoe (Hooligan MMA). Pascoe has fought on numerous Hammerhead shows and has a strong Gracie jiu jitsu base, while Masina is a hard hitter who has improved with each of his four fights.
The only kickboxing fight is a 77kg clash between Chase Haley (Hammerhead) and David Watts (Toa Fighting Systems). Haley won his professional boxing debut with a first-round KO last Saturday and is an Australian kickboxing title holder.
He has exceptional hand speed and punishing power, and if Watts is not on his game, it could be lights out.
In the 55kg female MMA match-up, Sarah Archer (Hammerhead) will take on Serina Cole (Submission).
Both main events are scheduled for three 5min rounds. The remaining MMA fights are three 3min rounds, and the kickboxing bout is three 2min rounds. The first fight is scheduled to start at 6.15pm.
