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Live stream: Catch 13 MMA, Muay Thai fights at the Elite Fight Series cage event in Cairns

A hometown hardman has come out swinging to win a world title, while a couple of young fighters exploded onto the national fight stage. Watch every exciting bout from the Explosive Fight Night.

Replay: Arty Juckes v Nichao Por Pathomsueh (61kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

The Animal entered the cage hungry and sure did he feast.

Hometown battler Arty Juckes is a world champion.

The Cairns local and clear crowd favourite served up a barrage of kicks and punches to cut Thai fighter Nichao Por Pathomsueh to the canvas.

Juckes was declared the winner by technical knock-out early in the third round to lift the International Kick Boxing Federation cagefighting championship.

WATCH THE WORLD TITLE REPLAYS ABOVE, CHECK OUT ALL OF THE OTHER FIGHT REPLAYS BELOW

It was pressure from the outset of each round, with Juckes walking over the top of his rival landing blow after blow on the way in. In the end it was a right cross, which landed flush on Por Pathomsueh’s chin which sent him to the canvas, with the referee forced to call a stop to the bout.

In the main event it was a brutal straight kick from Perth fighter Liam O’Connor which forced a referee stoppage against local fighter ‘The Cowboy’ Chris Obodin.

Both fighters had traded huge right hands in the opening round, and O’Connor caught his highly-fancied rival with a sharp roundhouse right on the bell of the round.

But in the second round he came prepared, finding his connections on the counter to drop the Cowboys where he stood.

Replay: Liam O’Connor v Chris Obodin (70kg)

Replay: Liam O'Connor v Chris Obodin (70kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

O’Connor praised the Cairns crowd for getting behind every fighter on the 13-bout card, and promised to be back, possibly even in time for the next Explosive Fight Promotions event on September 7.

“Cairns, I love you so much this was amazing. I love the weather and the people… I will be back as soon as I can,” O’Connor said.

“I just listened to the coach, he said, ‘he is wild coming in and wait for the opening’ and I took it.

“Last time I fought, I let nerves get the better of me last time I fought, I was too respectful. This time around the message was don’t show no respect, just go to war.”

Argentinian fighter Andy Mera took the co-main event over local challenger Kai Matsuda following doctor stoppage in the fourth round.

Replay: Kai Matsuda v Andy Mera (63kg)

Replay: Kai Matsuda v Andy Merr (63kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

The referee stepped in and called for the doctor after a massive right elbow landed flush on Matsuda’s brow and split him open instantly. The doctor deemed there was too much blood flowing from the wound and called a premature end to what was a back-and-forth battle.

Cairns’ fighter Ryan ‘The Demon’ McDonald showed he wasn’t paid by the hour after he brought an abrupt stop to his fight against fellow local fighter Sean McNamara.

Replay: Sean McNamara v Ryan McDonald (69kg)

Replay: Sean McNamara v Ryan McDonald (69kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

McDonald was on fire out of the gate, landing a flurry of body kicks and overhand punches, before the referee was forced to call a stop to the bout only minutes into the first round after McNamara collapsed to the canvas for a second time.

Check out the full Saturday night card below.

MORE REPLAYS

Replay: Michael Lamrock v Matt Packer (57kg)

Replay: Michael Lamrock v Matt Packer (57kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Caleb Peart v Aidyn Gould (66kg)

Replay: Caleb Peart v Aidyn Gould (66kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Deon Alderton v Brendan Knapp (75kg)

Replay: Deon Alderton v Brendan Knapp (75kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Lachlan Paterson v Jack Mills (66kg)

Replay: Lachlan Paterson v Jack Mills (66kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Buck Cooper v Glenn Dickson (73kg)

Replay: Buck Cooper v Glenn Dickson (73kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Hourosh Arvan v Sebastion Woods (74kg)

Replay: Hourosh Arvan v Sebastion Woods (74kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Noah Combes v Josh Walsh (68kg)

Replay: Noah Combes v Josh Walsh (68kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Brod Von Baandstein v James Richardson (77kg)

Replay: Brod Von Baandstein v James Richardson (77kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

Replay: Jye Whibberley v Emile Pancirov (62kg)

Replay: Jye Whibberley v Emile Pancirov (62kg) - Elite Cage Fighting

PREVIEWS

Arguably one of Cairns best Muay Thai athletes is set to take a big scalp on Saturday night during the Explosive Fight Promotions Cage Fight.

Nukzu’s Kai Matsuda will take on Andy Mera from SRG Thai boxing gym in the semi-main event in front of a packed house at the Fred Moule Exhibition Centre.

It hasn’t been an easy life for the boy from Albany, Western Australia.

Because of his fathers Japanese heritage, Matsuda was consistently bullied during his school years.

Kai Matsuda of Nukzu Muay Thai ahead of his Semi Main Event Bout on Saturday evening. Picture Emily Barker.
Kai Matsuda of Nukzu Muay Thai ahead of his Semi Main Event Bout on Saturday evening. Picture Emily Barker.

“It was tough you know, everyday I copped something because I am Asian,” Matsuda said.

“Life was tough, I jumped into Muay Thai because of it and learned to defend myself.

“Those bullies stopped pretty quickly once they figured out I could fight or defend myself.

“But it isn’t the way it should be, why should kids get bullied just for being different?

“And that is the thing, it wasn’t just at school, it was online as well.”

It looks to be a massive year for the 21-year-old as he prepares for his 12th fight of his career on Saturday.

“I have this fight on June 1, then I have another fight next month before eventually moving to Adelaide,” Matsuda said.

“I cannot wait for this match up though, it is my first time fighting in a cage.

“I am a crowd pleaser, I will make sure I am going to entertain everyone watching.

“I know Andy has the Thai style of fighting, very strong fighter as well.

“I just have to make sure I am prepared for it all and will just focus on what I do best.”

It will be a massive night for the Far North, as Explosive Fight Promotions brings back the MMA style to the region.

One MMA fighter out of Fusion Innisfail, Jack Mills will fight in his first fight as an Amateur B Class.

“I think it is awesome to have it back in the region, because we don’t really see it up here,” Mills said.

“I started off as a little kid, my dad got me into boxing just to defend myself.

“I started learning my hands and a mate of mine hinted at Muay Thai and asked if I wanted to do that.

“Once I learnt how to use my feet, it went into wrestling and then Jiu Jitsu and then I combined it together from there.”

The born and bred 18-year-old will use this fight night on June 1 to kick start his career into becoming a MMA Pro.

“I want to go pro, I feel like I could get there if I stay focused of course,” Mills said.

“I look up to people like Max Holloway, he would be up the top for sure.

“Watching him and seeing how he carries himself is really impressive.

“Hopefully I can get there one day but it all starts with my debut this Saturday.”

Saturday night’s fight night will be live-streamed on KommunityTV thanks to the Cairns Post.

MMA gym owner gets his shot back in the ring

If you had have asked Caleb Peart five years ago if he would have his own MMA gym and was about to be involved in a Cairns first, he would have said you were dreaming.

The 33-year-old moved to Cairns from Melbourne in 2021, escaping the Covid lockdowns with his fiancee.

After being involved in MMA for almost 11 years, Peart decided he would open up a gym in Cairns.

And as he prepares to be part of a 13-fight card put together by Explosive Fight Promotions owner Chris Bowtell that features a mix between MMA and Muay Thai in the cage, he hasn’t looked back.

Caleb Peart is looking forward to his June 1 bout. Pic: Emily Barker.
Caleb Peart is looking forward to his June 1 bout. Pic: Emily Barker.

Peart is due to fight Italian Matteo Digionni, who fights out of Cairns to Shin Do on Saturday June 1.

Every fight on the card will be live streamed exclusively in the video player above. Bookmark this link and return on Saturday night to watch all of the action LIVE.

“I didn’t really see many MMA gyms here in Cairns, there are plenty of other fight gyms,” Peart said.

“So I decided to have a crack and open it - and it has been incredible.

“Opened it 12 months ago and things are going really well.

“I have noticed a few more places now starting to dive a bit further into MMA, which is great for the sport.”

The owner of Grounds Mat Sport is relishing performing on Saturday, June 1.

“I am definitely too late to go pro but it is great to be able to jump back in the cage,” Peart said.

“I have been trying to help build the martial arts community in Cairns and it is awesome to see Chris (Bowtell) to get this event up.

“I feel it is at the right time and give the sport another push in the region.

“I started off with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and that was how I got into martial arts.

“Then after doing that for many years doing that, I got more interested in the rest of it.”

Originally published as Live stream: Catch 13 MMA, Muay Thai fights at the Elite Fight Series cage event in Cairns

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Original URL: https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/live-stream-catch-13-mma-muay-thai-fights-at-the-elite-fighting-series-cage-event-in-cairns/news-story/833a7b9555cd640624610dafab4f1262