New Zealand Fighting Championships debuts Saturday night at Cowles Stadium in Christchurch with NZFC 1: The Rise of Champions.
Making the trip over for the event will be Brisbane’s Damien Brown (11-8) who takes on thirty-seven year-old Grant Toa Toa (3-5) from Wellington’s Cage Fight Academy. The Trans-Tasman matchup is slated for the co-main event.
Brown, 30, will move up to the welterweight division for this one after back to back lightweight victories. Most recently, the Integrated MMA product defeated Abel Brites in impressive fashion, submitting the former Brace title holder in just 17 seconds at Brace 36 (video via Tenplay). The quick-fire victory earned “Beatdown” a spot opposite Ben Games for the Brace championship title in Canberra next month. Brown also holds a 2015 victory over up-and-coming Kiwi Shane Young.
Headlining the promotion’s first show will be a lightweight clash between undefeated Timaru Freestyle Martial Arts fighter Nick Lesquillier and Strikeforce Canterbury product Matiu Thoms.
Fight Card:
- Matiu Thoms vs Nick Lesquillier
- Damien Brown vs Grant Toatoa
- Braden Wells vs Dan Reveley
- Beau Rawiri vs Regan Wyllie
- Josh McDonald vs Shem Murdoch
- Sam Gray vs Luke Hutchinson
- Robbie Sutherland vs Iain Blade
- Jackson LeBreton vs Kunal Dighe
- Ben O’brien vs Claudio Lopez
- Sam Joe Toetu vs John Robinson
* Fight Card provided by promotion
