An intriguing trifecta of title fights headlines Xtreme Fighting Championships (XFC) 31 this Saturday with current lightweight title holder Kieran Joblin taking on Queensland’s Issac Hardman in the main event.
The 17-fight pro-am card takes place at the Logan Metro Sports Centre, South of Brisbane.
En-route to taking home the XFC lightweight title fight, New Zealand’s Kieran Joblin (20-8) won the ‘Road to Pancrase‘ four-man tournament last year to earn himself a fight in Japanese promotion Pancrase. Joblin got that opportunity in July, losing out to former title holder Kazuki Tokudome, via a unanimous decision. The 28-year-old comes up against the undefeated Issac Hardman.
Hardman (7-0) comes into the contest fresh off a spectacular stoppage (video below) in a professional boxing match-up last month – a bout he took on late notice. The Integrated MMA and Nitro Boxing trained product has impressed in his short MMA career, winning five out of seven via KO or TKO and claiming the AFC lightweight title earlier this year in China. After a stellar 2016 calendar year, Hardman was awarded the 2016 Fight News Australia breakthrough fighter of the year according to our readers.
Kiwi Matt Vaile (7-1) will look to defend his XFC welterweight title for the third time when he meets David Francis (6-3) from Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Smeaton Grange, NSW.
The Phuket Top Team/Core MMA trained fighter won the XFC belt back at XFC 26, defeating James Klingner and since then has defended twice, securing stoppages against Andrew Mills and Brogan Anderson. Vaile’s one loss came 12-months ago when he was on the wrong end of a judges decision against former UFC fighter Ben Alloway at Carnage in the Cage.
Sparring partner of UFC interim middleweight title holder Robert Whittaker, Francis comes into the contest in good form, winning his last three fights via stoppage against Sam Hayward, Rick Alchin and most recently Tom Kingston. Francis will look to keep that form going as he challenges for a title belt for the first time.
Also on the card, women’s XFC flyweight title holder Charlene Broome (nee: Watt) will face off against Hera Tamati. Both women come into the fight with a 6-3 record, with Broome returning to action for first time this year after losing to Japanese veteran Rin Nikai at Pancrase. Tamati competes for the first time since March 2016, a submission win against Jade Thomson.
Fight Card (Pro):
- Kieran Joblin (c) vs. Isaac Hardman – XFC lightweight title
- Matt Vaile (c) vs. David Francis – XFC welterweight title
- Charlene Broome (nee: Watt) vs Hera Tamati – XFC women’s flyweight title
- Glen Pettigrew vs. Craig Callaghan
- Nicole Szepesvary vs. Leigha Aurisch
- Justin Danielson vs. John Martin Fraser
- Jackson Small vs. Shem Murdoch
Fight Card (Amateur):
- Kieran Cronin vs. Latham Stevens – XFC amateur bantamweight title
- Michael Tepou vs. Cameron Ashby – XFC amateur welterweight title
- Talor Wetere vs. David Russell – XFC interim amateur lightweight title
- Sean Olsen vs. Adnan Khan
- Taj Fewquandie vs. James Sargison
- Ryan Bishop vs. Jai Ruane
- Brendan Smith vs. David Chand
- James Meehan vs. Clay Pemberton
- Nathan Peckett vs. Robert Ohlander
- Luke Dwyer vs. Izaak Shipway
Video of Issac Hardman’s boxing knock-out last month:
Undefeated AFC lightweight champion Issac ‘Headsplitter’ Hardman getting the job done in style in his pro boxing debut last night in Melbourne.
(Video Credit: livecombatsports.com.au, www.liveboxing.com.au)
Posted by Fight News Australia on Saturday, July 15, 2017
