*These awards are awarded to Australian MMA fighters/personalities that did not finish the year in a major promotion as of 30/12/23*
Male Fighter of the Year:
Quillan Salkilld 5-1 (2023: 3-0)
1st Place:
Quillan Salkilld 5-1 (2023: 3-0)
W - Niam Stephen TKO R1
W - Blake Donnelly TKO R1 Eternal MMA 155lb Title
W - Brett Pastore DEC Eternal MMA 155lb Title
With an award that is given to the best performing male athlete that isn’t signed by a major promotion, how do you not give it to the man that came the closest you can possibly be to leaving the category. Quillan Salkilld, the 24yr old newly awarded BJJ black belt went 3-0 in 2023, first taking out a tough and gritty Niam Stephen 3-3, whose only previous loss prior to Quillan, was now UFC fighter Tom ‘Big Train’ Nolan. He would then be awarded a title shot against a 7-1 Blake Donnelly, shocking the country by becoming the Eternal MMA lightweight champion in just 32 seconds. From budding upstart to emerging king, Salkilld was promptly booked to take on South Korean Jae Hyun Park (who would ironically go on to face Abdalla Biayda, of who Quillan beat back in 2020) at ‘Road to UFC’ in Singapore. Road to UFC is a tournament highlighted to promote Asian martial arts to the UFC brass. Quillan Salkilld was going to be taking on Park in a ‘filler’ bout that would more than likely see him signed to the UFC if he continued his winning fashion.
In a weird turn of events, as quick as it came is as quick as it went and another match on the card would fall out, seeing Quillan’s opponent pulled out from under him after another fighter in the actual tournament would fail to make weight and Park (Quillans opponent) would be called up to replace him.
Salkilld would be left with nothing more than a scent of those UFC branded gloves and a taste for blood. So, he was sent back down, his newly acquired Eternal title in hand and a point to prove.
Quillan would be handed no easy task upon his return, with no doubt, UFC eyes on him. As Eternal MMA 80 would roll around, Quillan Salkilld would put on an absolute masterclass against the ‘American Nomad’ Brett Pastore, a true combat competitor, with high-level experienced in collegiate wrestling and world championship Sambo. The New Jersey native, trained out of Tiger Muay Thai was nothing short of a worthy foe, But the new Eternal MMA lightweight king was too much. Proving why the road to the UFC is paved with gold.
2nd Place:
Abdalla Biayda 9-1 (2023: 3-0)
W - Alan Philpott (19-14) SUB R2
W - Sem Kakembo (5-1) DEC Hex FS 145lb Interim Title
W - Jae Hyun Park (6-2) TKO R2
Abdalla Biayda had an amazing 2022 going 3-0, and he continued his dominating path as he went undefeated again in 2023 with another 3-0 output. Along with this, the 9-1 ‘Kickass MMA’ star picked up the #1 on the Tapology.com P4P list. He picked up a lightweight title over Jae Hyun Park (Quillan Salkillds original Road to UFC opponent) and a Hex Fight Series interim title against Sem Kakembo. If the original Hex FS featherweight title bout, scheduled against Sem’s teammate Kaan Ofli (11-2-1) back in august went Abdalla’s way, we could very well be seeing Biayda pick up another #1 spot.
3rd Place:
Jono Micallef 5-0 (2023: 3-0)
W - Daniel Kerr (2-6) SUB
W - Jack James (4-1) DEC
W - Joseph Luciano (8-1) DEC Hex FS 170lb Title
The Sammy Hayward prodigy made his name known, leaps and bounds in 2023. He elevated his opponents and renovated his performance every time. When Micallef was given an opportunity, he seemed to grab it with both hands and squeeze. He at some point seemed like Melbourne’s best kept secret. Jono took out the 2-6 Daniel Kerr, before putting on a stellar performance against the 4-1 Jack James before ultimately being awarded a Hex Fight Series 170lb title shot against the consensus number 1 and easily next in line to be signed by the UFC, Joseph Luciano. Some even asked if it was too soon, based on the resume, not the skill, for Micallef to be getting such a bout. Boy did Jono prove any, and all doubters wrong. He pitched a shutout. A 5-round unanimous decision victory over a man that is leaps and bounds ahead of everyone else. So where does that put Jono Micallef? At the top and next in line, surely. Jono by far had the single most impressive performance interns of outcome and to who in 2023.
Summary:
You could very well make a case for Jono Micallef to be #1 and I wouldn’t argue with you. You could very much argue Abdalla Biayda, the P4P #1 to be king. For me, it’s Quillan Salkilld. I feel his resume, how he did it and how he maintained it, mixed with his ever so slight brush with the UFC edged him out in becoming the Australian MMA male fighter of the year.
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Comeback Fighter of the Year:
Jack Becker 11-4 (2023: 1-1)
How do you not give this award to a man that was quite literally laying on his back in the middle of the cage staring at his leg that had just snapped in half in front of his friends and family while another man was holding his title. Then 14 months later not only was walking but competing in a #1 contenders match in the main event of Eternal MMA 78 in Sydney on UFC weekend. This award goes beyond wins and losses in the cage, it transcends the human spirit and embodies the determination and resilience this great sport is built on. On the 29th of May 2023 Jack Becker threw a routine leg kick that was checked by his opponent Aidan Aguilera. That check snapped the leg of Jack Becker, encompassing one of the most gruesome injuries Australian MMA has ever seen. 14 months later, Jack Becker was back in the cage against former 2-time Eternal MMA lightweight champion David Martinez. Now Becker may not have won that comeback fight, but he won the greatest victory of all, redemption. The second his stepped foot in that cage, a mere year, and a half later, he became a legend. With an injury that resembled the likes of Anderson Silva, Chris Weidman and Conor McGregor, Jack joined an elusive club that no one wants to be a part of. But Jack pulled off something neither of those men ever have. On the 4th of November 2023, Jack would pick up a victory over NZ MMA veteran, Kieran Joblin (24-14), just 16 months from one of the most horrific injuries in sport. Jack may very well have never even walked again, let alone fought, let alone won. So, it’s as clear cut as the break he had that this man is the 2023 comeback fighter of the year.
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Breakthrough Fighter of the Year:
Harry Webb 3-0 (2023: 3-0)
1st Place:
Harry Webb (3-0 2023: 3-0)
W - Oli Schmidt SUB R3
W - Kaan Husmek TKO R1
W - Niam Stephen TKO R2
‘The Human Highlight Reel’ is very much that. It’s Harry’s Webb and we’re all caught up in it. After going 7-0 as an amateur, collecting multiple titles thanks to the pristine trampoline that is Demolition Fight Series. Webb amassed a 3-0 professional record in 2023 and went from virtually unknown outside of Victoria to a budding superstar in just under 7 months. The man that started 2023 as an amateur is being touted for big things in 2024 with rumours swirling, he could even end up with a title shot. You’d have to know the amateur scene to truly appreciate what Harry Webb accomplished. His first two opponents might have been debutants as professionals, but they came in as highly touted as Webb. Both City Kickboxing’s Oli Schmidt and 'Path to Hex' champion Kaan Husmek are predicted to have huge careers. Even despite the losses to Webb. Both men entered with a collective 14-4 record and Webb showed both submission staying power and the ability to put opponents away with one shot. The Human Highlight Reel continued his momentum, dismantling Niam Stephen at Hex FS 28, who has fast become a sort of measuring stick in the lightweight division, having battled the UFC’s Tom Nolan and Eternal MMA lightweight champion Quillan Salkilld. The boy from Ballarat, the Infinite MMA athletes has very much that, infinite MMA. infinite potential and what feels like infinite time. 2024 is poised for a huge year from Webb and if you’re looking for something to bet on, it’s a man from Ballarat to find gold.
2nd Place:
George Mangos (3-0 2023: 3-0)
W - Caleb Miller SUB R1
W - Aaren McConnell SUB R1
W - Brogan Stewart-Ng SUB R1
George Mangos is one of the scariest prospects in all of mixed martial arts. He gives you the impression that is you didn’t start MMA in the womb, it’s too late. Mangos has never let his opponents reach the second round in his professional career. The acclaimed lions den prodigy is a new breed to the new breed of MMA. At just 20, He makes the 23 year old phenoms feel old. To put into perspective the accomplishments of George Mangos, Aaren McConnell, his opponent at Eternal MMA 76, once beat Tom Nolan in an amateur bout by TKO. Nolan just recently won via vicious knockout on Dana White Contender Series and was dubbed by Dana White himself as a ‘straight killer’. Well George Mangos put him away in under 3 minutes… George Mangos might not be my breakout athlete for 2023, but if he’s yours, I can’t fault you. Harry Webb might have a smidge more shine on his coin than Mangos now, but I’d be shocked if you didn’t see a belt wrapped around Mangos in 2024.
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Promoter of the Year:
Cam O'Neill - Eternal MMA
In a sport where personality and results breed absolute stars, there’s no one with more shine than the man holding the belt. That is of course before he wraps it around the waste of the victor. With emerging shows bringing the heat, this man is still the head chef of the kitchen. Cam O’Neill is still undoubtedly the best promoter in Australian MMA. The man behind Eternal MMA, Australia’s leading MMA promotion, is still king. Because consistency is king. There is no debate that the spectacle, emergence and re-emergence of Beatdown Promotions and Hex Fight Series, lead by Jacob Watts (Hex Fight Series) and former UFC fighter Damien 'Beatdown' Brown (Beatdown Promotions) is wildly impressive, but Eternal MMA is easily the most active promotion. With 9 shows alone, outdoing Beatdown's (3) and Hex's (4), you must take that into consideration when deciding who comes out on top for 2023. Eternal hasn’t been without its hiccups though. Fights have fallen through, Injuries have happened and unforeseen circumstances have occurred. But they’ve never missed a show. They’ve never cancelled a show. If there was ever a chance, Eternal MMA 78 could have been the perfect excuse, with multiple fights falling out. But Cam O’Neill made it happen. Like he always does. But if you knew not one of the fights going in and you just watched the card by itself, you wouldn’t know the difference. Even in the most ‘watered down’ of cards due to injuries holds up and delivers as one of the best combat cars you’ll see all year. If you’re an Australian MMA fan you’d find it a tough task to ever be disappointed with a Cam O’Neill run show. There are stories I can share, there’s stories I can’t. But the man has and always will go above and beyond to bring you the most action-packed shows in Australian MMA history. Whether it's being the front man on camera, or physcialy packing down the show himself. It’s been a massive year for Eternal MMA. They faced their fair share of hurdles. But they always manage to clear them. With 4 title fights scheduled for the first card of 2024, we could very well see the most eccentric man in Aussie combat sports go back-to-back.
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Team of the Year:
Dunstan Death Squad
When you finish the year with multiple Australian champions and countless in the cue for their shot in a major promotion. It's clear Ryan Dunstan, the Death Squad commander is crafting some of the best killers by nature, not just by name. The Eternal MMA Middleweight Champion, John Martin Fraser, the Hex Fight Series Bantamweight champion, Sean Gauci. David Martinez, the 2-time Eternal MMA lightweight champion, who is gearing up for an ISKA lightweight title against ONE FC & PFL alumni, Antonio Caruso and a sleuth of amateur champions in Troy Fumo and Jake Piper, along with Jamie Edenden just to name a few. It’s hard to look past Ryan Dunstan and the Dunstan Death Squad for a team that has been more broadly successful than them in the year of 2023.
1st Place:
Dunstan Death Squad 33-25-1-1NC (9-1 Main Events)
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Summary:
What an amazing year for Australian MMA in 2023. I want to personally thank each one of you for supporting myself (Mitchell Tinley) and the brand of Australian MMA since our inception in February 2023. From the UFC to the inter-clubs, it’s been an honour. Once again congratulations to all the winners and for anyone upset, they didn’t win or the reasonings behind them, remember, you can come fight me. I look like Joel Rasmussen from ‘Fight News Australia’ or Josh Betar from ‘From The Stands’.
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