Rematches don’t happen all too often in regional MMA. There’s often too much to lose with very little to gain for the previous victor. The opponent has often improved drastically, yet the perception is, you are supposed to win. Or you’ve for some reason, gone backwards.
On the 20th of August 2022, Quillan Salkilld continued his rise up the Australian MMA ranks with an impressive victory over another MMA prospect in, Dom Mar Fan.
The bout ultimately saw Salkilld with his hand raised after a 3rd round submission, launching him to eventually claim the Eternal MMA 155lb championship with a ‘Knock Out of the Year’ performance against Blake Donnelly (7-1 at the time).
Salkilld would then go on to dominate an incredibly credentialed American Brett Pastore (3-1), picking up the inaugural ’2023 Australian MMA Fighter of the Year’ and stating claim to the most UFC ready talent in the country.
Now for his opponent.
They always say you either win or you learn, and with that notion, Dom Mar Fan may has become a doctor. After that loss to Quillan Salkilld, Mar Fan went on to pick up 3 victories inside the cage in 2023.
Victories:
- Micahel Stanoff (3-2) - W SUB Rd 2
- James O'Brien (4-4) - W SUB - Rd 1
- Jordan Thomas (1-0) - W UD
All victories came under the Eternal banner, earning himself the ‘2023 Eternal MMA Fighter of the Year’. The emerging fighter, trained out of the vicious ‘Team Compton’ in Brisbane, is home to one of the hottest rising stars, Tom ‘Big Train’ Nolan (6-1), of which even the UFC’s Dana White has dubbed a “straight killer”.
It is also home to esteemed multiple time Muay Thai champion & 50 fight legend, Elliot 'The Dragon' Compton. So Mar Fan wasn’t short on support. He's even spent time preparing with a man who knows a thing or two about the lightweight title, 2-time Eternal MMA 155lb champion David Martinez
Despite the hiccup, Dom Mar Fan regrouped, rebuilt and re-established himself as a top contender.
Although the aptly named 'Street Buddah' picked up an impressive feat of 3 victories in a row, in a calendar year, he still hadn’t found himself at the front of the line.
With a defeat already to the champ and a #1 contendership previously given to David Martinez (pictured above), after an impressive Jack Becker victory back at Eternal MMA 78. It was looking unlikely that Mar Fan would receive a title shot before some. But Mar Fan kept calm. Fast forward a few months later and Dom would find some luck. Now luck is when preparation meets opportunity. The preparation was done, the opportunity await. Alternative candidates Josh Togo (12-4) & the previously mentioned David Martinez (11-5-1) both took international fights, coming up short. And Jack Becker (11-4), who rebounded from his loss with Martinez to take out NZ veteran Kieran Joblin (24-15), was the logical next man up. Although he was unable to make the date due to personal reasons.
This provides the perfect opportunity for Mar Fan who has more than likely had the 20th of August 2022, etched into his brain. He gets a rare opportunity to clear the only blemish on his professional record and steal the hype, the promise and the championship from one of the most unanimously praised young fighters we have down under.
This matchup has a unique story with even more impressive expected action. Eternal MMA 82, in Perth Western Australia is the first major card of the calendar year for 2024. Yet it might already be shaping up to be the best.
For tickets to see Eternal MMA 82 visit: TICKETS
Or you can see it live on UFC Fight Pass on February 10th, 6pm AWST
- Mitchell Tinley
*This is an opinion piece on the upcoming Eternal MMA 82 card. If you disagree with these opinions you can fight me at the next event. I'm the one that looks like Joel Rasmussen from 'Southern Cross Combat'
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