2025 Australian MMA Event of the Year - Eternal MMA 98

Beatdown Promotions 11 had that gritty Beatdown identity, and Eternal MMA 93 was stacked from the prelims to the main event with finishes everywhere. But my winner is Eternal MMA 98, because it had the rare combo of legacy, chaos, and payoff all in one night.

The main event was the difference

For me, David Martinez is the greatest regional Australian MMA athlete we have ever produced, and Eternal 98 was another legacy marker. He took a dangerous, proven guy in Matt Vaile, dominated him, and then finished him late with a round five KO/TKO in a title fight. That sort of ending does not just win a belt, it defines an event.

The two fights that made the night feel special

Loni Filimoehala vs Quinn Kelly was borderline Fight of the Year. The pressure, the damage, the momentum swings, and then Loni closing it with a round three rear naked choke was pure 2025 energy. It also fit the theme of the year, because 2025 genuinely felt like the year of the rear naked choke across every promotion.

Danny Hartwell vs Adnan Larry was the comeback you do not forget. Hartwell was getting wallopped early, survived the worst of it, and still found a way to turn it around and finish with a round two KO/TKO. It looks even crazier now knowing Hartwell has gone on to become the HEX Fight Series heavyweight champion. Eternal 98 caught him right at the point where fighters either break or level up, and he leveled up.

Quick snapshot of the rest of the card

It was not top heavy. The card stayed busy all the way through.

Justin Van Heerden beat Tasar Malone by unanimous decision in the co-main.

Matt Kindness scored a round two KO/TKO over Andrew Patara.

Zac O’Brien got the win via round two corner stoppage over Nikita Laptsevich.

And a special mention to Jon Aiello, who is a future star. He got his hand raised on the card and looks like the kind of prospect who will be in big fights sooner rather than later.

That is why Eternal 98 is my Event of the Year. A main event that felt like history, plus fights underneath that delivered drama, violence, and real momentum, with no dead air.

Check it out on UFC Fight Pass

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