2025 Australian MMA Promotion of the Year - Eternal MMA

I know this award always feels like it defaults to the big three, and to be fair, the ecosystem is deeper than it gets credit for. Domination in Perth is doing wonderful things. Showdown in NSW keeps producing real talent. Dynasty of Combat in the ACT has been building steadily. Even our friends in New Zealand keep pushing the level up. Big shout out to Fusion as well, quietly moving their way into MMA, and to JMMAC, the junior comp that matters more than people realise for the future pipeline.

And a moment of silence for PFL Australia, the “global fight league” we were promised locally.

But the reality is the big three drive the sport’s momentum, and in 2025 it is hard to go past Eternal MMA.

Beatdown deserves serious credit. They helped launch Marwan Rahiki even further, and Beatdown 11 alone felt like a statement event, with fights like Dimps Gillies vs Michael Barber becoming instant local classics. HEX kept backing their guys too, especially Kasib Murdoch, who dominated in 2025, and they continue to create a real pathway with Road to HEX shows feeding the main events.

Eternal just did more, and the output was higher. Ten events in 2025 is wild, especially when you stack it against the combined major event schedule of HEX and Beatdown. They did not just run cards, they ran meaningful cards, the kind that shape divisions and build names.

The year was full of Eternal moments we have already talked about. Eternal 98 was Event of the Year, and it had everything, including David Martinez stamping his legacy again in a championship main event, plus fights like Loni Filimoehala vs Quinn Kelly and Danny Hartwell’s comeback over Adnan Larry. Eternal 95 gave us Fight of the Year with Marles vs Law, and Knockout of the Year with Surapun Kancharee icing Khan Deatta in eight seconds. Eternal 93 was that rare “no filler” card that stayed violent and high quality from top to bottom. Eternal 101 marked George Mangos’ return with a statement finish after the DWCS setback. Those are not isolated highlights. That is a year-long pattern.

And that is the real reason Eternal gets the nod. It is not just volume, it is consistency, matchmaking, and relevance. Outside of the major international productions, Eternal is starting to feel like one of the best UFC feeders in the world. Not because of flashy camera tricks or big stages, but because they keep producing fighters and moments that translate.

So yes, the scene is bigger than the big three, and it is getting healthier every year. But in 2025, Eternal MMA was the engine.

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