Australian MMA Weekend Preview: Road To UFC, UFC Macau, HEX And Diamondback FC Set For Busy Stretch

From Road to UFC on Thursday and Friday to UFC Macau featuring Cody Haddon, alongside strong local cards through HEX and Diamondback FC, Australian fight fans are in for a busy few days of entertainment.

It is another strong snapshot of where our fighters are currently sitting. Fighters are chasing UFC contracts, returning on the biggest stage, defending local momentum and continuing to build through some of the country’s key domestic promotions.

Here’s a quick look at some of the key names and events to watch across a stacked few days for Australian MMA.

Road To UFC Thursday

Road to UFC kicks off on Thursday night at 8pm AEST, following a strong showing from Aussie fighters in last year’s tournament.

There are three fighters connected to the Australian and New Zealand MMA scene in action, with two competing in tournament bouts. Those two tournament fighters, Kasib Murdoch and George Mangos, are both former HEX Fight Series champions, further highlighting how important the domestic scene has become in creating international opportunities.

New Zealander Kasib Murdoch, who fights out of Freestyle MMA, puts his undefeated professional record on the line against Japan’s Yunosuke Minami in the bantamweight division.

Murdoch is 7-0 as a professional and faces another undefeated prospect, with Minami entering at 6-0. It is an exciting matchup between two rising fighters looking to accelerate their careers. The bout is listed as the fourth fight on the card.

Also on Thursday, George Mangos enters the featherweight tournament coming off a first-round knockout win. He now faces Japan’s Yuito Yanagawa, who brings strong form of his own into the matchup on a four-fight winning streak.

Mangos has shown his resilience in the way he bounced back from his first career loss on Dana White’s Contender Series, and now looks to capitalise on another major opportunity. His bout is listed as the seventh fight on the card.

The Thursday card is headlined by China’s Rongzhu, who fights out of New Zealand’s City Kickboxing, against Victor Martinez.

Road To UFC Friday

Friday brings another major Australian prospect into the spotlight, with Joseph “Big Sexy” Larcinese stepping into the Road to UFC tournament in the flyweight division.

Larcinese enters the bout with real momentum after capturing the Eternal MMA flyweight title with a third-round stoppage win in January. His undefeated professional record currently sits at 5-0.

He faces Japan’s Ryoga Arimoto, who holds a 10-1-2 record and comes into the bout on a four-fight winning streak.

Winning the Eternal title has helped launch Larcinese into an opportunity to impress on the international stage.

The Friday card kicks off at 8pm AEST, with Larcinese’s bout opening the card.

UFC Macau Saturday

Cody Haddon returns to the cage at UFC Macau on Saturday night, fighting on the prelims against Aoriqileng.

Haddon is expected to feature around 8pm AEST as the fifth fight on the card, making his first appearance in 18 months after winning his UFC debut by unanimous decision.

The Dana White’s Contender Series alumni and former HEX Fight Series bantamweight champion enters the bout on a six-fight winning streak, with his only professional loss coming against former UFC title challenger Steve Erceg. His professional record currently sits at 8-1.

It has been a frustrating run of injuries for Haddon, but he returns with a serious test in front of him.

Aoriqileng, known as “The Mongolian Murderer”, brings a huge amount of experience into the matchup. He has 38 professional fights, holding a 26-12 record, and has gone 4-4 with one no contest during his UFC run. He also enters the fight off a Performance of the Night win over Cody Gibson in October last year.

The prelims kick off at 6pm AEST, with Haddon’s bout expected to land around 8pm AEST.

HEX Fight Series 38 Saturday

Back home, HEX Fight Series 38 goes down on Saturday at Melbourne Pavilion.

The card begins at 5:30pm, with the PPV available through the Streems website.

The main event sees a flyweight battle between experienced veteran Ryan Robertson, who holds an 11-11 record, and Cooper Royal, who enters at 7-2.

The 12-bout card gives fans another chance to watch some of the next wave of Australian MMA talent in action.

HEX also remains a key part of the wider Australian MMA pathway. Three fighters competing internationally this weekend are former HEX Fight Series champions, which shows how important the promotion continues to be in developing fighters who go on to bigger stages.

For fans trying to keep tabs on who might be next, HEX is still one of the best places to look.

Diamondback FC And Road To HEX Sunday

The weekend closes with Road to HEX and Diamondback FC also in action.

Road to HEX takes place on Sunday at Melbourne Pavilion, with upcoming amateurs kicking off from 12pm AEST.

Diamondback FC also goes down on Sunday at the William Magarey Room, Adelaide Oval. The event begins at 5:30pm AEST, with streaming available through diamondbackfc.com.

This weekend captures the full ladder of Australian MMA.

You have fighters chasing UFC contracts through Road to UFC, Cody Haddon returning on the UFC stage, and local promotions like HEX and Diamondback continuing to build the next layer underneath.

It is a busy weekend with plenty of opportunities for our local talent to shine.

- Written by: Toby Maher

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