Eternal MMA 97 Delivers Action-Packed Night in Perth: Comebacks, Knockouts & Rising Stars

Eternal MMA returned to Perth HPC for its 97th instalment

Despite a main card hampered by injuries and late reshuffles, the fighters who did make the walk delivered in full, with finishes galore, back-and-forth battles, and a reminder of just how stacked the local scene really is.

Early Fights Set the Pace

Dylan Leonard vs Brady Walker

Dylan Leonard opened the night with a gritty win over the long and rangy Brady Walker. Both are still early in their amateur journeys, and the three-round scrap will serve as a valuable lesson as they continue to climb.

Jahmarl Weir vs Harvey Youngman

That was followed by Jahmarl Weir stopping Harvey Youngman in the second with a heavy display of power, just moments before Rowan Breedt made even quicker work of Noah Staines, securing a TKO stoppage in seconds.

Momentum Builds with More Finishes

Egert Messek vs Jackson McLellan

The finishes didn’t stop there. Egert Messek snapped Jackson McLellan’s six-fight win streak with a clinical rear-naked choke in Round 1, an emphatic statement in the fourth bout of the night.

Controversy and Respect in Relleno vs Araneda

Jim Relleno vs Lorenz Araneda

Things took a turn in the next contest between Jim Relleno and Lorenz Araneda. After a fun striking exchange in Round 1, Relleno began to take control, before landing an illegal knee to a grounded Araneda that ended the fight. Initially appearing out cold, Araneda recovered quickly, but the bout was waved off and he was awarded the win via disqualification. Relleno took accountability online, writing: "Bonehead move by myself and I apologise. All respect to Lorenz, you’re a warrior. We run it back, I owe ya that."

Fight of the Night: Staples vs Loto

Shannon Staples vs Rhyme Loto

The crowd got right back into it when Shannon Staples and Rhyme Loto made the walk, and what followed was what many would call the fight of the night. If you didn’t know about Loto before, you do now. The younger brother of Wallabies star Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, he’s been in combat sports his whole life, you name it, he’s done it and it all came together tonight.

Staples is a tough veteran who’s been around the block and knows how to make it ugly. Loto showed serious levels, composed on the feet, sharp with his timing, and calm on the ground, he looked like someone who’s going to go a long way in this sport. Every time Staples asked the question, Loto had an answer. And every time he got clipped or found himself in a tough spot, he stayed locked in. The judges were split on the result, and you couldn’t argue either way, but what’s clear is Loto is a legit prospect with star potential, and great on the microphone too. Staples should hold his head high too, it takes a serious operator to bring that kind of performance out of someone. That’s what high-level MMA looks like.

Todoroff, Gall and Bicknell Make Statements

Ayden Todoroff vs Alex Torres

Ayden Todoroff then showed why he’s a prospect to watch in his own right, controlling Alex Torres with sharp striking and solid takedown defense. Post-fight, he teased a pro debut sometime next year, "When I'm a pro, I wanna be active… whenever my coaches say I’m ready. I’m ready."

Dan Gall vs Jacob Ratcliff-Buckley

Queenslander Dan Gall pulled off one of the craziest comebacks you'll see in the sport. After being down on the cards against Jacob Ratcliff-Buckley, Gall exploded with ten seconds left, slamming his opponent and knocking him out cold with follow-up shots for good measure. A Hail Mary finish you rarely see, but he made it happen.

Kye Bicknell vs Kourosh Arvan

Kye Bicknell scored a strong upset over Kourosh Arvan and made it clear he’s in no rush, "I want 20 amateur fights before I turn pro." At this rate, it won’t take long as he aims for a quick turnaround at Domination next month.

Assane Sall Lives Up to the Hype

Assane Sall vs Louis Christophersen

Meanwhile, Assane Sall, cornered by Alex Volkanovski’s wrestling coach Frank Hickman, proved the hype surrounding him is real. Fighting out of Bangtao, with experience in Thailand, Malaysia, Hawaii, and a flawless pro boxing and kickboxing record, he was a massive test for Louis Christophersen. Jesse Wynne laid the blueprint to beat Christophersen with a heavy wrestling approach, and Sall leaned on that hard in the second and third rounds. It was a high-level fight between two legit athletes, but eventually Sall sunk in a nasty rear naked choke to put Christophersen to sleep. He jumped on the mic straight after and announced he’s turning pro, telling every bantamweight in Australia to watch out, and rightfully so.

Whitesmith Outpoints Paille in Featured Prelim

Laurence Whitesmith vs Daryl Paille

The featured prelim saw Laurence Whitesmith edge out Daryl Paille via unanimous decision, with both men having their moments throughout, but the judges ultimately all landing on 29-28 scorecards.

Swain, Hibberd and Larcinese Impress on Main Card

Jesse Swain vs Ryan Dennis

The main card opened with Jesse “Psycho” Swain, and it was déjà vu all over again. For the second straight fight, he found a first-round finish with a brutal liver kick. Ryan Dennis had no choice but to crumble from the perfectly placed shot, and Swain followed up with a couple of strikes to seal the win.

Sam Hibberd vs Shane Parker

In one of the most anticipated scraps of the night, Sam Hibberd made his long-awaited return against fan favourite Shane Parker, who had originally been slated to headline against Anthony Drilich. This one was a bloody war, with Parker’s striking, grappling exchanges, and crowd engagement all on display. But Hibberd got the nod on the scorecards, albeit to a few boos from loyal Parker fans.

Frank Jankowski vs Joseph Larcinese

Perth favourite Frank “The Tank” Jankowski looked to restart his run toward Eternal gold, but Joseph “Big Sexy” Larcinese had other plans. Now 4-0 and still undefeated as an amateur and pro, Larcinese made it look easy with the first round submission. For someone who only started learning to strike and wrestle during Covid, his ceiling is scary. A title shot could be next as he’s got his sights set on Takeshi Taniguchi.

Main Event: Biayda Bounces Back

Abdalla Biayda vs Campbell Symes

In the Eternal 97 main event, Abdalla Biayda returned after a tough run of knockout losses, eager to bounce back. Across from him stood Campbell Symes, a BJJ black belt, world record holder (30 hours of rolling non-stop), and longtime Thailand-based competitor. For Biayda, the matchup was likely a welcome change. After three brutal knockout losses (two MMA, one Muay Thai), he needed a test that didn’t involve eating bombs.

Round 1 was tight, but Biayda edged it with slightly more output. He looked cautious early, which made sense, but as he settled in, he began to find his rhythm. In Round 2, he almost ended it with a front kick to the face, followed by a flurry that left Symes hanging on. By Round 3, the writing was on the wall. Biayda landed a huge right hand that dropped Symes, and the referee had seen enough.

A huge moment for the “Nubian Warrior,” who reminded everyone, including himself, that when he’s on, there aren’t many better on the Aussie scene.

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- Written by: Tom Atkinson

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