The gym behind the fighter
City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman doesn’t necessarily need a UFC title to validate his team’s approach. The humble combat sports guru is not in the business of talking things up. However, with his stable of fighters amassing a combined record of 17-1 in the UFC since the start of 2018 – putting them up with the very best mixed martial arts gyms in the world – the results say it all.
Yet if anyone still needed convincing that this Auckland fight factory, which began in a converted garage, was among the leaders in its field, Israel Adesanya having the middleweight belt wrapped around his waist at UFC 243 over Robert Whittaker should be all the proof they need.
‘‘It will be concrete, indisputable evidence that what we teach, our systems and our philosophies are amongst the best in the world, if not the best in the world,’’ Bareman told when asked what winning an undisputed championship would mean for the gym.
City Kickboxing, which Bareman cofounded with former K-1 campaigner Doug Viney 12 years ago, has been chiefly responsible for the surge of Kiwi talent to hit the UFC over the last couple of years.
In Melbourne tomorrow, they take centre stage in front of a potential record crowd, with Adesanya headlining against Whittaker, Dan Hooker in the co-main event and a third team-mate, Brad Riddell, on debut.
Of the six New Zealanders currently signed to the promotion, five train out of City Kickboxing, as does Australian Alex Volkanovski, who will fight for the UFC featherweight title in December.
Heavyweight boxing prospects Junior Fa and Hemi Ahio also call CKB home.
It’s one thing getting into the UFC, but Bareman and his fellow trainers – such as Viney, Tristam Apikotoa, Mike Angove, John Vake and wrestling specialist Andrei Paulet – have fostered an environment where their fighters thrive.
Bareman, a former Muay Thai pro and mixed martial artist, has worked with Adesanya for almost a decade, navigating his rise up the kickboxing ranks before overseeing a 6-0 run in the UFC that has the ‘Last Stylebender’ on the brink of history.
Hooker has won five of six bouts since training full-time at City Kickboxing. Shane Young dropped his UFC debut to Volkanovski, but that was on a week’s notice and has since responded with back-to-back wins, while Kai Kara-France has won his first three fights in the organisation.
After an extensive kickboxing career, Riddell is set to make his UFC bow against fellow debutant Jamie Mullarkey .
Bareman preaches the virtue of playing the long game.
‘‘We took the same approach as we took for Israel and we do for everybody. We develop our guys so that by the time they get to the UFC they don’t necessarily just become a number,’’ he said.
‘‘Our ultimate goal when we get into the UFC is to be a title contender and eventually win the title. Not everybody has this approach. A lot of people do the bulk of their development in the UFC. We want to do the bulk of our development outside the UFC, in the gym, in the local scene and other international promotions and then come to the UFC.
‘‘Obviously we’re still going to develop but we want to the bulk of it outside the UFC so we’re ready, once we’re in there, to rapidly rise.’’
Hooker, who meets sixth-ranked lightweight Al Iaquinta tomorrow, has trained in leading gyms around the world. He was encouraged to look around by Bareman, as he did with Adesanya early in his career and most people who knock on the door wanting try their hand at combat sports.
The longest serving active Kiwi fighter in the UFC, Hooker thought he had to go overseas to fulfil his dream, but soon realised everything he needed was right in his hometown.
‘‘I’d been to the States, I’d been to Vietnam, I’d been to Thailand. I thought I had to get out of New Zealand to be the best in the world,’’ he said. ‘‘That’s why Eugene let me go and pushed me to travel just so I would know and I’d experience that myself.
‘‘Now I know for sure because I’ve seen it with my own eyes that the best training in the world is here and it’s at City Kickboxing.’’
MMA may be an individual sport but at the heart of City Kickboxing’s success lies a tight-knit team culture, says Kara-France.
While they are motivated by each other’s achievements, the camaraderie between all involved – professionals, amateurs and support staff alike – is an integral part of what makes it so special.
‘‘That’s the good thing about our team, we’re selfless,’’ said Kara-France, who has been helping team-mates prepare following last month’s win in China. ‘‘We always come back after our fights and make sure we’re giving ourselves to our team-mates so they can train to their fullest.’’
Marvel Stadium already holds the record for the largest UFC crowd at
At a glance
What: UFC 243, Robert Whittaker v Israel Adesanya
When, where: From 3pm tomorrow (NZ time), Marvel Stadium, Melbourne
TALE OF THE TAPE:
■ From: Australia via New Zealand
■ Age: 28
■ Record: 20-4 (11-2 in UFC)
■ Weight: 83.9kg
■ Height: 1.83m
■ Reach: 1.87m
■ Leg reach: 1.09m
■ Winning method: KO/TKO 48%, submission 24%, decision 29%
From: New Zealand via Nigeria
Age: 30
Record: 17-0 (6-0 in UFC)
Weight: 83.9kg
Height: 1.93m
Reach: 2.03m
Leg reach: 1.13m
Winning method: KO/TKO 76%, decision 24%
56,214, but that was headlined by Ronda Rousey, one of most popular UFC figures in history, and Holly Holm.
To have two fighters from this part of the world in the main event, Adesanya and Kiwi-born Aussie Whittaker, and a card stacked with local talent, goes to show just how much the sport has grown in Australasia.
Bareman has witnessed a boom in interest over the last two years, having recently moved to larger building, which is already close to capacity.
Sunday’s event could make them even busier but for him, it’s not just about their gym.
Bareman is determined for the rest of New Zealand combat sports to reap the rewards.
‘‘I’ve had a moment to think about what it brings to our local MMA scene,’’ he said. ‘‘What I’m hoping is that all the other MMA and kickboxing gyms around the country are reaping the benefit of the guys’ success.
‘‘The talent pool down here is second to none, we just need to nurture it.’’