The Most Popular Kiwi MMA Fighters
MMA fights are indeed exciting and full of adrenaline rush. Fans suggest that it is one of those sports in which one cannot keep on sitting and watching the games. The roots of MMA had originated in Australia, as a crossing of multidisciplinary sports, from traditional martial arts to wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and Kickboxing.
However, the enthusiastic sport found its place among the Kiwis and was recognized as a legal sport in March 2016 with a governing body in New Zealand, ‘The New Zealand Mixed Martial Arts Federation (NZMMAF).’ The NZMMAF has also issued safety protocols and laws for ensuring the safety of the fighters.
MMA fighting brought with it a positive surge in the betting industry, where Kiwis love to wager on their trusted players such as Adesanya, Hooker, etc. Moreover, the MMA players have also occupied significant status in society. Players like Adesanya have also used their stardom to stand against the evils of racism, promoted by the New Zealand bureaucracy. Check the most popular NZ fighters below:
Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)
| Saturday, July 18th 2026: Professional Fighters League PFL Austin: Van Steenis vs. Eblen 2 | |||
 [#6 MW] Costello Van Steenis |  [#12 MW] Johnny Eblen | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 3/20/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#16 MW] Fabian Edwards Last 5: L W W W W | Last Fight Date: 3/28/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#51 MW] Bryan Battle Last 5: W W W L W | ||
| Saturday, June 27th 2026: Professional Fighters League PFL San Diego: McKee vs. Isbulaev | |||
| [#7 W125] Liz Carmouche |  [#13 W125] Viviane Araujo | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 8/15/2025 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#16 W125] Jena Bishop Last 5: W L W W W | Last Fight Date: 4/11/2026 [PFL] Last Opponent: [#62 W125] Shanna Young Last 5: W L W L W | ||
| Sunday, May 31st 2026: Shooto Professional Shooto 2026 Vol. 4 | |||
 [#11 SW] Koyuru Tanoue | [#12 SW] Kazusa Kurobe | ||
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| Last Fight Date: 11/16/2025 [Shooto] Last Opponent: [#243 FLW] Jo Arai Last 5: W W W W L | Last Fight Date: 1/18/2026 [Shooto] Last Opponent: [#38 SW] Ken Asahina Last 5: W W W W W | ||
Featured Fighters
| [#175 FW] |  George Mangos | [#1 MW] | Sean Strickland | |
| [#78 FW] | Juan Archuleta | [#29 LW] |  Salahdine Parnasse | |
| [#186 MW] |  Christian Eckerlin | [NR] |  Conor McGregor | |
| [#34 FW] |  Doo Ho Choi | [NR] |  Matt Marriot | |
| [NR] | Suzu Ooi | [NR] |  Rustam Odinaev |
Which Self-Exclusion Schemes MMA Fans Can Use
Sadly, some MMA fans will get gambling addiction and they will need help. Self-exclusion methods have been more than just popular and we can consider these as some of the most effective options. If you are one of these people you have 3 main options to choose from. We are going to discuss all of these below and present you with important details you need to know right now. Let’s begin.
GamStop
GamStop has to be the first option on the list. It is a platform that was founded in 2018 and today it is one of the most commonly used and the most successful. The idea is very simple. A player who has a gambling addiction or just wants to keep himself away from gambling and betting will use it. You will have to create a new account on the website and choose the duration of the self-exclusion ban. It can be 6 months, 1 or 5 years and you can prolong it countless times. For registration, you will need an email address, name, telephone number, and similar details.
Once activated all the websites for gambling and betting will be blocked. Yes, this will affect all UKGC and other betting sites immediately. A player won’t be able to access these websites hence he won’t be able to place bets. Keep in mind that all websites that have UKGC licences will be blocked. On the other hand, many UK sportsbooks not registered with GamStop are still available for UK players and the only way to block them is blockers like GamBan. These are the websites that have legal rights to offer betting content to UK players.
Once the gambling ban expires, a player will have to contact GamStop support and ask for self-exclusion removal. Then, you will have to wait for 24 hours and the self-exclusion will be completely removed. You have the option to prolong the exclusion as well. You cannot remove the exclusion before it expires and you cannot choose a shorter option. GamStop is effective in over 85% of cases and most users are satisfied with the result. Some would like to activate self-exclusion forever and be banned from betting sites indefinitely. This is not an option at the moment. A nice addition is that GamStop is completely free to use.
Who Are The Top MMA Fighters to Promote GamStop?
Gambling surely is an exciting game, which triggers adrenaline rush, excitement, and fun. But behind the glittering aspect of gambling, there often lies the darker scenario of problem gambling and gambling addiction. The people of the UK have been in love with the thrilling game of gambling since the Tudor and Stuart era(16th century England) and has been much popularised to date. According to the 2021 reports published by the government, around 0.5% of the adult gamblers are dealing with the issue of problem gambling, around 3.8% are at extreme risk level, and almost 7% of the population are negatively impacted due to the actions of gambling.
However, the introduction of the self-exclusion program, GamStop in 2018 has enabled responsible gambling to a great extent. Self-exclusion programs, such as GamStop abstain the user from using any gambling programs, websites, etc. for a specific period(6 months/1 year/ 5 years) as selected by the user.
Sporting industries such as Mixed Martial Arts(MMA) have shared a complementary bond with GamStop. However, as this self-exclusion program works only with UK based providers and there are many available non GamStop online bookmakers even in the United Kingdom, it will be a good gesture to cooperate more with all popular programs around the world. This is so because such an active industry as MMA paves way for thousands of gamblers to participate daily. Thereby, there is often a risk of leading to gambling addiction, or gambling among the fans, as well as the players.
How to Turn Online Gambling from Pass Time into A Money-Making Activity
There are many ways to earn money through online gambling depending on your skill, commitment, and drive. Money-making through online gambling comes down to game selection and having clarity on your expectations.
Digital gambling platforms like slot online have many opportunities. You can make millions provided you look at the right spots. Below are some of the ways that can help you earn good money through online gambling.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Daukas (03-26-2022)
Heavyweight (265)
[#4] Curtis Blaydes (15-3-0) vs. [#16] Chris Daukaus (12-4-0)
Curtis Blaydes is the All-Time #26 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Curtis Blaydes (2-1-0)
2021-09-25: W vs. [#8HW+] Jairzinho Rozenstruik (12-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2021-02-20: L vs. [#6HW+] Derrick Lewis (26-9-0) via KO (Punch) in 1:26 of round 2
2020-06-20: W vs. [#9HW+] Alexander Volkov (34-10-0) via UD (48-47, 48-46, 49-46)
Last 3 Fights: Chris Daukaus (2-1-0)
2021-12-18: L vs. [#6HW+] Derrick Lewis (26-9-0) via KO (Punches) in 3:36 of round 1
2021-09-25: W vs. [#39HW+] Shamil Abdurakhimov (20-8-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 1:23 of round 2
2021-02-20: W vs. [#23HW+] Alexey Oleynik (59-16-1) via TKO (Punches) in 1:55 of round 1
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Elo K170 | Curtis Blaydes | 2074.23 | +340.27 | 82.56% |
| Elo Modified | Curtis Blaydes | 2056.71 | +322.13 | 80.38% |
| Glicko-1 | Curtis Blaydes | 2128.19 | +322.44 | 86.48% |
| WHR | Curtis Blaydes | 1940.49 | +261.95 | 76.79% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Curtis Blaydes 182, Chris Daukaus 98
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Women Flyweight (125)
[#11] Alexa Grasso (13-3-0) vs. [#16] Joanne Wood (15-7-0)
Last 3 Fights: Alexa Grasso (2-1-0)
2021-02-13: W vs. [#21FLY] Maycee Barber (9-2-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2020-08-29: W vs. [#87FLY] Ji Yeon Kim (9-5-2) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2019-09-21: L vs. [#5SW/#10DD] Carla Esparza (18-6-0) via MD (29-28, 28-28, 29-28)
Last 3 Fights: Joanne Wood (1-2-0)
2021-11-20: L vs. [#3FLY] Taila Santos (19-1-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 4:49 of round 1
2021-06-12: L vs. [#7FLY] Lauren Murphy (15-5-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
2021-01-23: W vs. [#39FLY] Jessica Eye (15-10-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Elo K170 | Alexa Grasso | 1600.11 | +149.27 | 66.42% |
| Elo Modified | Alexa Grasso | 1626.23 | +132.76 | 64.13% |
| Glicko-1 | Alexa Grasso | 1590.82 | +126.06 | 67.39% |
| WHR | Alexa Grasso | 1548.57 | +95.43 | 60.73% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alexa Grasso 406, Joanne Wood 126
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 1 win(s) against common opposition.
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Flyweight (125)
[#3] Askar Askarov (14-0-1) vs. [#5] Kai Kara France (23-9-0)
Askar Askarov is the All-Time #16 ranked Flyweight fighter.
Kai Kara France is the All-Time #38 ranked Flyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Askar Askarov (3-0-0)
2021-03-06: W vs. [*] Joseph Benavidez (28-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
2020-07-18: W vs. [#4FLY] Alexandre Pantoja (24-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2020-01-18: W vs. [#12FLY] Tim Elliott (18-12-1) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
Last 3 Fights: Kai Kara France (2-1-0)
2021-12-11: W vs. [#8FLY] Cody Garbrandt (12-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 3:21 of round 1
2021-03-06: W vs. [#19FLY] Rogerio Bontorin (17-4-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:55 of round 1
2020-09-26: L vs. [#10FLY] Brandon Royval (13-6-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 0:48 of round 2
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Elo K170 | Askar Askarov | 1979.09 | +171.95 | 68.69% |
| Elo Modified | Askar Askarov | 1945.53 | +172.63 | 68.04% |
| Glicko-1 | Askar Askarov | 1989.27 | +148.05 | 70.10% |
| WHR | Askar Askarov | 1946.31 | +223.42 | 73.51% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Askar Askarov 385, Kai Kara France 105
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Keep Reading
What Are The Reasons for MMA Fans To Join GamStop?
Mixed martial arts, or MMA, is a hybrid sport that incorporates elements of boxing, wrestling, judo, BJJ, Karate, and Muay Thai, among other disciplines.
It began as a harsh sport with no regulations, but it has since grown into one of the fastest-growing spectator sports in the early twenty-first century.
Responsible Gambling Tools For MMA Fans
Betting has been a significant business for thousands of operators throughout the world for decades. Today, gambling is dedicated to practically every sport imaginable, increasing the number of gambling markets available to casinos and sportsbooks. It’s undeniable that gambling’s tenets encourage people to spend their money and free time in a pleasant, responsible, and regulated manner.
However, it has been seen that some players have polluted such essential tenets with unhealthy, reckless, and dangerous gambling practices. Problem gambling has become a global threat to the gaming industry, and several countries are tackling it hard. The United Kingdom is an example of a forward-thinking gaming jurisdiction that is leading the charge against compulsive gambling.
There are plenty more internet-based gamers who take advantage of the ease that the internet provides. Regrettably, some people have been addicted to gambling or have gambling-related issues. As a result, initiatives to assist such gamblers have been intentionally designed around both general and gambling-specific blocking software.
The filtering software designed specifically for gambling is said to be more successful, with some costing a fee and others being free. All you have to do is sign up for the free blockers and supply the requested information. The following are some examples of free blockers:
UFC 273 Features Title Defenses & Scores to Settle
There’s not just one but two title belts up for grabs at UFC 273, scheduled to be held on April 9 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. Headlining what promises to be a superb UFC 273 fight card, Alexander ‘The Great’ Volkanovski will mount his third defense of his UFC Featherweight title, taking on Jung ‘The Korean Zombie’ Chan Sung.
Since his first bout in the UFC, Australian fight favorite Volkanovski has certainly lived up to his moniker, boasting a great unbeaten record in the biggest MMA promotion of them all. But while the former rugby player will be tipped to win his next bout, The Korean Zombie has also earned his nickname, able to withstand a beating and keep on coming.
The second title bout of the night features unfinished business and a fearsome rivalry, as Aljamain ‘Funk Master’ Sterling embarks upon his first defense of the UFC Bantamweight title. At UFC 259 in March 2021, he became the first competitor in the UFC to win a title via disqualification, when reigning champion was disqualified for an illegal knee.
Given the unfinished business between these two proud fighters, and following several attempts to organize the inevitable rematch last year, Sterling and Yan finally go head-to-head in the octagon at UFC 273. This will be the first UFC Bantamweight title defense for Sterling, while Yan won his last bout against Cory Sandhagen for the interim championship.
How Boxing Can Help You Find Out More About Yourself and Improve Your Dating Life
Are you single and seeking a partner? Have you ever considered that boxing could be the best pastime for keeping fit? If you’d like to find someone to enjoy this passion with, have you thought about joining a dating site? Digital matching services are becoming increasingly popular. You can browse profiles of other singles from your desktop. Or download a handy app to your smart device. Either way, you’ll develop the confidence to exchange messages and ultimately arranging an offline meeting. If you want to arrange discreet hook ups you could easily chat with someone you met online about boxing. In case that happens, some background to this subject would be useful.
Shakur Stevenson, Oscar Valdez Set for Title Fight on April 30
Shakur Stevenson and Oscar Valdez are just over a month and a half away from their April 30 title fight in the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, sponsored by Top Rank Boxing.
The betting public is getting a banger of about between the two and is sure to be active in the market for the fight. Shakur Stevenson is listed at -400 to win the fight, whereas Oscar Valdez is listed at +275 as per BetMGM.
Sportsbooks are already offering promo codes for new visitors to drum up support and participation, as seen with the Bet365 NJ bonus.
“Oscar Valdez and Shakur Stevenson are the world’s best junior lightweights. The fans and the fighters demanded this matchup, and we are proud to deliver it live on ESPN for no extra charge,” Top Rank chairman Bob Arum said in February. “The winner becomes a superstar, and I know both men will rise to challenge.”
The fight will be for the super featherweight title and will serve as a unification bout.
Shakur Stevenson has been clamoring for the opportunity to fight the veteran Valdez, and now he is finally getting his shot.
Fight Matrix Program – UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall (03-19-2022)
Heavyweight (265)
[#6] Alexander Volkov (34-9-0, -130) vs. [#20] Tom Aspinall (11-2-0, +107)
Alexander Volkov is the All-Time #32 ranked Heavyweight fighter.
Last 3 Fights: Alexander Volkov (2-1-0)
2021-10-30: W vs. [#12HW+] Marcin Tybura (22-7-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
2021-06-26: L vs. [#3HW+/#10P4P] Ciryl Gane (10-1-0) via UD (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
2021-02-06: W vs. [#10HW+] Alistair Overeem (47-19-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:06 of round 2
Last 3 Fights: Tom Aspinall (3-0-0)
2021-09-04: W vs. [#22HW+] Sergey Spivak (14-3-0) via TKO (Elbow and Punches) in 2:30 of round 1
2021-02-20: W vs. [#34HW+] Andrei Arlovski (33-20-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:09 of round 2
2020-10-10: W vs. [#263HW+] Alan Baudot (8-4-0) via TKO (Elbows and Punches) in 1:35 of round 1
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Alexander Volkov | -130 | 53.91% | |
| Elo K170 | Alexander Volkov | 1996.34 | +236.14 | 74.63% |
| Elo Modified | Alexander Volkov | 2016.73 | +246.64 | 74.64% |
| Glicko-1 | Alexander Volkov | 2085.30 | +268.27 | 82.41% |
| WHR | Alexander Volkov | 1920.38 | +113.34 | 62.66% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alexander Volkov 140, Tom Aspinall 196
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Featherweight (145)
[#11LW] Dan Hooker (21-11-0, -119) vs. [#13] Arnold Allen (17-1-0, -103)
Last 3 Fights: Dan Hooker (1-2-0)
2021-10-30: L vs. [#6LW] Islam Makhachev (22-1-0) via Submission (Kimura) in 2:25 of round 1
2021-09-25: W vs. [#61LW] Nasrat Haqparast (13-5-0) via UD (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
2021-01-23: L vs. [#7LW] Michael Chandler (22-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:30 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Arnold Allen (3-0-0)
2021-04-10: W vs. [#20FW] Sodiq Yusuff (12-2-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2020-01-25: W vs. [*] Nik Lentz (30-12-2) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 29-28)
2019-07-06: W vs. [*] Gilbert Melendez (22-8-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Dan Hooker | -119 | 51.71% | |
| Elo K170 | Arnold Allen | 1985.97 | +44.19 | 55.03% |
| Elo Modified | Arnold Allen | 1987.85 | +96.49 | 60.40% |
| Glicko-1 | Arnold Allen | 2000.52 | +85.90 | 62.12% |
| WHR | Arnold Allen | 1900.23 | +104.06 | 61.67% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dan Hooker 140, Arnold Allen 343
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Lightweight (155)
[#90] Paddy Pimblett (17-3-0, -400) vs. [#146] Rodrigo Vargas (12-4-0, +300)
Last 3 Fights: Paddy Pimblett (3-0-0)
2021-09-04: W vs. [#309LW] Luigi Vendramini (9-3-0) via KO (Punches) in 4:25 of round 1
2021-03-20: W vs. [#861LW] Davide Martinez (8-3-0) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) in 1:37 of round 1
2020-03-20: W vs. [*] Decky Dalton (11-5-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:51 of round 1
Last 3 Fights: Rodrigo Vargas (1-2-0)
2021-04-24: W vs. [#175LW] Zhu Rong (21-5-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 30-26)
2020-02-15: L vs. [#217WW] Brok Weaver (17-6-0) via Disqualification (Illegal Knee) in 4:02 of round 1
2019-08-10: L vs. [*] Alex da Silva Coelho (21-3-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
| System | Favorite | Rating | Rating Diff | Win % |
| Betting Odds | Paddy Pimblett | -400 | 76.19% | |
| Elo K170 | Paddy Pimblett | 1643.29 | +168.50 | 68.35% |
| Elo Modified | Paddy Pimblett | 1678.01 | +108.21 | 61.63% |
| Glicko-1 | Paddy Pimblett | 1740.59 | +131.13 | 68.02% |
| WHR | Paddy Pimblett | 1681.94 | +156.27 | 67.13% |
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Paddy Pimblett 196, Rodrigo Vargas 329
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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How to Support Ukraine? Ways to Provide Financial Aid to Ukraine
Official sites for humanitarian aid to Ukraine
Since the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, hundreds of military people and civilians have become the victims of the war. Millions had to leave their homes seeking a safer place to live. Over 1.5 million people left the country and found support in Poland, Slovakia, Moldova, and other European countries. Ukrainians are grateful for the help we receive from all around the world, but the humanitarian crisis has already reached some cities and towns in Ukraine. On March 8, a child died of dehydration in Mariupol city.
How to Help Children in Ukraine?
The Red Cross is working to provide food, water, medicines, and other humanitarian aid to Ukraine’s citizens trapped in towns surrounded and blocked by occupying Russian forces. You can support this international charity organization if you donate to Ukraine crisis fund here.
Another way to support children in Ukraine is to provide financial aid via UNICEF. This organization collects funds for first aid kits, medicines, and the support of 7.5 million children living in Ukraine. You can send your donations here.
Charity for Humanitarian Needs
The platform WithUkraine, along with the National Bank of Ukraine, accepts foreign aid to Ukraine’s citizens. The costs collected by these fundraisers will be used to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of war, refugees, and Ukrainian children.
Donate to Support the Ukrainian Armed Forces
The National Bank of Ukraine opened a special account to raise charity funds to support the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Another charity organization working to support the Ukraine army is Come Back Alive. Visit their website to donate money and support Ukraine against Russian aggression.