City Kickboxing is a small gym in New Zealand that has helped unearth some of the best fighters in the UFC, and they could have their third world champion this weekend.
Title holders Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski both train at the Auckland-based facility, and are widely regarded as being two of the best fighters in the sport today.
Ranked fighters Dan Hooker and Brad Riddell are two of the other experienced UFC warriors who currently train out of Mount Eden.
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Kai Kara-France would become City Kickboxing’s latest title holder if he wins the interim flyweight championship belt at UFC 277 this weekend.
The New Zealander is No. 2 in the flyweight division rankings, but can etch his name into the history books with a win over Brandon Moreno in Dallas tomorrow (AEST).
Even though he’s believed to be the underdog ahead of the bout, Kara-France is feeling extremely confident after training at “the best gym in the world”.
“The proof is in the success of the gym. Look who I train with: two of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. I come from the best gym in the world,” Kara-France told Fox Sports.
“The atmosphere that Eugene’s created, people can try and emulate the training we do and the structure that we have.
“It’s just the right attitude as well as bringing the best version of yourself. The coaches have limited time and if they’re putting effort into you, you’ve gotta make sure you’re giving effort back.
“You’ve got to be all in. If you’re not all in, you’re going to be left behind. You won’t get the work that you need and you won’t get that attention you need.
“It’s a great place and the team runs itself.”
Boasting an inspiring culture of encouragement and dedication, the gym has become a second home for amateurs and professionals who are looking to devote themselves to fighting.
Mike Mathetha, also known as Blood Diamond, used to walk by the gym as a University student dreaming of getting involved.
The Zimbabwe-born fighter was picked on as a teenager in Blenim, which is in New Zealand’s South Island, but had his brother around to support him.
Blood Diamond moved north to study architecture, and after being picked on by “drunk fools’ in the city, he wanted to learn how to defend himself.
But with no money to spend on a membership, he eventually got his chance after making a deal with gym founder Eugene Bareman.
“Things were tough. The student life is always tough. I think at that point I was just living off $20 a week,” Blood Diamond told Fox Sports ahead of UFC 277.
“That’s what stopped me from joining in but one day I was like ‘oh screw it, just give it a go and just go to one class.’
“Eugene said ‘you’ve got at least a one week free trial. So I just started going as much as I can. I think for that week I basically spent my whole time at the gym, even when there weren’t any classes.
“I’m gonna come through, I’m going to do two sparring sessions just to prove I was fit. In my mind I was getting ready for two sparring sessions.
“After we did the first sparring session he’s just having a chat, talking about (Israel Adesanya) because he was standing next to him.
“I was psyching myself out like ‘I’ve heard this story so many times, get ready for the second sparring (session)’.
“Then he was like ‘Bloods come get your contract’. I was like ‘what, what, are we still sparring? What’s going on?’
“My mind was still stuck on getting ready for the next sparring session. It didn’t hit till later on that night.
“It didn’t feel like it until all these messages came through… I really am in the UFC.”
After a decorated kickboxing career which reportedly included just one loss out of more than 100 fights, Blood Diamond set his focus on the UFC.
Training alongside the likes of Adesanya, he eventually got his chance in a surprise reveal by Bareman.
The founder was standing in front of all his fighters with Adesanya standing by side. He seemingly began to speak about the world champion, before asking Blood to come forward to collect his contract.
But Blood Diamond had just completed one sparring session and was preparing for another, so it’s no surprise that he was well and truly shocked by the reveal and support from his teammates.
“Like a couple of days before, because I was on holiday, I went to visit my family in Perth, and I came back and Eugene sends me a message just to mess with me saying ‘I bet you’re fat and unfit’.
“I was like ‘hold on, I’m pretty fit, let me prove to you I’m fit’. Because I’m always at the gym working so I felt like he trying to insult me.
“I’m gonna come through, I’m going to do two sparring sessions just to prove I was fit. In my mind I was getting ready for two sparring sessions.
“After we did the first sparring session he’s just having a chat, talking about (Israel Adesanya) because he was standing next to him.
“I was psyching myself out like ‘I’ve heard this story so many times, get ready for the second sparring (session)’.
“Then he was like ‘Bloods come get your contract’. I was like ‘what, what, are we still sparring? What’s going on?’
“My mind was still stuck on getting ready for the next sparring session. It didn’t hit till later on that night.
“It didn’t feel like it until all these messages came through… I really am in the UFC.”
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