The first title in 2019 will be up for grabs in the Legion 9 Fightsports. 

More than 20 fighters will take part in 11 different events. 

The event has attracted fighters from interstate and around Tasmania. 

Trainer and part promoter Jacob Gelston said the event focuses on Muay Thai and mixed material arts through separate events. 

“The Muay Thai is like kick boxing with knees and elbows. So if you get swept over you get stood back, they keep fighting,” Gelston said.  

“But with MMA there is another issue where there is wrestling and jujitsu on the ground. So if you go to the ground you can be submitted. But in Muay Thai you get stood back up.” 

Competitors will focus on striking in Muay Thai, but with MMA there is a “huge grappling” event, Gelston said.  

“There are different classes due to their level of experience … and obviously we have amateur and professional levels, too,” he said. 

Two Launceston locals will compete for the titles.  

Damon Upton-Greer will take part in the Legion Muay Thai Super Middleweight Title. 

He will compete against Chris Drummond. 

“Damon Upton-Greer has won an MMA title through Legion and is now fighting for a Muay Thai title. So he is aiming to be the first person to have a title in both disciplines in Tassie and for Legion,” Gelston said.  

“The other person fighting for a title is Casey Lockett which is young local and has got a lot of potential and skill as well. So he is fighting a guy from Hobart called Stu Dare.” 

Lockett is competing in the Legion Muay Thai Cruiserweight Title.  

“That will be a really good fight as well,” Gelston said. 

Fighters will fly in from Victoria and NSW to help match the cards, and from around the state as well 

The Legion Muay Thai Heavyweight Title Eliminator will be between Pat Dittrich and Joe Tullo. 

Gelston said other states typically have separate MMA and Muay Thai events. 

“Due to Tasmania’s size we have different bouts at the one show due to the size of the state and what we can offer.”

More than 800 people are expected to pack the Elphin Sports Centre to watch the events. Court side seats have already sold out. 

“They’ll see plenty of action having both MMA and Muay Thai fights. The titles are both being fought by local guys. It’s a good atmosphere,” Gelston said. 

“You can be looking at the ball and someone jumps on the back of you head with his knee and you don’t even see it coming.” 

Organisers also try to make the events family-friendly and encourage people to bring their kids and whole family along.

The fighters spend many hours each week preparing for each event and dedicate themselves to doing their best. 

“It depends on who they are and what they are, but for our guys they're doing four to five Muay Thai sessions a week and three to four runs, and probably a couple of strength and conditioning classes,” Gelston said. 

“I often say to people in their fight camps, people put in 70, 80, 90 hours of training for six minutes in the ring.”

The training also includes recovery massage and rehabilitation. 

“That’s because when you’re training that intensely you do tweak things and it’s hard to run at 100 per cent all the time,” Gelston said. 

“It’s a big commitment. So that’s why people will often have just one or two fights and then they’ve achieved what they wanted to to say they could do it because then they realise how hard it is to keep going to do fight camp after fight camp. It is very grueling.”

But Gelston said the risk of injury is a lot lower that some other sports, with the more skill you have lowering the risk of injury further. 

“When you fight professionally you fight with elbows and only gloves, but also your skill level reduces the risk,” he said. 

“When you’re starting up we have what’s called C Class where you fight in shin pads and bigger gloves and the opportunity to fight in head gear as well.”  

While he acknowledges there is always a risk, it’s lower than football, for example. 

“For me personally, I played sport for a lot of years and I was constantly injuring myself playing football, the risk is a lot higher in a lot of respects in football,” he said. 

“You can be looking at the ball and someone jumps on the back of you head with his knee and you don’t even see it coming.” 

The Fights happens in a controlled environment with a referee. 

“You’re always looking at your opponent and if you’re in trouble the ref stops the fight,” Gelston said.  

“There is injury and risk in everything that you do but we’re all about reducing risk and I think it’s got a bad reputation, but it’s not what it is.” 

Tickets to the event can be purchased from legionfightsports.com.au. 

The event will happen on February 16 from 6pm.