Australian Fighting Championship Explained

Australian Fighting Championship
Type:Private
Foundation:2010
Founder:Adam Milankovic
Industry:Mixed martial arts promotion
Homepage:http://afcmma.com.au/
Location Country:Australia
Key People:Kelly Seif, Shaun McIntyre

Australian Fighting Championship (AFC) was an Australian mixed martial arts (MMA) organisation based in Melbourne. In 2013, AFC was described as Australia's leading MMA organisation by MMA Kanvas[1] and was part of Sherdog's list of top 50 global MMA organisations (2014). Since AFC 4, all events were successfully streamed live via pay-per-view.

AFC was the second-ranked Australasian promotion in 2013 according to MMA media outlet Fight Sport Asia.[2] AFC CEO Adam Milankovic has had multiple media appearances promoting the sport of MMA to the public. AFC has showcased the talents of elite Australian and New Zealand mixed martial artists alongside international talent.[3] 2017 saw the expansion of the promotion into Mainland China and a major rebranding to the Australasian Fighting Championship (AFC).[4]

Cage ban

The 2008 "cage ban" in Victoria meant MMA competitions, while legal, had to be conducted inside a boxing ring and not a purpose built cage (with the exception of AFC 9 in Albury, New South Wales).[5] In the Victorian State election in November 2014, The Victorian branch of the Labor Party campaigned to revoke the cage ban. With success in the election the ban is set to be repealed allowing AFC to promote MMA in a caged enclosure to ensure optimum safety of fighters.[6]

Final champions

See also: List of current mixed martial arts champions and Mixed martial arts weight classes.

DivisionUpper weight limitChampionSinceTitle defenses
Heavyweight265 lb (120 kg; 18.9 st)15 October 2016 0
Light Heavyweight205 lb (93 kg; 14.6 st)28 October 2017 0
Middleweight185 lb (84 kg; 13.2 st) Glenn Sparv 7 April 2018 0
Welterweight170 lb (77 kg; 12 st) Theo Christakos 7 April 2018 1
Lightweight155 lb (70 kg; 11.1 st) Blake Donnelly 1 December 2019 0
Featherweight145 lb (66 kg; 10.4 st)19 March 20160
Bantamweight135 lb (61 kg; 9.6 st)17 May 2014 0

Australian Fighting Championship Title history

Australian Fighting Championship Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: 1201NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Soa Palelei
def. Joe Kielur		align=center AFC 3
Geelong, Australia		align=center 14 April 20121. def. Sean McCorkle at AFC 4 on 7 December 2012
Palelei vacated the title when he left AFC for the UFC.
2align=left Brandon Sosoli
def. Andre Meunier		align=center AFC 13
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 14 June 2015
3align=left Tai Tuivasaalign=center AFC 16
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 18 June 20161. def. James McSweeney at AFC 16 on 15 October 2016
Tuivasa vacated the title when he left AFC for the UFC.

Australian Fighting Championship Light Heavyweight Championship

Weight limit: 931NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Jamie Abdallah
def. Daniel Almeida		align=center AFC 12
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 22 March 20151. def. Randall Rayment at AFC 14 on 12 September 2015
2align=left Rameau Sokoudjoualign=center AFC 21
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 28 October 2017

Australian Fighting Championship Middleweight Championship

Weight limit: 841NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Steven Kennedy
def. Manuel Rodriguez		align=center AFC 7
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 14 December 2013
Kennedy vacated the title.
2align=left Zein Saliba
def. Daniel Way		align=center AFC 12
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 22 March 2015
Saliba vacated the title.
3align=left Rob Wilkinson
def. Jamie Abdallah		align=center AFC 15
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 19 March 2016
Wilkinson vacated the title when he left AFC for the UFC.
4align=left Israel Adesanya
def. Melvin Guillard		align=center AFC 20
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 28 July 2017
Adesanya vacated the title when he left AFC for the UFC.
5align=left Glenn Sparv
def. Stu Dare		align=center AFC 22
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 7 April 2018

Australian Fighting Championship Welterweight Championship

Weight limit: 771NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Jacob S Lee
def. Callan Potter		align=center AFC 9
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 17 May 2014
2align=left Manuel Rodriguezalign=center AFC 14
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 12 September 2015
Rodriquez vacated the title after suffering an early first round loss to 24-year-old Jacob Stephen Lee, securing Jacob’s 4th championship victory 2 Feb 2016.
3align=left Barry O'Meara
def. Anton Zafir 22 Dec 2016		align=center AFC 22
Gold Coast, Australia		align=center 2 February 2016 – 7 May 20191. def. Jennys Box by way of knock out in the first second of the first round during AFC 5 on 10 May 2017
2. def. Greg Goodchild by way of technical knock out to end. this flattened Gregs nose AFC 6 on 24 August 2018

Australian Fighting Championship Lightweight Championship

Weight limit: 701NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Dan Hooker
def. Rusty McBride		align=center AFC 3
Geelong, Australia		align=center 14 April 20121. def. Rusty McBride at AFC 5 on 10 May 2013
2. def. Nick Patterson at AFC 6 on 24 August 2013
Hooker vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.
2align=left Bernardo Magalhaes
def. Kieran Joblin		align=center AFC 10
Albury-Wodonga, Australia		align=center 16 August 2014
Magalhaes vacated the title.
3align=left Issac Hardman
def. James Bishop		align=center AFC 19
Shaanxi, China		align=center 15 April 20171. def. Rob Hill at AFC 21 on 28 October 2017

Australian Fighting Championship Featherweight Championship

Weight limit: 661NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Alexander Volkanovski
def. James Bishop		align=center AFC 13
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 14 June 20151. def. Jamie Mullarkey at AFC 15 on 15 August 2016
Volkanovski vacated the title when he signed with the UFC.

Australian Fighting Championship Bantamweight Championship

Weight limit: 621NaN1

width=1%No.width=19%Namewidth=20%Eventwidth=16%Datewidth=44%Defenses
1align=left Gustavo Falciroli
def. Kai Kara-France		align=center AFC 9
Melbourne, Australia		align=center 17 May 2014

Past events

Event TitleDateArenaLocation
23AFC 23Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
22AFC 22Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
22AFC 21Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
21AFC 20Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
20AFC 19AFC ArenaXi'an, Shaanxi, China
19AFC 18AFC ArenaXi'an, Shaanxi, China
18AFC 17Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
17AFC 16Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
16AFC 15Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
15AFC 14Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
14AFC 13Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
13AFC 12Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
12AFC 11Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
11AFC 10Bunton ParkAlbury, Australia
10AFC 9Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
9AFC 8Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
8AFC 7Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
7AFC 6Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
6AFC 5Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
5AFC 4Melbourne PavilionMelbourne, Australia
4AFC 3Geelong, Australia
3AFC 2Melbourne Sports & Aquatic CentreMelbourne, Australia
2AFC Fight NightState Netball & Hockey CentreMelbourne, Australia
1AFC 1State Netball & Hockey CentreMelbourne, Australia
[7]

Notable alumni

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Aussie MMA fans set for live-streaming action with Epicentre.tv. Adam Ireland. 23 April 2013. Mmakanvas.ninemsn.com.au. 1 November 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140912024144/http://mmakanvas.ninemsn.com.au/articles/news/356/aussie-mma-fans-set-for-live-streaming-action-with-epicentre-tv.html. 12 September 2014. dead.
  2. Web site: Fight Sport Asia’s 2013 Asian MMA Awards Results - FSA - FightSport Asia. FSA - FightSport Asia. 1 November 2014.
  3. Web site: Australian Fighting Championship heads to Melbourne for Saturday’s AFC 7 - FSA - FightSport Asia. FSA - FightSport Asia. 1 November 2014.
  4. News: The latest on Australian Fighting Championship 18 and the promotion’s china expansion. Fight News Australia. 2017-04-04. en.
  5. Web site: The cage-fighting boom - all that's missing is the cage. Sydney Morning Herald. 1 November 2014.
  6. Web site: Victorian state election opens door to UFC mega-event in Melbourne. FSA - FightSport Asia.
  7. Web site: Australian Fighting Championship Fights, Fight Cards, Videos, Pictures, Events and more. Sherdog.com. Sherdog. 2017-09-04.

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