Mixed martial arts: Anderson on Aussie promoter’s card

Brogan Anderson.
Brogan Anderson.
Dunedin man Brogan Anderson will be in the thick of the action when the Brace Mixed Martial Arts promotion makes its New Zealand debut at the Lincoln Event Centre in Christchurch on Friday.

Anderson (6-2) will co-headline a fight card stacked with New Zealand talent when he faces undefeated Queenstown fighter Renan Secco (4-0).

Brace is one of the oldest MMA promotions in Australia.

The Friday show will be its 41st since 2009, and they are streamed online through the Ultimate Fighting Championship's fight pass.

All of Secco's wins have come via first-round submission and Anderson (27) knows the Carlson Gracie Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt will be a real challenge.

"It is definitely a dangerous fight if it goes to the ground, but I am a well-rounded fighter,'' Anderson said.

With five submission wins, Anderson was confident in his wrestling, although he will look to stay standing and "bang it out''.

It will be Anderson's fourth welterweight fight and second this year after winning the Supremacy Fighting Championship NZ title in April.

Secco (27) said his stand-up game felt as sharp as ever.

"I guess he [Anderson] also likes the ground 'n' pound, which is a good fact for me so I can roll over my submissions.''

In the lightweight main event of the eight-bout fight card, StrikeForce Canterbury's Kieran "The Stonecutter'' Joblin (16-7) faces Queensland's Greg Atzori (Integrated MMA, 17-8).

Joblin is one of New Zealand's brightest MMA exponents.

He is the Shuriken New Zealand professional lightweight champion, an Australian title holder and the World Kickboxing Federation Oceania professional lightweight MMA champion, while Atzori is a former multiple Australian champion.

Brace New Zealand general manager Matt Cain said the 27-year-old Joblin's dream was to compete in the UFC, and with 10 wins from his last 12 fights he was looking to get back in the winner's circle after losing his last fight in Canada, a unanimous decision to No2-ranked Canadian lightweight Alex Ricci.

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