UFC: Big month ahead for Kiwi fighters

Mark Hunt in training. Photo / Getty

The next month shapes as one of the biggest of the year for New Zealand's top MMA fighters.

Men and women, across a range of promotions, are all set for bouts that could shape their careers or put them in contention for title shots.

Papamoa featherweight Faith Van Duin will make her long-awaited debut in the all-female promotion Invicta FC in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday (NZT) when she meets American Amanda Bell (3-2).

Van Duin (4-1) was due to make her first appearance in December against Charmaine Tweet (6-5) but the fight was cancelled at the 11th hour due to medical concerns around Tweet.

The 28-year-old Van Duin remained motivated to perform at Invicta FC 12 to inspire her daughters.

"Honestly, after not fighting last time, it has made me hungrier and more aggressive than before. So, I think the reason for this layoff has definitely lit a fire under me," Van Duin told MMA website Combat Press.

Victory would put the Kiwi in the discussion to potentially meet champion Cristiane 'Cyborg' Justino (13-1, 1 NC).

Meanwhile, under the UFC banner, Mark Hunt (10-9-1) will headline UFC Fight Night 65 in Adelaide on Sunday, May 10 when he meets American Stipe Miocic (12-2).

The bout has heavyweight title implications as it's understood Hunt could be in line for a championship bout at UFC 193 in Melbourne in November if he was to emerge victorious.

The Super Samoan challenged Brazilian Fabricio Werdum (19-5-1) for the interim belt at UFC 180 in November but was knocked out in the second round after filling in for champion Cain Velasquez (13-1) on short notice.

Werdum will challenge Velasquez at UFC 188 in Mexico in June when the titles will be unified.

Gold Coast-based New Zealand middleweight Dylan Andrews (17-6, 1 NC) will meet England's Brad Scott (9-3) in Adelaide, while Kiwi-born Australian middleweight Robert Whittaker (13-4) will take on the 14th-ranked Brad Tavares (13-3) in the co-main event.

Also on Hunt's undercard, Auckland featherweight Dan Hooker (11-5) will make a step up in competition when he faces Japanese veteran Hatsu Hioki (27-8-2).

Hooker lost his most recent UFC appearance - also on a Hunt undercard - when he dropped a decision to Maximo Blanco (11-6-1, 1 NC) at UFC Fight Night 52 in Japan in September.

The 25-year-old has prepared for this bout in Vietnam where he has spent the past few months, training alongside fellow Auckland featherweight Ev Ting.

Ting (9-2) will step inside the ONE Championship cage on May 22 in Singapore against Russian Marat Gafurov (10-0) in a bout that could net Ting a title shot.

"I consider Marat as a top-35 featherweight in the world," Ting told the Herald. "However, I am leaving no margin for error, so regardless of his credentials it will not stop my bones flying at his chin."

The 25-year-old Ting took up MMA after watching the sport on YouTube after finishing high school, which coincided with the opening of the Auckland MMA gym near Ting's home.

"Now I am travelling around the world pursuing something I love and competing on big platforms," he said.

Kiwi kickboxer, boxer and aspiring MMA fighter Israel Adesanya, who won last month's Super 8 cruiserweight boxing tournament in Christchurch, is in Florida helping Anthony 'Rumble' Johnson (19-4) prepare for his UFC light heavyweight title fight against Jon Jones (21-1). The bout will headline UFC 187 in Las Vegas on Sunday, May 24 (NZT).