Mike Makatea-Leylander, left, will compete in Hamilton on Saturday night at TMT Fight Night Presents: Tag Team.
Mike Makatea-Leylander, left, will compete in Hamilton on Saturday night at TMT Fight Night Presents: Tag Team.
He's won an individual title belt and been a 4-man tournament champion, and now Whanganui kickboxer Mike Makatea-Leylander will test his skills in another avenue as he enters the unfamiliar world of team fighting on Saturday night.
The Assassins Muay Thai gym standout will combine forces with Palmerston North's MikeKapi (Misfits Gym) to face Hamilton's Jesse Morrow-Wilson and Adam Tanner in a 'tag team' match to main event Tihipuke Muay Thai's fight night.
In a 76kg matchup, with five rounds of three minutes, Makatea-Leylander and Kapi can alternate in the ring as much as they want, with the matchup continuing to a points decision or until both members of a team cannot continue.
"It's two vs two and only one person can fight at once," said Assassins head trainer Kyle Gallacher.
"You have to physically tag the other person. Then the referee will force a break and let the other person come in."
While tag team matches are common in the scripted world of professional wrestling, legitimate team kickboxing matchups are fairly unique in this country.
"It's not very common at all, it's quite rare," Gallacher said.
"Of all the teams I've seen, this is the highest level.
"We've had a couple of sessions where we bounced some ideas around.
"Both Mike, and Mike, have similar styles, which is knock-out power."
Gallacher said he will have to be "on his toes" to come up with strategies in between the rounds, depending on what their two TMT opponents bring into the ring.
The main event continues what will be an important year for Makatea-Leylander, the IKBF NZ light-middleweight belt holder, who has plans on going to Thailand to compete and possibly entering the King in the Ring tournament.
Swade Wallace
Another Assassins fighter competing on the undercard will be Swade Wallace, who will take on Tauranga Martial Arts gym member Matu Ririnui.
Wallace made his debut at 80kg at Night of Assassins 3 in Springvale Stadium last November, defeating Hawke's Bay's Ethan Bickers by unanimous decision.
'TMT Fight Night Presents: Tag Team', will be held at the TMT Gym on Collingwood St in Hamilton on Saturday, with doors opening at 6pm for the 7pm start.
Putting his fighters in more high profile bouts is all part of Gallacher's plans to continue expansion of the Assassins Muay Thai gym this year.
Having set up a new-look training facility on Taupo Quay, Assassins is holding fitness courses on Tuesday's and Thursday's, as well as fighter development courses on Monday's and Wednesday's.
Gallacher hopes to expand his fight team this year to take competitors to more events.
