Large Muay Thai line-up getting ready to Rumble

LINE THEM UP: Some of the Whanganui fighters looking to defend their home turf at Saturday's River City Rumble at Whanganui's War Memorial Hall.PHOTO/STUART MUNRO

A MAMMOTH 15-match card and chance to see the next generation of local fighters is the drawcard for this Saturday's River City Rumble at Whanganui's War Memorial Hall.

While the annual novice and amateur Muay Thai event does not have the standout headliner fight of previous years, promoter Steve Alderton has cast the net wide with a much larger group of visitors taking part from Wellington, Masterton, Rotorua, New Plymouth and Stratford.

There will be eight novice fights, where winners are not recorded, competing in three one-and-a-half-minute rounds, before the seven main fights which all have a Whanganui vs Outsider theme.

Going on last will be the 100-110kg bout between Awa Kings Whanganui's Lee Kara and Ngakaunui Thai Boxing (Rotorua) exponent Jason Robertson.

"Lee, he's won quite a few fights now," said Alderton. "That will be a good contest, both of them have a similar amount of experience."

Other well known fighters like expat Jono Anderson, now with Combat Room Wellington, and Wanganui Warriors in teenager Brayden Maua and Brendon Wallace will also perform.

"Brendon, his last fight was exceptional," said Alderton. "He's looking good for better and brighter things in the future."

Another notable is Rivercity Martial Arts member Che Barlow.

The 105kg fighter was a star on the rugby league field for the Wanganui Boxon club and played in the NZRL National Premiership for the Central Vipers representative team.

"I started doing BJJ with old Dan Hania. Just the knee stopped me playing league," Barlow said. "It's just more specific [training], depends how you approach your sport."

He said while league recovery could be hard with matches every week, martial arts had its own kind of pressure as you could train for three months for just one 'game day'.

"You put in all that work and don't know if you're going to come away with the win or the loss," said Barlow.

He will meet New Plymouth's Quinton Wilson of Hydras Kickboxing at 100-105kg.

The card starts at 6.30pm.