Night of Assassins

FIGHT NIGHT: Mike Makatea-Leylander (front) has top billing at the upcoming Night of Assassins fight night, while Emily Kara, Jo Burke and Brendan Wallace feature on the undercard.

Training sessions have stepped up a notch as the Night of Assassins looms.

Set down for Saturday, March 11 at Springvale Stadium in Whanganui, the martial arts fight night will feature three New Zealand Muay Thai title bouts and at least 11 fights on the undercard including several mixed martial art styles and female match-ups.

Organiser Kyle Gallacher said the night promises to be action-packed with all 14 bouts featuring a range of styles and skill set levels.

"These guys are superbly fit athletes focused on winning and they have trained very hard for the event," Gallacher said.

The main event is between Whanganui's own Mike Makatea-Leylander and Deej Edwards from Hawkes Bay for the New Zealand Muay Thai middleweight title, while former Whanganui fighter Jono Anderson takes on Jake Walker from Auckland for the New Zealand welterweight belt.

The third title bout pits Eden Phillips from Auckland against Palmerston North's Connor Mooney.

Gallacher is no stranger to Muay Thai having represented New Zealand at the IFMA Muay Thai World Championships in Malaysia in 2014.

He was defeated in his first fight, but went into the bout carrying a knee-ligament injury he picked up more than two months earlier. Gallacher has since had the knee operated on and is slowly, but surely returning to full fitness.

In the meanwime, he has used his experience as coach and mentor at the Assassins Muay Thai Gym to build a small stable of young up-and-comers trained in the discipline.
Several of those in the stable will feature at the Night of Assassins.

They will include former Whanganui boxer Brendan Wallace who Gallacher rates as a real Muay Thai up-and-comer. Mother of two Emily Kara has limited ring time since her debut in the corporate division at the Rise of the Flava Fallen Fight Night on Anzac Day in 2015 where she won. Brazilian jiu jitsu exponent Jo Burke also gets to show her unique skills in the ring on the night.

Night of Assassins is designed to provide fighters with ring time, but also to offer the public a spectacle to behold.

"We have the general admission and also corporate tables seating up to 10 ringside. People can get tickets through UGC Hairdressers at 54 Guyton St or corporate bookings can be made through me," Gallacher said.