MIXED martial arts promoters have cleared the last hurdle in the countdown to the history-making cage fighting event in Albury next month.
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The event being jointly hosted by the Australian Fighting Championships and North Albury Football-Netball Club to avoid a ban in Victoria is all systems go for May 17 after no objections were raised to the marquee that will be erected on Bunton Park.
The deadline for submissions on the development application required for the marquee passed this week without complaint.
Promoter Adam Mil-ankovic said tickets had gone on sale for the event to be held in a marquee he said was one of the biggest in the southern hemisphere.
He said 11 bouts would be held, including a welterweight title fight between Corey Nelson and Callan Potter and a bantamweight title fight re-match between Gustavo Falciroli and Kai Kara-France.
Mr Milankovic said he expected $200 ringside tickets would be snapped up by the sport’s established fans.
Other seating categories are priced at $150, $110 and $80.
He was confident the event, dubbed “Barny on the Border” would attract up to 4000 people and confirmed police would be present.
Mr Milankovic was joined at the event launch yesterday at Bunton Park by one of the other fighters on the night, Peter Davenport.
The 30-year-old former VFL footballer, who played at Geelong, Frankston and Port Melbourne, has a 3-1 win-loss record since switching to mixed martial arts.
“It is exciting to fight in a cage,” he said.
“It is a chance to participate in our sport in a safe environment and good to see the people up here are embracing what we are trying to do.
“I’ve played a lot of footy at various levels.
“I made the switch to this sport because of the enjoyment I get out of it.”
Davenport said he could understand the public perception that the sport was violent.
“I can see why people do perceive it as a sport that is not that great on the eye,” he said.
“But it is not right and not fair.
“I’ve had more injuries playing half a game of footy than I have fighting.
“I would love to fight in my home town of Geelong and Melbourne, but at the moment I can’t and I’m happy to come to a place like Albury.”