Fighter aims for big league
Albany mixed martial arts competitor Tearapa Harrison has set his sights on reaching the Australian Fighting Championships after his success at a Shooto mixed martial arts fight in Perth earlier this month.
Harrison was awarded individual fighter and best fight of the night honours at the July 7 event, which was another step towards selection in the AFC, the Australian version of the Ultimate Fighting Championships.
During preparation for his last fight, Harrison shed 5kg in a sauna just three hours before he competed to make the weight.
“That was a step towards the big league,” he said.
“It has been a long time coming, four years in the making.
“The focus has been purely on ground fighting in the past four years.
“The aim is to get into the AFC and travel to compete against the best fighters in Australia and eventually the best fighters in the world.”
The 26-year-old, who trains five nights a week at Mitsu Domoe academy in Albany, paid credit to his trainer, sensei Christopher Mazzali for helping him learn mixed martial arts after he came from a boxing background.
“If it wasn’t for him I wouldn’t be where I am,” he said.
“He has completely changed my life, there is a special bond between us.”
The three-times Federation of Brazilian jujitsu champion and winner of submission only fighting tournaments has set his sights on an mixed martial arts bout in seven weeks.
