Eternal 104 is shaping up to be a big event for Australian MMA. The 145-lb title will be contested for the first time in over a year, even if it’s only for interim gold while Seb Szalay figures out his next move after the Road to UFC Tournament. The card also features a number of exciting, high-ceiling prospects worth keeping an eye on as their careers develop. Below, I’ve highlighted some of my favorite fights and fighters on the card that I’ll be watching closely.
Check out Eternal 104 live on Saturday, March 14th at 1:30 am ET (or Friday, March 13th at 10:30 pm PST) with the Preliminary Card streaming on Eternal’s YouTube page and the main card live on UFC Fight Pass
Kevin Kophamel (4-1) v Justin van Heerden (18-9) – Eternal Interim Featherweight Championship
With champion Seb Szalay tied up in the Road to UFC Tournament, the 145-lb belt will be on the line for the first time in just over a year. Rising prospect Kevin Kophamel faces his toughest test yet as he takes on former champion Justin van Heerden, who’s coming off a win over Jesse Swain earlier this year at Eternal MMA 102.
Kevin Kophamel has long been a familiar name to Australian regional MMA fans, dating back to his strong amateur run where he captured the GAMMA Lightweight Championship. However, he really put himself on the map when he took a short-notice fight up a weight class against one of the top prospects in the world, Harry Webb. The two went five hard rounds in what was one of the best fights I’ve personally seen live, and in the eyes of some, Kophamel did enough to win despite dropping a split decision.
Having already been tested against strong opposition, Kophamel’s only losses have come to high-level competition—Abdalla Biayda, Murtazali Magomedov, and Webb—with the Biayda and Magomedov defeats coming during his amateur care
Ranked #5 in my Top 10 Australian & New Zealand Prospects with 5 or Less Pro Fights and at #7 in my overall Australian & New Zealand rankings, Kophamel is a lifelong striker with a taekwondo base that gives him a refined sense of distance, timing, and balance. His striking arsenal is broad and creative, using a wide range of weapons to damage opponents while seamlessly tying everything together with long combinations and steady volume. While Kophamel’s grappling isn’t usually the focal point of his performances, he’s shown himself to be fundamentally and technically sound, and he’s also demonstrated the ability to make noticeable improvements in that area from fight to fight. With a win here, Kophamel is someone who could quickly start pushing himself into UFC contention.
Standing across from him is 27-fight veteran Justin van Heerden, who has fought just about everyone there is to fight in the division throughout his career. Now, he’s looking to prove he still belongs on the global stage by turning back one of the region’s hottest young prospects.
Fresh off getting back into the win column with a victory over another strong prospect, Van Heerden brings a relentless grappling attack and a grinding style that can wear down almost anyone at 145 if his game isn’t respected. A product of Freestyle MMA under Joe Lopez and Alexander Volkanovski, Van Heerden will be prepared for five hard rounds and likely to implement a smart game plan as he chases what would be his second Eternal championship.
This is a fight that is sure to answer a lot of questions, with potentially a shot on the global stage also on the line for both men.
Chris Power (6-0) v Ayden Todoroff (8-2) – Amateur Featherweight
In what for me shapes as one of the matchups I’m personally most excited for, stepping up on short notice for Aidyn Gould is my #1 ranked amateur in Australia & New Zealand, Ayden Todoroff. He takes on the undefeated prospect out of Lion’s Den Academy, who himself is proving to be a name that onlookers simply can’t ignore.
At just 20 years old, Todoroff is someone the MMA community has been excited about since his amateur debut two years ago in March 2024. Now riding a five-fight win streak—all coming in 2025—Todoroff has already shown he possesses a high level of skill while also making clear improvements between fights as he continues to physically mature and develop his game.
At just 20 years old, Todoroff is someone the MMA community has been excited about since his amateur debut two years ago in March 2024. Now riding a five-fight win streak—all coming in 2025—Todoroff has already shown he possesses a high level of skill while also making clear improvements between fights as he continues to physically mature and develop his game.
On the feet, Todoroff is a nightmare to deal with, boasting a deep bag of tricks despite his relatively limited MMA experience. He can apply relentless pressure when needed, yet almost paradoxically also shows impressive patience—able to slow the fight down, frustrate opponents, and keep himself safe. While he’s not the finished product yet, he doesn’t need to be at his age. He’s done everything you’d want to see from a young amateur entering the sport, and with the natural improvements still ahead of him, he’s shaping up as a serious prospect worth keeping a close eye on.
On the other side, Chris Power is a strong prospect in his own right and, at 26, will likely be the more physically mature fighter compared to someone younger like Todoroff. Power is a dangerous submission artist with an improving striking game, training alongside the likes of George Mangos and Marwan Rahiki under the respected coach Luke Pezzutti. He also captured an amateur title at the Grow Strong Fight Series in October 2025.
Power has demanded attention at every step of his career, and a win here would firmly establish him as one of the top amateurs in the region.
In what proves to be both men’s hardest opponent to date (at least on paper), this matchup will have serious ramifications for the winner that can propel them. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the winner of this turn professional after this bout and become one of the more hyped young prospects in the region.
Ethan Mitchell (1-2) v Val Sharipov (3-1) – Featherweight
One of the more underrated clashes on the card, Val Sharipov looks to put his hand up for a title opportunity against the young, improving Ethan Mitchell, who is far better than his record would suggest.
Val Sharipov is someone I’m very familiar with, having been part of the team that booked him for his amateur title opportunity against Bjorn Leitch. Sharipov is a slick grappler with strong regional experience across both his amateur and professional career, holding notable wins over Tawny Papaikonomou, Darcy Spowart, and Leitch.
His losses have also come against quality competition. Across his pro/am career, Sharipov’s three defeats came against former HEX title challengers Sem Kakembo and Kris Ustijanovski during his amateur run, along with his lone professional loss to Alastair Volders.
Coming off that defeat to Volders, Sharipov will be looking to show improvements in his stand-up while continuing to refine his grappling as he grows into his frame at 24 years old and enters what should be the beginning of his athletic prime.
Having made his amateur debut in mid-2022, Ethan Mitchell is someone many observers have had high hopes for after showing rapid improvement in a short period of time while consistently testing himself against strong competition despite his relative lack of MMA experience.
He began his professional career with two decision losses to recent Eternal MMA 103 winner Tasar Malone and the aforementioned Alastair Volders—two extremely tough matchups for anyone, let alone someone less than two years into their MMA career and making their first appearances as a professional.
Mitchell rebounded with a win over the impressive Oscar Marlow, who was coming off a major upset victory over the highly touted Jett Fisher in his own pro debut, before an unfortunate accidental foul led to his most recent fight being ruled a no-contest. Mitchell will now be looking to rebuild the momentum that once had him talked about as a potential top prospect—and even his record against another highly regarded prospect in Sharipov
With potential title ramifications for the winner, there is a lot on the line as both men look to prove themselves as legitimate prospects with UFC upside.
Ran Deng (1-1) v Daniel Amari (0-0) – Lightweight
Making his professional debut in this fight is the undefeated 27-year-old Daniel Amari riding a 5-0 amateur record consisting of four finishes and a regional title. His opponent, however, is the exciting 25-year striker in Ran Deng, who himself is looking to rebound from a surprise knockout loss against Yaqoot Hakimi.
Deng is a lightning-quick striker with real power in his hands who hadn’t tasted defeat prior to his last bout. With two-thirds of his wins coming by finish, he’s already shown he’s not someone to take lightly on the feet. At his age, he’s also demonstrated the ability to make steady improvements from fight to fight, even if some of those gains have come simply through increased physical strength.
After being knocked out in his last outing, I’ll be watching to see if Deng shows improved defensive awareness and overall composure in his striking. The natural athletic talent is clearly there, but technically I want to see him continue refining his game as he begins facing tougher and tougher opposition.
Daniel Amari, on the other hand, has proven he can win fights in nearly every way—by decision, submission, ground-and-pound, and knockout. After taking a year off since his last bout, it will be interesting to see what improvements he’s made, especially considering he made his MMA debut less than three years ago. I’m curious to see how Amari handles the striking against someone as quick as Deng, but I also expect him to fight smart and test Deng’s grappling, which is clearly the path of least resistance for him to secure a win.
This fight will answer a lot of questions for both men and likely pose some brand-new ones we hadn’t considered before. The winner of this fight will undoubtedly be looking to build momentum towards a potential global scene berth or a big regional opportunity.
Dee Samasoni (3-0) v Alfred Stoddart (5-5)  – Welterweight
Another intriguing bout that could provide a brand-new prospect in the Welterweight division, Dee Samasoni will look to avenge an amateur loss from 2022 against what has proven to be his hardest opponent to date in Alfred Stoddart, who himself is coming off a big knockout win over Max Kelly on Beatdown 12.
Stoddart is a 10-fight veteran who has recently moved down to welterweight after fighting the who’s who Australia had to offer at Middleweight. He holds a Shuriken title win over John Vake, as well as having fought UFC middleweight Cam Rowston, former Eternal Middleweight champion John Martin Fraser, and current Eternal Middleweight Champion Darcy Vendy in honourable losses. His 5-5 record doesn’t do him justice, and down a weightclass Stoddart will be looking to prove that by beating Dee Samasoni for a second time.
The hard truth, however, is that the prospect in this fight is Dee Samasoni, who with a win can really set himself up for big things with a win here against highly respectable opposition. Sporting an undefeated 3-0 record and returning from a near 18-month hiatus, Samasoni will be looking to show off the improvements he’s made in his game by securing what would be the best win in his MMA career to date.
With Samasoni looking to establish himself as a legitimate prospect at Welterweight and Stoddart looking to make a serious run at Welterweight, this fight will mean everything to whoever can manage to get the job done in this one.
Other Fighters on the Card to Watch
- Jett Fisher (2-2) – Young 21-Year-Old Featherweight with elite amateur experience and a ton of fights under his belt at such a young age. Having lost his professional debut in a big upset to Oscar Marlow and his most recent bout getting caught in an ankle lock by Emre Hekimoglu, Fisher will want to re-establish himself as a top, high-ceiling prospect at 145lbs by getting back into the winner’s circle against Alex Ponoris (2-2)
- Jordan Southern (2-0) – Having recently turned pro in July of 2025, Jordan Southern has quickly established himself as a fighter to watch at Flyweight having secured two impressive submission victories in his opening two professional bouts. The 27-Year-Old has fought some of the best regional amateur flyweights Australia has had to offer, and is looking to cement himself as a serious prospect to watch at 125lbs by turning away Jesse Wynne (1-1)
- Loni Filimoehala (3-2) – The Welterweight out of Gamebred Academy & Ignite MMA has made a splash with his bubbly personality and exciting fight style. The experienced amateur has had a mixed bag of results as a professional, but with his wealth of MMA experience over the course of his 11-year long career, Filimoehala is no stranger to tough tasks as he takes on the highly experienced Andrew Mills (10-6)
- Robyn O’Neill (2-1 AM) – Current Grow Strong Fight Series Matchmaker, sister of UFC Flyweight Casey O’Neill and daughter of Eternal CEO Cam O’Neill; the 24-Year-Old will be looking to make a name for herself as she competes on the preliminary card in an amateur bout against Clara Clarke (1-1 AM). Having only lost to Macca Jean, who herself shapes to be a prospect to keep an eye on, O’Neill still has the chance to establish herself as a legitimate prospect in the sport if she can win here against Clarke.