A fuming Duke Didier has been caught in the middle of a stand-off between the ACT government and the Brace mixed martial arts promotion after an event was shut down in extraordinary circumstances.
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Didier (6-1) was supposed to make his long-awaited Brace light heavyweight championship defence against Jacob Malkoun (1-0) at Brace 53 at the AIS Arena on Saturday.
Instead the entire event was shut down by the ACT government, with a spokesman saying "a number of medical clearances and other technical requirements under the Boxing Control Act were not met".
Brace chief executive Kya Pate opted not to comment until he has more information.
Didier says Canberra-based MMA fighters have to be registered with the NSW Combat Sports Authority and "the onus is on both the fighter and the promotion to ensure you’re ready to go" and have updated medicals provided.
"I asked a lot of questions on how that can possibly happen so close to an event, and I’d like to know exactly why as well, because we still haven’t been given many reasons," Didier said.
"I can’t speak for other fighters and I definitely won’t be speaking for the promotion, but the fact that I just want to make clear is I was ready to go.
"I was cleared medically, I had my registration sorted, and I treated this as professionally as it should be, and I approached it as professionally as it should be. It’s just a shame because this is the outcome.
"We weighed in, everything was good to go, and then we were told that the government were shutting down the show based on something to do with certain fighters’ medicals.
"My medicals were all okay and I know my opponent’s were, I’m not sure about the rest of the card. I don’t know exactly why it happened, I don’t know exactly how it happened.
"If it has got to do with fighter safety, I understand, but I am left just like everyone else is, asking questions why. I’m in the dark on it too."
It is the second time in less than three months Brace has had to cancel a show in Canberra, with an event originally scheduled for March 3 scuppered when three main card bouts fell through.
Didier's light heavyweight title defence was supposed to be the main event in March, and now it has fallen through a second time to make months of training come to no avail.
Some Canberra coaches have long been opposed to putting their fighters on Brace shows and a host of fighters have been left fuming after spending money on training camps and completing weight cuts, while some that rely on ticket sales for payment have been left in limbo.
Didier held a training camp in Thailand and says while it was beneficial, there is no payoff at the end and it leaves the 29-year-old in a tough spot financially.
"I spoke to several [other fighters] and they are just disappointed that they’ve put in all the hard work and they don’t get to deliver on what they've been looking to peak for for so long," Didier said.
"That’s the disappointing thing, because it’s not 15 to 25 minutes, it’s eight to 12 weeks. For it to be taken after the weigh-in, I’m not pointing the finger at anyone, I’m just expressing my disappointment."
