He’s been crowned the Australian version of Dana White – and now IBC boss Daniel Mac has unveiled the UFC favourites he wants for his new promotion, including cult heavyweight Tai Tuivasa.
Speaking with Fox Sports Australia in the build to his latest showcase – an IBC welterweight title fight between Issac Hardman and Joel Camilleri – Mac also confirmed fellow Octagon favourites Dan Hooker and Michael ‘Venom’ Page are in his sights.
Apart from being one of Australia’s most recognised fighters, Tuivasa has spent almost 10 years as one the greatest cult figures anywhere in the Octagon – becoming famed for his streetfighter style and ‘Shoeyvasa’ drinking celebrations.
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More recently however, the Mt Druitt puncher has gone on a run of seven straight losses, and is now looking to end the slump at UFC 331 in Los Angeles this Sunday.
Certainly though, the UFC aren’t making it easy – pairing the fighter dubbed ‘Bam Bam’ against Cuban knockout machine Robelis Despaigne.
An Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist, Despaigne is now back for a second UFC run.
He will also start a heavy favourite against Tuivasa, whose last win came against Derrick Lewis in February, 2022.
Yet regardless of the Australian’s form slump, Mac wants him for his own shows.
In fact, the IBC president insists Tuivasa could enjoy the same type of popularity resurgence in brawling that another UFC alumni, Mike Perry, earned when switching to the bareknuckle game.
Mac pointed to the fact that, only a year after its inception, the IBC is already signing up domestic boxing favourites like Hardman and Camilleri – the latter of whom is ranked at No.11 in the WBA middleweight division.
And with the pair squaring off next Wednesday night for IBC gold, Mac revealed he is also now in discussions with some popular Octagon stars.
“I can confirm that I’m actively hunting Tai Tuivasa,” the IBC boss said.
“And Dan Hooker, he’s another one. I’ve also reached out to the people who look after Michael ‘Venom’ Page. We’ve spoken to his team.
“So for us, the stars really are aligning.
“And a guy like Tai Tuivasa? He would be the ultimate ambassador.
“He’d be a poster boy for our sport.
“Everyone knows how much Tai loves to stand and bang. It’s what he’s built for.
“Hooker is the same.
“And right now, obviously, the UFC reigns supreme.
“But I also feel like we’ll also be up there too in the next four or five years.”
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New Zealand’s Hooker is another longtime favourite among UFC fans, although recently suffered his third straight loss against France’s Salah-Dine Parnasse.
MVP, meanwhile, has only just been cut by the UFC, and despite the Englishman being on a run of four straight wins.
Signing Page would represent a coup for Australia’s newest combat promotion, which is also being whispered for several international shows in 2027.
While the UK fighter was on a streak of four straight – which included, most recently, a win over Nursulton Ruziboev at UFC Paris this month — the promotion opted not to re-sign him.
Apart from the IBC now chasing signatures for both MVP and Hooker, Mac added his promotion would also do for Tuivasa what bareknuckle has done for Perry.
“Tai Tuivasa not only becomes the face of a sport here, he continues competing for years to come if he wants,” he said.
“If Tai comes to the IBC, we’d build him again.
“And our sport is absolutely suited to athletes like him; fighters in their thirties who are starting to struggle with everything that comes with those strict routines of training.
“We’ve got shorter rounds, and less damage on the body. So those guys can come here and still have careers.”
Mac also revealed Camilleri isn’t the only world ranked fighter he is speaking with.
“Right now, I’m having conversations with numerous boxers across Australia,” he continued. “I’m talking about world ranked guys. There are some others too who are among the top ranked guys domestically.
“And obviously there has been a lot of work to get to this point so quickly. But really for us, it’s amazing.
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“This is what we’re doing within 12 months of getting started. Within five shows.
“It’s phenomenal and shows the success the IBC is having.”
And as for next Wednesday’s main event, which tops a card set to be shown live on both Main Event and Kayo Sports?
“Definitely a 50/50 fight,” he said. “It’s also exciting to see the IBC has got something done that the boxing community couldn’t.
“And that isn’t taking aim at anyone.
“But this is a fight a lot of people have wanted to see. And we’ve been able to put it together.”
Hardman is looking to become the IBC’s first ever ‘Champ Champ’, having also retained middleweight gold in July against Mikey Vaotuua.
After rising up to become world ranked in boxing, the fighter dubbed ‘Headsplitter’ has most recently enjoyed immediate success in the brawling space.
IBC fights are contested in a square cage – five metres, by five metres – with the combatants unable to wrestle or clinch, ensuring more action and almost every bout ending via KO.
Asked previously about the Camilleri fight, Hardman replied: “I’m punching Joel Camilleri’s nose straight … honestly, I’m sleeping him.
“I know the guy might still be a world ranked boxer and whatever.
“But his greatest asset has always been his footwork. And you can watch him in those big arse boxing rings, herking and jerking, ducking and diving.
“But good luck doing that against me in a f***ing phone booth.
“I tip even one big right hand on his chin … he’s sleeping.”
While Camilleri has recently called out fighters like Nikita Tszyu, Michael Zerafa and Ben Mahoney, Hardman added that he had no problem accepting the chance to become a two-division champion.
“No one wants to fight him, apparently,” Hardman shrugged of his latest rival.
“So that’s why he’s switching it up and coming across to what all these boxers are calling the mug’s game.
“But I can tell you what, he’s coming to the IBC to get paid. And get paid really f***ing well.
“Honestly though, I don’t give a f*** about any of that.
“Same as I don’t care who I defend titles against. So long as that cashola keeps arriving into my back pocket, I’ll fight my brother if I need to.”