Integrated Mixed Martial Arts heavyweight Chris “Igor” Lokteff (11-1) has been forced off the Nitro 10 event due to an broken toe. Lokteff was scheduled to face New Zealand fighter Steven Warby for the vacant Nitro heavyweight title on the card scheduled to be held at the Logan Entertainment Centre in Logan City, Queensland on October 26.
Replacing him on the card will be the return of former Sengoku heavyweight “Big” Jim Yorke who will now challenge Warby for the Nitro heavyweight title.
Based out of the 5 Rings Dojo on the Gold Coast, Yorke will return to the cage after a long lay-off. He last fought and lost via decision to highly decorated Jeff Monson back in May 2012. The heavyweight made his debut back in 2003 and has notable victories over James Thompson, Felise Leniu, Brad Morris, Lucas Browne and is also the last fighter to defeat recently signed Bellator MMA fighter Peter Graham, whom he submitted in the first round back in July, 2010.
Based out of the City MMA gym in Auckland, New Zealand, Steven “Warzone” Warby has fought the majority of his bouts in the Industry of Combat NZ promotion where he compiled an impressive record that includes numerous first round stoppages. Warby took on veteran Matt Toa for the ICNZ heavyweight title, however it ended up being declared a no-contest after an appeal deemed Warby finished the fight with knees to a grounded opponent which were prohibited. Warby is also undefeated as an amateur where he went 2-0.
Chris Lokteff is expected to receive an offer to challenge the winner in a future Nitro MMA event in the early part of 2014.
An entertaining clash between Queensland fighter Hale Vaa’sa and former Nitro Light-Heavyweight champion Sam Kei from Sydney, New South Wales is also scheduled for the card. Vaa’sa returns to compete in Nitro for the first time since he lost by decision to current UFC fighter Dylan Andrews while Kei will be looking at earning another shot at the title he lost to Joe Muir earlier this year. Kei originally captured the title by becoming the only fighter to stop Chris Lokteff at Nitro 7.
Im a welterweight bout on the card, the ever popular Isaac Tisdell from the 5 Rings Dojo will clash with Joshua “Wolfman” Smith who has recently based himself out of the Team Quest gym in Chiang Mai, Thailand. After consecutive wins against Alex MacDonald and a nine-second stoppage against Harley Taylor in his last outing, Tisdell will be eager to prove himself as a welterweight contender against Smith who will be looking at turning his career around following back to back losses to Brentin Mumford
