Months of planning, countless training sessions and years of hard work came together on Saturday night when Scorpion Claw Fight Club SCFC Kickboxing/Boxing Ōpōtiki hosted its first sanctioned kickboxing event. Held at the Opotiki College gym, the event drew competitors from across the Bay of Plenty and Waikato for an action-packed evening of fights.

The All Out Action 2026 fight night marked a major milestone for the small but rapidly growing club, which has been steadily building since coach and organiser Tairongo Hudson began running community training sessions in 2019.

“My inspiration to train others came when my late kickboxing coach told me he thought I would make a better trainer than a fighter,” Hudson said.

“That set me on the path to create the club.”

What began as informal training sessions has developed into a thriving local gym, with the club moving into its dedicated Church Street premises around a year ago.

“I started the training sessions back in 2019, but we only moved into our new premises on Church Street about a year ago now. We’ve had several in-house matches, but last weekend was our first major competition and it was great to see everyone getting involved.”

The event attracted clubs from throughout the region, with teams travelling from Whakatāne, Kawerau, Rotorua, Putāruru, Hamilton and Rūātoki to compete in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd.

For SCFC, the evening represented far more than a night of fights. Eleven club members stepped into the ring, giving many valuable competitive experience without the need to travel hours to larger centres.

“Eleven fighters is huge,” Hudson said after the event. “Sometimes at fight events you can be lucky to get one fight and still have to travel two or three hours to the show. This was awesome for us.”

He said he was particularly proud of the club’s first-time fighters for displaying strong fundamentals and composure in their debut bouts. “That’s all we look for in a first fight – good solid foundations and gaining experience.”

He also commended the performances of the club’s more experienced competitors, saying every fighter demonstrated the determination and resilience that had become synonymous with Ōpōtiki.

“All our fighters showed tremendous heart and Ōpōtiki toughness. Even in our hometown some of the fights were stacked against us, but Opo never backs down from a good scrap.”

Away from the ring, Hudson said the event showcased the strength of the community, with volunteers helping set up and pack down the venue, supporters filling a variety of roles behind the scenes, and businesses contributing through sponsorship, catering and other services.

“We’re super blessed to have beautiful people in our community,” he said.

He paid special tribute to his partner, whose work behind the scenes included designing fight cards, posters, trophies, medals and the championship belt.

“Everything you saw at the event came from her brain. I couldn’t do it without her.”

While the club is taking a short break following the successful event, training will soon resume and fight fans will be pleased to hear plans for All Out Action 2 are already in motion.

“We’re having this week off after the big weekend, but we have a pretty informal walk-in policy. Training runs from 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and anyone keen to give it a go is welcome.”

Judging by the success of All Out Action 2026, that advice has proven well founded. Beyond producing capable fighters, Hudson has built a club that is creating opportunities for local young people, fostering confidence and discipline, and bringing the wider community together through sport.