Last Saturday night, November 28, David Bendall defeated Moe Hussain to become the first Aotearoa Muay Thai Association Elite Class super heavyweight champion.

The bout was the penultimate fight at Vendetta – Queens of Muay Thai at the Southern Trust Event Centre in Timaru, and was closely matched, with Bendall taking the victory after five rounds of action.

The fight was a back-and-forth war, with Hussain fighting with high pressure and setting a fast pace early. Bendall weathered the storm and kept his own pace up for all five rounds to take the win on two of the three judges’ scorecards.

The win moves 29-year-old Bendall to 15-7-0 with two New Zealand titles to his name. He is the head coach of Muay Thai Christchurch. His MTC team-mate Matt Sutherland also won a New Zealand title at Vendetta.

Fight News caught up with the new AMTA super heavyweight champion Dave Bendall after his big win.

Hi Dave. Congrats on the new title. How did the fight go in your words?

“It was definitely a tough, tough battle, with Moe’s constant pressure coming forward. I feel like the guy never stopped.

“It was just about me picking my shots when I saw an opportunity.”

It seemed to me that you picked up the pace as the fight went on. What was your strategy going in?

“I was just thinking about getting my combos flowing together and looking for holes while I was out there.

Did you consciously pace yourself to keep the same output over five rounds?

“I just naturally do that, I always have. I’ve been a bit of a slow starter and I like to finish strong.”

Dave Bendall lands a right hand (photo: Bradley Powdrell).

You told me in February that you weren’t in the physical condition you wanted to be in. Your cardio held up on Saturday night, though. Have you been building your cardio this year?

“Nah mate, I’ve had a sh*t of a year for training, haha. I think recently I’ve worked more on my flow, getting my combos flowing together.

“I’ve concentrated more on my pad-work, trying to get that going a bit more.”

You’ve fought at a big range of weight classes. Are we going to see more of super heavyweight Dave Bendall?

“I’m not too sure, just whatever really. If there’s an opponent there who I think will be a good match, then wherever it is, I’ll be there.

“I don’t actually like being this heavy, I don’t feel that comfortable.”

Do you have aspirations for King in the Ring, or are you going to stick with full Thai rules?

“Yeah, I’d like to get there, definitely. That’s the pinnacle for New Zealand, for stand-up combat anyway. But I definitely prefer the Thai rules.”

What happened at King of Kings in October? It looked like you popped up pretty quickly after the knockdown. Were you surprised the ref called it off?

“I was telling my guys that I was alright, and I said to Howie [Booth, the referee] that I was sweet.

“It’s my own fault, because when he asked me if I wanted to continue, I didn’t say yes straight away, so he called the fight, and fair enough as he is looking out for my own safety.

“At the end of the day, you live on and you get to fight another fight. Four weeks later I’m in the ring again.”

Is avenging the loss to Jabe Tyler something you’d be interested in?

“Yeah, if there was an opportunity there later on down the track. If I had a few things more clear in my schedule I’d jump at the chance.”

What are your thoughts on what Scott Tweedie is doing with the AMTA’s points-based system and fully hydrated fights?

“It’s really good. He’s doing a really good thing for the sport. He’s definitely growing Muay Thai in the South Island and even around New Zealand, getting everyone involved.

“The show he put on on the weekend was absolutely amazing, so hats off to him.”

This was your second New Zealand title. Will you be gunning for more high-profile fights next year?

“Just whatever comes up. I think I said on Saturday night, I just enjoy competing.”

Have you got anything booked for 2021?

“No, I’ve decided to wait, I’ve got a few personal goals I need to tick off first, which really have got in the way of my training. There are some career things happening for me at the moment.

“Once they’re done, I’m gonna fully focus on competing. Probably after March next year, so it’s not that long, I’ve just got three months to tick these goals off and get back into competing.”

Thanks for the interview Dave. Looking forward to seeing you back in there in 2021!

If you missed the action, Vendetta – Queens of Muay Thai is available for replay on Fight News for a PPV cost of $10. Follow this link to register and this link to access the replay.