This Sunday, June 22nd, Diamondback Fighting Championship returns for DFC 23, if the last few cards are anything to go by, fans can expect fireworks from the opening bell. With new talent rising fast, crowd favourites stepping back into the cage and big changes behind the scenes, the energy around this card is electric.

Ahead of the event, we've caught up with DFC owner Craig Icke to get his thoughts on what’s shaping up to be one of the most exciting cards yet. From rising stars and evolving coaching culture to dream matchups and what’s next for the brand, here’s what Craig had to say…

Q). DFC has become a real proving ground for talent, who are some up and comers or debutants you're excited for at DFC 23?

A). Great question! There is a tonne of talent coming through right now so it's a difficult one, but looking at our upcoming card, Trinity has a young man called Akil Farzan who's returning from injury that looked fantastic in his debut. Akil has an unorthodox striking style & will compete in Caged Muay Thai on this show, I think you can expect dynamic action when he hits the cage! SA Combat Academy have a youngster called Saxon Nickels who I'm interested to see compete, he looks very physically strong & a likely sort! And I must mention one of my students, Jye Hodges, his debut on DFC22 was very high level & at just 18yrs old we believe he has a big future.

Q). Craig, the level of competition keeps rising at DFC. How are the local gyms and fight camps contributing to that evolution?

A). It's an interesting one because right now the amateur ranks are pretty stacked & growing but the tricky part is knowing when these fighters should turn pro. 15yrs ago when we first started producing fighters many of them turned pro straight away or after just a fight or two! So the experience the young fighters get now in the amateur ranks is much greater & in turn I think our South Australian Coaches/Trainers have also gained experience & evolved into really formidable & knowledgeable Coaches. They are all doing a great job mentoring & preparing their athletes & it shows on Fight Night 100%!

Q). What’s been the most rewarding part of building DFC to this point, and what’s next for the brand beyond DFC 23?

A). Honestly, it's mostly the comradery between everyone in the Mixed Martial Arts community, not just the Coaches & Fighters but also the fans, friends & families. We have people that have sat Front Row at DFC for 10yrs, since the very beginning, it's humbling to have such loyal support. What's next? We've now hit 10yrs promoting the Diamondback brand & we'd like to see our event showcased on bigger platforms, so DFC23 will see a little bit of a shake up & some changes to our production & presentation. We're working hard to get DFC onto a big network like 7+ & give SA athletes their chance to shine on free-to-air televisions across Australia & continue to cement Diamondback FC as Australia's BEST multi-discipline Combat Sports event!

Q). You’ve been cage side as a coach for some absolute wars but what makes a fight memorable for you as a promoter?

A). You're right, sometimes it's the best seat in the house but if I'm honest, it's bloody stressful! When you're part of a Fight Team it's a big family & you just want to see your Fighters perform well & come out of the cage healthy, but a great fight.. it's a fight that has a little bit of everything, it's not one-sided, it's an even contest, it's extremely skillful & displays true Mixed Martial Arts tactics. A back & forth battle where each athlete has to dig deep to make it through the storm! Then, win lose or draw, the fighters respect each other & are forever linked through battle! When you fight someone it's not personal, but it's something unique & it forges a very very rare bond between people. It's pretty cool!

Q). Any dream matchups or rematches you’d love to make happen under the DFC banner?

A). This is an easy one! DFC22 saw what many have regarded as our most exciting, edge of your seat, brutal battles. Leroy "The Artist" Leondaris (Duelmaster iFight / Cardioflex MMA) & Shaun "Irish" Curran (Frontline Muay Thai) had an absolute WAR! This fight has been released on our YouTube Channel DFCTV & if you weren't cageside at DFC22 you MUST check it out! In the end the Dr stopped the fight due to a nasty cut on Curran's ear but these guys went toe-to-toe from bell-to-bell! What a fight! I think all DFC Fight Fans would love to see a rematch between these two amazing fighters!

From the DFC Team, we'd like to say a HUGE thank you to Xpeed for the support over 10yrs, & to our fans who continue to show up in numbers to see Adelaide's best MMA talent entertain! We appreciate you all.

Right back atcha Craig! At Xpeed, we’re proud to support DFC as it continues to raise the bar for combat sports in Australia. Seeing the local fight scene thrive, from debutants making their mark to epic rematches in the works, is exactly why we’ve backed DFC for over a decade.

We’re looking forward to another night of high-level action this Sunday at DFC 23. Whether you're cage side or catching the highlights online, keep an eye out for the next wave of South Australian talent making serious noise.

Thanks again to Craig and the entire DFC crew for letting us be part of the journey.