Alongside the rise of Auckland’s City Kickboxing Gym, Tongan striking coach Tristam Apikotoa aka Twister or Twist, has often been credited by some of the gym’s biggest stars for the role he plays in their success.

Dan ‘The Hangman’ Hooker calls Twist his ‘secret weapon’ and Israel ‘The Last Stylebender’ Adesanya has described him as being 'knowledgable in the game, under-rated and a dark horse'.

We first met Twist in the buildup to UFC271 where he was often seen quietly observing the boys training sessions and Spyda drills.

With City Kickboxing Gym making history at UFC 293 having the most fighters from one gym on a card, Twist allowed us a rare interview.

Get to know the man, the myth and the legend in his own words below - 

-

My Mum is Alisi Peau Ave-ika-Ki-Moana Wolfgramm from Neiafu, Vava'u and my father is Sosefo Losino Apikotoa Sapa'ata from Niua Fo'ou. Hihifo, NiuaToputapu.  Both families migrated and settled on the mainland in the village of Fasi-Moe-Afi A Tungi, Tongatapu.…more

by Thomas Law

In little over five weeks’ time, the Pacific Rugby League Championships will kick off, a concept tried in the past but not with this level of backing and interest from so many parties. Over four rounds in October and November, this will be the first major taste of international rugby league in the Southern Hemisphere since the 2019 Oceania Cup, with more teams involved than ever before, plans for future editions in years and financial commitments to equality across nations and gender.

In addition to Tonga’s pre-scheduled tour of England, Aotearoa New Zealand and last year’s World Cup finalists, Australia and Samoa, will compete in a round-robin, top-tier Pacific Championships, whilst Papua New Guinea, the Cook Islands and Fiji compete in a bowl hosted in Port Moresby. Concurrently there will also be a series of women’s games featuring all seven nations.…more

Sarai Bareman is one of the most influential women in world sport ⚽️

Hailing from West Auckland, she’s been FIFA’s Chief Women’s Football Officer since 2016, when the role was first created. You might have heard of her brother too - Eugene Baremen is the coach of UFC stars Israel Adesanya, Alex Volkanovski, and Dan Hooker.

On the back of this year’s record-breaking Women’s World Cup, Between Two Beers spoke to her about organising the tournament and the chaos of Opening Day, as well as her fight against corruption and sexism in football.

As the excitement continues to build, fans of The Voice Australia are now firmly entrenched in the Callbacks stage of the competition.

With the Blind Auditions having concluded, the stakes are higher than ever as contestants face off in groups of three, vying for a spot in the upcoming Battle Rounds. The pressure is on as one singer advances directly to the Battles, another earns a second chance in the Ultimate Callback, and sadly, one hopeful's journey comes to an end.

With emotions running high and the judges, as well as the audience, holding their breath, the Callbacks stage has proven to be a true test of both talent and skill.

This season of The Voice Australia has been particularly special for its Pasifika contestants who have captivated both the judges and the audience with their skills.

Among them, Samoan crooner Marley Sola stands out as a shining star.…more

By Loveni Enari

Is it time to start dreaming once more?

Just like in 1991, 1995 and 1999, those being the last golden years of Manu Samoa rugby when they successfully navigated the pool stages and made the quarter finals of a World Cup.

The boys in royal blue were millimetres away from beating Ireland, the world number one last Saturday and, according to team manager Faautu Talapusi, it may be a sign of better things to come.

'The team was absolutely heartbroken and you could see they absolutely believed they could beat Ireland but they fell short,' said Talapusi from their current base in Perpignan.

'The win was there for the taking.' 

So near, yet so far ... just what the doctor ordered ... just not good enough ... an inch is as good as a mile ... plenty to be pleased about ... stands us in good stead for the tournament ...…more

In 2018 & 2019, the Rise UP Academy primary school in Mangere were part of Ngā Tau Tuanguahuru (‘looking beyond for ten more years’), a longitudinal study of Māori and Pacific educational and family success.

77 Pacific students aged between 5-19yrs of age from five South Auckland schools (including the Rise UP Academy) were asked what success and 'doing well' means to them - what helps, what stands in their way and how they overcome barriers to success and doing well.

Last week the researchers who are funded by Foundation North held a special screening of a short video they had put together to share the results from the study which captured the voices of Pacific students. 

The celebration and screening was held at the Mangere Arts Centre and attended by both the students who had taken part in the study as well as their families.…more

Hawaiian/Samoan MMA fighter Max 'Blessed' Holloway was brought to tears at the UFC Singapore press conference talking about the Maui fires.

The 'Blessed Express' takes on the Korean Zombie in the early hours of Sunday morning and shared in the presser above that seeing the faces of family and children that had lost their lives in this Hawaii News Now post really hit him hard. 

“I always go in there with Hawaii on my back, but it feels a little bit heavier now” he concluded. 

He announced that in honour of the lives lost in the fire his walkout song would be dedicated to those who had been lost in the fire and the heroes like the fire fighters who are still doing what they can.

He will also be wearing red trunks for the first time in his UFC fight career in solidarity with the people of Lahaina.

For those wanting to donate directly to families affected by the fires go to @lahaina_ohana_venmo and donate.

By Loveni Enari

The Waltons was a 1970s TV series that became world famous while the Jacksons were simply world famous. Now there are some new Waltons on the scene but unlike the country folk from the series, this family are definitely more Jacksons in style!

Meet brothers Bowie and Kaia Walton.

From Byron Bay in Australia they are of Polynesian, Melanesian and white Australian stock, and they are about to Rock you. Well Bowie already is, playing the role of Roman Reigns in the series, The Young Rock.

'It was funny because I had to yell it out at first,' says 11 year old Bowie, referring to his shouting at the screen, 'Acknowledge me!'

'The best thing about it is the experience, because each time you do something you have more experience and you can go on and do more.'

Bowie talks the talk on the screen, but he also walks the sports walk.…more

"I don't know if I have a fairy godmother or my ancestors had some say in it, but I was able to do something tonight that I didn't think was possible," Tausaga said after smashing her personal best and snatching Gold at the World Athletics Championships.

The 25 year old made history when she stunned the crowd in Budapest with her personal best throw of 69.49 to win the first ever Gold medal in women’s Discus throw for an American at the World Athletic Championships.

She follows in the footsteps of fellow Samoan Beatrice Faumuina ONZM, who won Gold for New Zealand at the 1997 World Athletic Championships.

Prior to this meet Tausaga had finished last twice in the finals at the World Athletic Championships and she went into this years final with a personal best of 65.46 metres.  She obliterated her personal best by 4 metres.…more

By Loveni Enari

Feel like a dose of Samoan pride this weekend?  There’s a club team from Samoa looking to win at least four gold medals at the National Taekwondo championships in Kohimarama (19-20 Aug 2023).

The Barfoot and Thompson Stadium is hosting the tournament and Samoan club KLAS Taekwondo have arrived with big expectations.

According to the head coach Leuluaitumua Tapunuu Kaino Thomsen-Fuataga, anything less than four golds will be a disappointment.

Thomsen-Fuataga, himself a former Olympian and Oceania gold medalist, and current head coach of the Samoa national team:  "If we don’t get at least four golds we won’t be happy".

"We've got four national team members here who will be aiming to take out gold and I’m well aware of the level of competition they’ll be facing" he said from their base at Ngati Otara marae.

Those four members are Oswald Tapelu (-68kg), Ryan Eteuati (-74kg), Irae Mose Simi, (87kg+), and the only female from the national team, Tovale Filipo (-57kg) category.…more