Coco Talanoa — Sports / Page 22

* PG recommended - coarse language 

On this Ice Project with (Isaac Johns) episode with Andrew Fifita, he opens up about his near death experience, continued struggles with mental health, Mate Ma’a Tonga and how he was robbed of a Clive Churchill 👀😂

Via Champions of the Pacific 

Link to listen to full audio interview here 

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Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo was five years old when he was gifted his first pair of boxing gloves. 

Sparring was adopted almost immediately with other family members, but it was a movie night at the Sefo's home in Kingsland that saw him fall in love with mixed martial arts. 

"I remember at the age of seven I think it was, my dad had rented a Bruce Lee movie and a Jackie Chan movie, one was Fist Of Fury and the Jackie Chan movie was Drunken Master," he recalled. 

"I was so fascinated by what was happening you know: they were able to use their bodies, their legs, their elbows, their head - like everything just looked so coordinated and being a seven year old it just blew my mind."

Inspired to learn Wing Chun, Sefo was 12-years-old and delivering milk to pay for lessons.…more

Kiwi-Samoan Riverdale screen star and musician KJ Apa is Moana Pasifika’s first official fan having secured the Super Rugby club’s inaugural season membership.

He prefaced the announcement on both his own and Moana Pasifika's social media channels before dropping the announcement about the inaugural season membership last night.

The US-based actor said he will be supporting Moana Pasifika from afar and hopes to head home to New Zealand to catch a game as soon as he can.

"I'm really proud of my Samoan heritage and am so excited to be supporting our Pasifika community," he said.

"I know some of the guys in the team and I'm looking forward to seeing them get out on the field and represent our people well."

A further nine Moana Pasifika season memberships are currently up for auction on Trade Me this afternoon starting at $500 - click here to bid  - and are valued at over $1000 including a Platinum season pass to home matches at Mt Smart Stadium plus Dynasty branded merchandise.…more

Ngāti Porou East Coast fans flocked to Whakarua Park in Ruatōria to catch a glimpse of legendary All Black Ma'a Nonu as they took on Buller in Week Five of the Bunnings Heartland Championship.

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Credit: Sky Sport NZ via All Blacks youtube 

Dual international Sonny Bill Williams about his mental health, faith and what drives him.

He addresses the 'play hard, party hard' culture of the time, and what made him make life changes.

Read more via ABC News here: https://ab.co/3aBtGhS

Congratulations to Heavyweight Boxer Hemi "The Heat" Ahio who won his fight against Mohammed Ali Bayat for the WBC Middle East Championship Heavyweight title.

Hemi who fights out of City Kickboxing in Auckland, New Zealand remains undefeated with 18 wins (13 by KO) 

We caught up with the Tongan boxer from South Auckland in Dubai prior to fight night where he talks to us about how he got into boxing, what his training camp was like leading up to this fight, what motivates him and more.

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Peep the highlights from the 1st round of his fight here 

Check out the 2nd round of Hemi's fight below 

and receiving his belt here 

He survived a brutal childhood and fighting in the streets to become a K1 World Champion, andUFC title contender. Now he’s risking it all to fight for justice in the sport he loves.  Not just a sports story... this is a tale of human triumph.

“Hopefully my story can help people in some way, as I’ve been through a lot... and it’s never over till you give up.  I’m excited to share my story with the world, it’s been one hell of a crazy journey” - Mark Hunt

“Mark Hunt’s story, his background ... is really, really impressive and it adds a whole other perspective when he steps into the Octagon... it’s pretty hard core.” - Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson

“Mark Hunt is a special human being let alone fighter.…more

Brian To'o suprises his girlfriend Sala Moesha Chrichton-Ropati with the big question following his NRL premiership win.

NRL legend Cameron Smith talks to the couple after the Penrith Panthers win and their engagement.

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Meanwhile Western Sydney are still celebrating the Penrith Panthers win ... 

“Athletes are often perceived as being somewhat one-dimensional. But, I’m also a dad, a husband, an avid sports fan, a lover of food and music; as well as many other things. It’s the combination of these things that drives me to get the most out of every day.” - Tony Finau, PGA TOUR Champion

Do What You Love. More.

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At the end of April 2023, Tony Finau won the Mexico Open clinching his fourth win in his last 18 starts to jump five places to world No. 11 beating World #1 Jon Rahm.

Hours after clinching the Mexico Open title, the American was back out on the greens at the nearby Lakes Course, caddying for two of his sons during some night-time par three action.

This will come as no surprise to anyone who's watched Tony in the Netflix doco 'Full Swing'.

Catch Tony in Episode 6 of Netflix' PGA tour doco series 'Full Swing'  

Check out the trailer below - 

One review of the doco series & Tony Finau here - 

Samoan NFL player Jordan Mailata officially signed a massive four year contract extension with the Philadelphia Eagles as first reported by ESPN - the deal is worth US $64 million which could go up to US $80 million if he meets performance bonus clauses, with US $40.85 million guaranteed.

The deal also puts him near the top of the highest earning Australian athletes and News.com.au reported it as the richest contract ever earned by an Australian in the NFL.

In his first post game press conference this season he told reporters he felt extremely blessed to receive the contract extension "It gives me an opportunity to represent my family, my country and my people".

He also opened up on where some of his money would be going to "I’ve been wanting to buy my parents a house, I can finally do that”.…more