Master and the apprentice: Canberra duo Duke Didier and DJ Taumoepeau collide in Endouro Fight Series main event

In one corner stands Duke Didier, the 7-1 mixed martial artist moving up to heavyweight to reignite a career stalled by injuries, surgeries and lockdowns.

In the other is DJ Taumoepeau, a 3-3 striker stepping up to face a former teammate who showed him the ropes.

The pair will collide in the main event of the first Endouro Fight Series event at the Hellenic Club of Canberra on September 4.

Didier and Taumoepeau trained together before the former packed his bags and moved to Melbourne in a bid to realise his UFC dream.

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Doctors told Didier he would never fight again due to a blood clot in his right leg. But now with two surgeries and a lockdown behind him, the 32-year-old is back on a mission.

It just so happens the man standing in his way is a former Hill Sports Academy teammate in Taumoepeau, a heavyweight rival he both trained with and coached.

"We weren't able to get anyone international because of COVID, and there were a lot of people who weren't keen in the top 10 [in Australia]," Didier said.

"I had the idea about DJ, who is in the top 10. We don't train together anymore, I haven't trained with him in years. It's slim pickings at heavyweight, so if he was keen for it, I was keen for it.

"It's obviously the first time I've ever fought a former teammate. It's nothing personal, we'll get in there, get the job done, and have a few beers afterwards.

"It's all strictly business. Having two fighters who are known in Canberra is only going to help the card, it's only going to help bring more eyes to the product. Hey, who doesn't love a local derby?

"I'll be giving up 10 kilos in the fight, this is my first one back in a couple of years, so I'm definitely not looking past DJ. I'm taking this match-up very seriously because DJ is a dangerous opponent.

"He can beat you on the feet or on the ground, I know that for a fact."

Taumoepeau has had five fights across MMA and boxing fall through since his last bout in 2019.

He admits the prospect of fighting a mate makes for a bizarre feeling, but inactivity can so often be a fighter's downfall.

Which is why he is willing to rise to the challenge.

"I'll never say no to a fight. I wasn't really looking to fight Duke, but if he's happy to fight," Taumoepeau said.

"It's just not looking like we'll get anywhere, so I'll always say yes to a fight. I just wanted to make sure it was a fight and it wouldn't piss anyone off. He's had the same thing, a lot of injuries and pull-outs. It should be good.

"I've got other things lined up so I want to keep busy working my way towards it. This will be a good way to stay busy. He would have some stuff lined up, he's obviously trying to get into the UFC, that's what we're all trying to look for.

"You can't just get there from not fighting, it has to be done man."

Didier says training with the likes of UFC duo Jimmy Crute and Jake Matthews has done wonders leading into a permanent shift into the heavyweight division.

Now he returns to Canberra to help kickstart a promotion filling a massive "hole in the market".

"Since Brace died off, to get a pro fight in MMA in Canberra, you ended up in a ring. The UFC has exploded, I think we deserve a full cage show," Didier said.

"I'm fully onboard to help out [promoters] Micky Douros and Ben Edwards to help build this up.

"I feel like I've got a bit of a duty as one of the original MMA guys in Canberra and one of the guys who put it on the map, I feel like it's my duty to keep going.

"It's also a good opportunity for the young guys, guys like Patrick Hill, Tom Pratt, and Blake [Donnelly] who is at a much higher level, it's good to give them some spotlight.

"Hopefully we can build a promotion that's around for a long time. Canberra has been craving it."

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