How New Zealand Fighters Spend Their Free Time Outside the Ring

by Michael Kovacs, ADMIN

Boxing and the UFC are very popular in New Zealand and attract thousands of fans who follow fights and support local athletes. They attract millions of people, while this sport is especially popular among young people in New Zealand. The country has quite a few fighters who represent New Zealand on the international stage. However, behind the ring, few people know the lives of boxers and UFC representatives. Their existence isn’t much different from everyone else’s, because they are people like everyone else. But some of their preferences in spending time are quite interesting.

Spending Time with Family and Friends

The most obvious and common way to spend free time is passive relaxation, lying on the couch or taking a walk without excessive activity. Many combine this and spend time with family. We looked at the social lives of the most recognised NZ fighters—at least for those who actively share on social media or in interviews, including:

  1. Carlos Ulberg
  2. James Te Huna
  3. Dan Hooker
  4. Kai Kara-France
  5. Hemi Ahio
  6. Mea Motu
  7. Alrie Meleisea
  8. Israel Adesanya
  9. Brad Riddell

Only Israel Adesanya and Brad Riddell don’t have a girlfriend or wife in 2026, according to the New Zealand news portals. However, other famous sportsmen jog, travel, or stay at home with their families from time to time. James Te Huna and Dan Hooker have told journalists that they like to cook steak dinners in their free time. Mea Motu is an introvert, so he prefers to watch horrors or comedies with his wife after the kids go to bed. Brad Riddell, on the other hand, has a lot of friends. He goes to saunas and relaxes in local bars with them.

Casino Entertainment and Video Gaming

It’s not unusual to see fighters spending their free time playing cards in some of the country’s upscale casinos in 2026, poker being amongst the more often-cited passtimes. Dan Hooker has mentioned in interviews and podcasts more than once that he sometimes plays Texas Hold’em with friends and other athletes during breaks between training camps. Fighters like card games because they allow them to take a rest while feeling the competitive spirit. New Zealand sportsmen visit entertainment complexes with gaming areas or casinos when traveling to fight tournaments.

Athletes also sometimes use online casino review websites, where the game selection and bonus mechanics are explained. They have internet access in their hotels, so placing a few bets before bed is easy at away tournaments. NZ fighters from the City Kickboxing team, where Israel Adesanya and Carlos Ulberg train, have said that they sometimes play card games or spin the slots for fun during their downtime. However, the athletes themselves often note the need to control their gaming activity. A professional career requires discipline, so serious betting can negatively impact training. Therefore, famous NZ fighters consider casinos to be merely a short-term distraction.

Travel and Outdoor Activities

Fighters from New Zealand try to spend their free time in nature to recover from intensive training. After a few weeks in training camp, they choose short trips out of town or to the coast. The country has more than 15,000 kilometers of coastline, so fishing and walking by the ocean are very popular among athletes. Kai Kara-France lives permanently in New Zealand, so he likes to spend a few days in the north of the island near the Bay of Islands or on the beaches of Coromandel.

Surfing and active recreation on the water are also often included in their leisure time. The coast of New Zealand has dozens of famous surf spots, where Raglan and Piha stand out. Waves can reach 2-3 meters, while surfing fans are Mea Motu and Hemi Ahio. In addition to surfing, attention is paid to hiking mountain trails and walks in national parks. There are over 30 national parks in the country, so there are a lot of opportunities for such recreation.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

New Zealand fighters are known for their various assortment of hobbies. Israel Adesanya is known for his love of anime, video games, and Japanese pop culture, which he often talks about in podcasts and interviews. Dan Hooker likes to spend time playing games on PlayStation or Xbox when he needs more rest. Others are fond of music, where they listen to hip-hop, record tracks, or experiment with DJing. This type of activity helps to switch off after intense training and reduce psychological stress.

Many fighters have an interest in cars, cooking, or creating content for YouTube and Instagram. Newly crowned light heavyweight champion at UFC 327 Carlos Ulberg sometimes shares videos of his daily life, trips, and meetings with friends on social networks. Some athletes like photography or shooting short videos while traveling. As well as online casino entertainment, board games, watching football matches, and collecting sportswear or equipment are popular. Brad Riddell is a Real Madrid fan and often attends their Champions League matches.

Personal Growth

Fighters from New Zealand cannot spend time passively all the time, so they need active rest or educational study, which partially replaces the adrenaline that they feel during fights in the ring. It also helps to maintain physical fitness and set new goals for themselves. Active pastime and personal development allow sportsmen to release accumulated energy and stay in good condition even between training camps. 70% fighters use personal growth methods as a way to recover psychologically after difficult fights.

Personal Development

Almost all New Zealand fighters pay attention to personal skills in addition to physical training. Some read books on sports psychology, leadership, or self-discipline to better control their emotions during fights. It’s common for fighters to attend seminars, work with sports psychologists, or study new training options. This kind of approach helps them better understand their own capabilities and build a career correctly. Personal development involves learning financial planning and income management after big fights. Many are known to visit language tutors to learn: 

  • Spanish
  • German
  • Chinese
  • Italian

Despite their perfect knowledge of English, an additional understanding of other languages ​​would not hurt, as the fighters are regularly interviewed by journalists from other countries. Thanks to this, athletes can stay motivated and look to the future with confidence.

Everyday Activities

The daily life of New Zealand fighters isn’t limited to training and fights. They do ordinary things that help keep up the stable pace of life. NZ sportsmen visit gyms, check their diet, play golf, and surf. All fighters like to drive, shop, or swim.  Daily routine allows athletes to regain strength and maintain psychological balance. However, it is known that not all fighters like public life. Hemi Ahio, James Te Huna, and Alrie Meleisea are introverts, so they use delivery services and gamble online, studying casinos through Casino Analyzer.