He may be the most quarantined New Zealander during the Covid pandemic.
Eugene Bareman (left) and Israel Adesanya. Photo: Photosport
But, as Eugene Bareman settled in for his eighth stint in MIQ, the City Kickboxing head coach was more than happy to continue doing his part if it meant the Auckland gym's fighters could get on with their careers.
"Make no mistake, we don't care about the two-week quarantine. This is my eighth one," Bareman told RNZ from his latest hotel confinement in Hamilton.
"We're happy to do that. That's fine, that's keeping the country safe, that's for the greater good. But let us flow in and out of the country when we need to work and earn money.
"Let us do that. Have a more free-flowing system we can work with."
The government had initiated steps in that direction, with a home quarantine pilot scheme to take place before the end of the year.
But while Bareman welcomed the scheme, he wasn't holding out hope he or any of the gym's athletes would get one of the 150 spots available.
He also wasn't confident the system would be officially implemented in time for City Kickboxing's best, including UFC world champion Israel Adesanya, to cancel a planned move to the US on a permanent basis.
"It's just not good enough. We're dealing with the exact same problems we were nearly two years ago...
"This pilot programme is a step in the right direction but based on the government's track record and how slowly they've moved on everything ... it just doesn't give us much hope.
"Will [the pilot programme] even come into effect next year? And if it comes into effect around this time next year, then what's the point?
City Kickboxing has become one of the of the world's most successful combat sports teams. Photo: Andrew Cornaga/Photosport
"By then a lot of athletes would've lost their career, a lot of businesses would've gone under and a lot families would've suffered, if they haven't suffered enough already. It doesn't give me a lot of confidence.
"Just give us more information. What are you hoping to get out of this pilot programme and if it's successful, which I have no doubt it will be, when are looking to enact it? There's still a lot of questions to be answered."
That lack of answers meant New Zealand's biggest combat sports stars continued to hit out over MIQ.
And they weren't alone.
Adesanya and City Kickboxing team-mate, top 10 UFC lightweight Dan Hooker, were among a growing list of the country's athletes voicing criticisms relating to the fairness of the system.
The group, which included the likes of Tokyo Olympics bronze medal triathlete Hayden Wilde and golfer Ryan Fox, were being unable to receive the MIQ exemptions granted to teams from mainstream sports such as the All Blacks and visiting netball and cricket sides.
With Adesanya and Hooker two of the most vocal critics, some were criticising the pair as privileged athletes wanting preferential treatment.
Both had pushed back strongly against such claims, and Bareman said the City Kickboxing contingent were far from just speaking up for the benefit of themselves, or even athletes in general.
"This is not just about us and our team.
"We have a massive platform. At the moment we're using it in our particular context, for fight sports, but what about all the other sports that aren't being treated equally...
Photo: RNZ / Marika Khabazi
"We have a lot of high level competitors representing New Zealand that aren't being included and being treated unfairly.
"But the bigger thing is this whole MIQ system needs a serious look. It's inadequate and needs improvement and we're bringing attention to that.
"That could help some who are in far graver circumstances than we are ... that's a more important issue than what we've got at the moment.
"If we can bring some attention to this MIQ system, maybe there's some change that comes out of it."
In the meantime, the wheels for the relocation of City Kickboxing's top talent to the US were very much in motion.
And while Bareman insisted they didn't want to leave New Zealand, he said they were being left little choice, outlining the lengths they would be going to in order to avoid any more MIQ struggles.
"One of the biggest logistical challenges is visas. Getting everybody visas in this day and age [is not easy].
"Then we have to decide where to go [in the US] ... then we have to set up a gym, living quarters, and then the other important factor is a lot of these guys have family and kids that have to be considered.
"Are they going to come with us? Are they going to come on a semi-permanent basis and just visit? Are they going to set up in America? What are the schools like? What is the day care like?
"It's a logistical nightmare, but we're working our way through it as fast as we can."
