Saturday is for international fans, with some interesting domestic fights to go with them.
With the glut of events on Friday, Saturday is equally busy and important for the rest of the world. It all begins bright an early for those of us stateside, and there’s a lot to take in.
Brave CF starts the party with an event in Sun City, South Africa on Saturday morning. The main event is a bout between former RFA/LFA fighter Adam Townsend (19-5) and South Africa’s Mark Hulme (6-2). Most of Hulme’s wins as a professional are via rear naked choke, with a majority of submission wins in his amateur career as well.
BRAVE mainstay Frans Mlambo (5-4) faces French journeyman Arnold Quero (15-7). Abdul Hussein (4-1) takes a step up in competition against EFC vet Sylvester Chipfumbu (5-1) at flyweight.
Brave CF starts at 9:00am EST, and will be streaming live on FITE.tv for $14.99.
Keeping the focus on South Africa, the country’s premier MMA organization also has an event this Saturday. EFC sets up shop in Pretoria, with a women’s strawweight title up for grabs in the main event. Chiara Penco (4-0) defends her belt against Polish talent Karolina Wójcik (3-1).
Former UFC and somewhat inexplicable internet favorite Ruan Potts (11-6), looking to reclaim the title he never lost against Jared Vanderaa (7-3). This is an interim title, but it features two guys that like to slug it out.
England’s Roger Griffin (3-6) has the unenviable task on fighting Niel Du Plessis, brother of EFC dual champ (and former KSW welterweight champ) Dricus Du Plessis.
EFC Worldwide 76 starts at 9:00am EST.
Cardiff, Wales sets the stage for the historic CageWarriors 100, a wild event featuring some impressive talent for the organization’s milestone event. Certified Finisher Jack Shore will be fighting hard-hitting Mike Ekundayo (7-0) for the vacant bantamweight belt.
The featherweight title is also vacant, but that’s an easy problem to solve. Standout Dean Trueman draws fellow Englishman Aiden Lee (7-2), and former BAMMA and Bellator talent Alex Lohore (16-3) intends to show he’s one of the best (if not the best) signing for Cage Warriors they’ve had in a while. To do so, he’ll have to take on another cunning and calculating fighter much like himself in Tim Barnett (5-1, 1 draw). Aaron Khalid will also step in against Hakon Foss, and former UFC fighter Nicolas Dalby (15-3, 1 draw) takes on SBG Irelands’s Philip Mulpeter (9-5).
The very savvy Rhys “Skeletor“ McKee (7-2, 1 draw) looks to put on a show against Jefferson “Shadow Demon Blaximus” George (9-6) at lightweight in a battle of outstanding nicknames.
Cage Warriors 100 begins at 4:00pm EST, and streams live stateside via UFC Fight Pass.
Shamrock FC ends the year with former Strikeforce and UFC fighter Bobby Voelker (31-13) deals with Chicago’s Darrius Flowers (6-2, 1 draw). Don’t be fooled by the record disparity – Flowers has a wealth of experience as an amateur and hits pretty hard.
Shamrock 313 starts at 6:00pm EST, streaming live via FloCombat.
If you’re in the mood for an all-nighter after the big UFC card, Pancrase has the cure for what ails you.
Hiroyuki Tetsuka (5-3) is scheduled to fight Akihiro Murayama (20-8, 9 draws) at welterweight in the main event, but the co-main should really deliver in a flyweight contest between Masasatsu Ueda (15-3, 2 draws) and Toru Ogawa (10-6). Both have been in some fun wars, and this fight cannot disappoint. Brazil’s Edna Oliveira (7-4, 1 draw) goes into enemy territory against Raika Emiko (8-5). Hidekazu Fukushima (13-6, 1 draw) looks to put on some fireworks at bantamweight against Taiyo Hayashi (7-5).
There’s also a handful of men’s strawweight fights on deck with Ryosuke Noda (3-0) against Toshiya Takashima (4-2, 1 draw) and Yuta Miyazawa (4-2) against Teppei Maeyama (4-5).
It’s a 20 fight card with a ton of bonkers matchups and very wily characters. No title fights on this one, but a decent way to end the year.
Pancrase 302 starts at 1:30am EST Saturday night into Sunday morning. It streams live as usual on UFC Fight Pass.