Today, The Sprawl can exclusively reveal the addition of four new bouts to BCMMA 18, set to take place at the Charter Hall in Colchester on the 18th of February 2017.
In addition to the earlier announced welterweight bout between Harry Marple (3-2) and Per Franklin (7-4), BCMMA have rebooked the previously scheduled BCMMA 17 headliner, with Kerry “Rocksteady” Hughes (3-1) set to take on Zarah Fairn Dos Santos (3-2).
Hughes will look to defend BCMMA Women’s Bantamweight Championship, which she attained after her July victory of Clemence Schreiber at BCMMA 16. Dos Santos lost fought in February of this year at BAMMA 24, dropping a close split decision to Sinead Kavangh.
In the evening’s co-main event, fan favourite Corrin Eaton (9-2) will meet the resurgent Dominic Dillon (3-2) in a 140lbs catchweight contest.
Eaton, who will fight for the fifth time under the BCMMA banner, will bring a two fight win-streak into this contest, having choked out French opponents Jonathan Kouame and Igor Mora consecutively. Dillon dropped his first two fights as a professional, however he has since rebounded by winning three straight, most recently collecting a win on ACB’s UK debut in Glasgow this past October.
BCMMA Women’s Strawweight Champion Bryony Tyrell (3-0) will face the sternest test of her career, when she battles with TUF veteran Kate Jackson (7-2-1).
Tyrell, who previously held the BCMMA Amateur Women’s Strawweight crown also, won the professional title in a unanimous decision victory over Mellony Geugjes this past July. Jackson meanwhile will fight for the first time since her stint on The Ultimate Fighter, where she reached the semi-finals before falling to eventual season winner Tatiana Suarez.
The first amateur bout confirmed is the BCMMA Amateur Flyweight title unification bout between current kingpin Leigh Mitchell (7-2) and interim title holder Jack Eglin (3-0).
Mitchell captured the vacant title by besting Elliott Hoye over three rounds, but was most recently seen choking out Jack Temple at Almighty Fighting Championship 3 in October. Eglin has looked ultra-impressive in his two BCMMA bouts thus far, edging Ollie Southern via decision and annihilating Haga Rabekoto at BCMMA 17 just two weeks ago.
Kerry Hughes vs. Zarah Fairn Dos Santos – for the BCMMA Women’s Bantamweight Championship
Corrin Eaton vs. Dominic Dillon
Bryony Tyrell vs. Kate Jackson – for the BCMMA Women’s Strawweight Championship
Harry Marple vs Per Franklin
Leigh Mitchell vs. Jack Eglin – for the unified BCMMA Amateur Flyweight Championship
