Brace returns this weekend for show number two in 2016 with last year’s welterweight tournament runner-up Theo Christakos taking on Australian based Canadian Kevin Manderson in the main event.
Brace 39 takes place at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra on Saturday afternoon. The event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.
Christakos will be looking to go one step further in this year’s welterweight championship tournament after falling to former UFC fighter Benny Alloway at the 2015 finale in November. The 25 year-old KMA product submitted both Regan Wilson and Tom Kingston last year en route to what was also his first defeat.
A veteran of over 35 MMA appearances, Manderson, who made his Australian MMA debut back in 2012, last fought at Storm Damage 7 in August, 2015 where he submitted Leo Diaz.
Also slated for the show, Canberra native Paul Franchi returns to the promotion to take on South Australia’s Anthony Bynoe in a lightweight tournament clash. Meanwhile, Jess Doueihi from NSW and ACT’s Caitlin McEwen will meet in WMMA bantamweight bout and newcomers Nurbolat Kuandyk (ACT) and Sean Le Gourrierec (VIC) will square off in the other lightweight tournament bout.
Fight Card:
- Theo Christakos vs Kevin Manderson – welterweight tournament bout
- Paul Franchi vs Anthony Bynoe – lightweight tournament bout
- Jess Doueihi vs Caitlin McEwen
- Nurbolat Kuandyk vs Sean Le Gourrierec – lightweight tournament bout
- Ryan Gillett vs Paul Traish
- Mason Lord vs Joe Pollock
- Jarrod Farlow vs Joel Vigors
