Following their 2014 championship tournament finale back in November last year, which saw six new champions crowned from bantamweight to light heavyweight, Brace returns this Friday night to kick off their 2015 championship tournament.
Brace 32 takes place at the Big Top in Luna Park, Sydney, and will be headlined by a welterweight tussle between former UFC fighter, and TUF Smashes competitor, Manny Rodriguez, who faces last year’s welterweight tournament runner up Steve Micallef. The main event however is not part of the 2015 tournament.
The event will be broadcast live on Network Ten’s multi-platform portal, Tenplay. Geo restrictions are expected to apply.
A veteran of over 14 fights, Manny Rodriguez (9-5) has faced, and beaten, some of the top fighters from Australia and New Zealand including Jacques Masters, Rodney MacSwain and Corey Nelson. ‘Chalate’ was thrust into the MMA spotlight after earning a spot on the 2012 Ultimate Fighter series ‘The Smashes’. It was a bittersweet experience for the Sydney based fighter, who won his quarter final bout on the show, only to suffer a series ending injury in the clash. He was later offered a place opposite his Smashes team mate Benny Alloway on the finale event, where after a strong start, he was sensationally knocked out with a front kick in the opening frame. Most recently, Rodriguez moved up to the middleweight division, and back to the local circuit, and suffered a fourth round submission loss against Steve Kennedy. It will be 15 months between fights for Rodriguez when he makes his promotional debut Friday night.
Steve Micallef (7-1) was enjoying an impressive seven fight win streak before crossing paths with Corey Nelson in the 2014 welterweight tournament final in Canberra. The Sinosic / Perosh product was handed his first career loss that night via a first round TKO. Micallef defeated Hoshi Friedrich and Regan Wilson en route to the final.
All up, eight tournament matchups are slated for the Friday night, including the first women’s strawweight championship tournament clash pitting the undefeated Natalie Gonzales Hills against Claire Todd.
Also on the lineup, last year’s lightweight champion Abel Brites returns to the tournament and faces Tasmania’s Adam Trickey first up. Meanwhile, the man beaten by Brites in the 2015 final, Ali Cevik, will be looking to go one step further this year but will need to get past Luke Martin first.
Fight Card:
- Manny Rodriguez vs Steve Micallef
- Regan Wilson vs Theo Christakos – Welterweight Title Elimination
- Abel Brites vs Adam Trickey – Lightweight Title Elimination
- Mark Baskin vs Tom Cruz – Bantamweight Title Elimination
- Natalie Gonzales Hills vs Claire Todd – WMMA Strawweight Title Elimination
- Josh Payne vs Chris Drummond – Featherweight Title Elimination
- Luke Martin vs Ali Cevik – Lightweight Title Elimination
- Greg Criticos vs Matt Darke – Featherweight Title Elimination
- David Francis vs Andrew Mills – Middleweight Title Elimination
