Ex-UFC contender Paul 'Semtex' Daley tops DFC 4 bill
Supported by a host of regional talent, the latest edition of the Dubai Fighting Championship (DFC) will be headlined by top-ranked welterweight Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley when he takes on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Rodrigo ‘Ximbica’ Ribeiro.
The increasingly-popular DFC is in its fourth edition having launched the inaugural Fight Night less than 12 months ago, and the presence of Daley demonstrates how far the event has come in such a short space of time.
Daley, currently signed to the Bellator Fighting Championship, is a welterweight with top pedigree having been named the UFC Newcomer of the Year in 2009. Daley has also enjoyed stints at Strikeforce and BAMMA and will head to DFC 4 with a professional fight record of 31-12-1.
His opponent on May 10, Ribeiro, will head into the fight with a 9-10 MMA record and the ONE FC veteran’s Jiu-Jitsu style is sure to make for an electric fight against Daley’s boxing and Muay Thai style.
Daley is confident he can deliver a knockout victory in Dubai and thrust himself back into welterweight contention.
He said: “Bellator Fighting Championship have given me official clearance, and I’m happy to represent them, and promise another KO victory en route to my return to the USA.”
DFC president Tam Khan also thanked Bellator for allowing Daley to fight, adding: “Bellator was very professional and we want to thank them for their support as well as helping us continue to grow MMA in the region by clearing Daley to fight in our upcoming show.”
Supporting the headline fight will see the return of Tunisian welterweight Mounir ‘The Sniper’ Lazzez, who has fought on two previous DFC bills, and Brazilian Nilson ‘Pokemon’ Lopes, who fought on the inaugural DFC bill.
Lazzez will take on Golden Glory fighter Tony Michielsen and will be looking to extend the unbeaten start to his career to 3-0. Michielsen's current professional record stands at 1-1.
Abu Dhabi favourite, Lopes, steps back into the DFC cage after his quick submission victory in DFC 1. The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt will battle another Golden Glory striker, Hubert Geven. Geven is currently undefeated and looks to continue his winning streak at DFC 4.
Lopes is confident in his chances of victory, stating: “I’m the number one lightweight in the region and anyone who thinks otherwise can step into the cage and try to prove me wrong.”
DFC 4, to be staged at the Madinat Arena, Mina A’ Salam, is set to be an unmissable night for UAE fight fans, and Khan is confident the latest event will show the increasing popularity of MMA in the region.
“We have all the right elements and the best team to continue putting on the best MMA shows in the region,” he said. “We’ve sold out all of our events so far and we don’t expect anything less with DFC 4.”
For more information and to get your tickets visit www.dubaifc.ae or log on to their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/DubaiFightingChampionship
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