PRELIMINARIES FOR BAMMA 9 - BIRMINGHAM, UK

(PRESS RELEASE) -- BAMMA, Europe's leading Mixed Martial Arts promotion, is excited to announce three hard-hitting preliminary fights for BAMMA 9, which takes place on Saturday 24th March at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena: Andrew Punshon vs. Matt Howard; Jason Ball vs. Colin Fletcher; and Nick Nembhard vs. Leeroy Barnes.

Hailing from Spennymoor, the Durham destroyer Andrew Punshon has only ever seen one of his fourteen fights leave the first round. With a record of 10-4-0, Punshon has won most of his fights by rapid submission making him a dangerous prospect for any opponent. But, if there's any man fit for the challenge, you won't be wrong to place your bets on undefeated Rough House warrior, Matt Howard (9-0-0). The fierce Ground 'n' Pounder can also boast to have only once needed more than one round to finish an opponent. With 21 fights and 19 first round finishes between them, fans can expect fireworks from this pacey, compelling match. Not only does the bout pit skilled Jiu jitsu against explosive striking power but puts together two dangerous fighters known for demolishing opponents at break-neck speed. Don't blink during this fight.

Colin Fletcher is called so for a reason. It's not just the circus clown get up nor the entertaining walk-outs that make him stick in fans minds, but also those freaky, unorthodox Jiu jitsu moves that serve to undo his opponents. Freakshow is renowned for high-voltage performances that will make your hair stand on end. One man brave enough to face Freakshow in the cage is none less than talented boxer, Jason 'Daddy Cool' Ball. With 28 fights to his name, Ball is also not the conventional MMA fighter, having trained in array of Martial Arts that include Capoeira, Escrima, Jeet Kune Do and Dog Brothers. This high velocity match promises to break boundaries.

Fighting out of the legendary Wolfslair, BAMMA crowd-favourite Leeroy Barnes made a ferocious comeback at BAMMA 8, where he lost on decision to defending BAMMA-Lonsdale British Middleweight champ, Jack 'The Hammer' Marshman. Coming in as the underdog, Barnes more than proved his worth and demonstrated that he has what it takes to take on the very best. Barnes has a solid reputation as a tough fighter not afraid to face any opponent. As Barnes's game moves from strength to strength, fans can look forward to what he brings to the table for BAMMA 9 when he's faces upcoming knock-out artist, Nick Nembhard. Nembhard is well-versed in all phases of the fight with a background in both Muay Thai and BJJ. His early career losses against tough opponents have demonstrated him to also be a fighter not scared to step up to anyone; making this bout one that brings together two guys always up for a war, who give it their 100% and who never fail to entertain.

Go Daddy, the world's largest provider of Web hosting, domain name registrations and new SSL Certificates, is the presenting sponsor for BAMMA 9. This is the fourth BAMMA event presented by Go Daddy. "What Go Daddy loves about mixed martial arts is the ravenous fan-following and the competitive nature of the sport," said Go Daddy Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Executive Vice President Barb Rechterman. "The battle between Andrew Punshon and Matt Howard has all the ingredients you want in a marquee match-up ... drama, competition and two hard-hitting fighters. We can't wait to see how the story unfolds."

Matchmaker, Jude Samuel says, "Punshon vs. Howard is definite contender for Fight of the Night, with the winner, in my opinion, in line for claiming a shot at the British or even World Title in the near future. Both have devastating knock-out power and most predictions are placing this as possible KO of the night: Either way it's a war in the making. The current British Masters and Central Area Light-Middleweight Champion, Jason Ball, will be making his last appearance at Lightweight before dropping to Featherweight at BAMMA; while Freakshow is hungry for a challenge and a step up to big fights at the top of BAMMA's Lightweight division. Leeroy and Nick are both guys that now need a win. Leeroy wants to get back to title contention, while a win for Nick will pivotal to his MMA career."

Fight Card with main card fights to be announced

PRELIMINARIES

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT Andrew Punshon VS Matt Howard

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT Jason Ball VS COLIN FREAKSHOW FLETCHER

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT NICK NEMBHARD VS LEEROY BARNES

UNDERCARD

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT Fraser Opie VS Anthony Taylor

WELTERWEIGHT BOUT RUS SMITH VS Tom Breese

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT Chris Fishgold VS Dale Hardiman

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT MARC GODBEER VS Catalin Zmarandescu

MIDDLEWEIGHT BOUT Lee Johnson VS Sam Hooker

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT ROBERT TRUESDALE VS Sam Mensah

Press Information: For press enquiries contact izzy@bamma.com or on 07984 936 219 High res photos available on request Interviews available on request

About BAMMA:

BAMMA (The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts) is Europe’s premier MMA organization that launched in June 2009 with the aim of delivering Mixed Martial Arts events that fully capture the entertainment and sporting prowess on display in the world’s fastest growing sport. To achieve this aim, BAMMA brought together a team of skilled individuals with a wealth of combined experience across Television Production, Event Organisation and Mixed Martial Arts and set out to push the boundaries of MMA around the World. BAMMA’s combination of arena sized venues, stunning fight cards and exceptional production values has led to BAMMA’s unrivalled position as Europe’s leading MMA promotion and most recognisable brand. With a highly experienced team each BAMMA event always delivers a highly anticipated and unique Mixed Martial Arts experience.

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