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Welterweight title on the line at stacked Contenders 29
Jahreau Shepherd will main event Contenders 29 in Norwich on February 15, with top prospects Andre Goncalves, left, and Richard Mearns, right, also fighting on a packed card - Credit: Archant
Jahreau Shepherd will meet Quinten DeVreught for the welterweight title in the main event of Contenders 29 next month – the culmination of the biggest and best card in the promotion’s history.
The event, at the Epic Studios in Norwich on February 15, is the final show before Contenders cross the Atlantic for their historic American debut in Florida in April - and they're leaving the UK with a bang.
As well as Shepherd and DeVreught, the card is stacked with many of the best up-and-coming fighters in Europe, all vying for the chance to take the next step up the fistic ladder.
In the main event, UCMMMA champ Shepherd (5-2) and DeVreught (5-1) meet in a clash of fighters who are both on winning streaks - Shepherd has triumphed in his last four, all by stoppage, while his Norwegian foe has won three in a row.
Andre Goncalves and Youri Panada will clash at lightweight at Contenders 29 in Norwich on February 15 - Credit: Archant
Shepherd, nicknamed 'The Nightmare' is part of Team UK for that Contenders Florida event on April 25, and will be looking to make a real statement here before he bids to conquer America,
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Another member of the UK team heading to America is lightweight prospect Andre Goncalves, and he fights Youri Panada at Contenders 29.
MORE: Top UK fighting talent heading to America for historic Contenders Florida event
Thetford's Goncalves (4-1-1) is a dominating wrestler with powerful stand-up, but faces a tough test in Frenchman Youri Panada (4-1), a submission ace who's won his last two fights in a row.
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Elsewhere on the card, three of the hottest prospects in European MMA are also in action.
Spectacular London Shootfighters duo, welterweight Felix Klinkhammer (4-0) and bantamweight Farid Basharat (5-0), will bid to extend their unbeaten records in fights with Anton Franjic (2-1) and Marco Zannetti (4-0) respectively, while Farid's brother Javid, the Contenders 135lbs champ, is also expected to fight.
Richard Mearns and Festus Ahorlu will meet in a featherweight clash at Contenders 29 - Credit: Archant
Featherweight Richard Mearns (3-2), fresh off his fine submission win over Scott Butters at Contenders 27 last September, will also enter the cage to fight Festus Ahorlu (2-0).
There's some high quality amateur MMA clashes lined up too, as Norwich's Chey Veal (4-4-1) squares off with Dylan O'Donavan (1-4), while all-action Norfolk talent Tariq Pell (1-1) faces Pa Lehane (6-8) in a catchweight bout at 73kgs.
Tickets are available at www.contendersmma.com.
