BAMMA Unveils Marquardt-Yoshida Title Fight on Feb. 11

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The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts announced Friday that Nate Marquardt will lock horns with Yoshiyuki Yoshida for the promotion's vacant welterweight championship at BAMMA 9 on Feb. 11 at the LG Arena in Birmingham.

Marquardt had originally been expected to make his promotional debut at BAMMA 8 on Dec. 10. However, the former UFC title challenger's first BAMMA appearance has apparently been postponed. Going down from Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England, BAMMA 8 will move forward without Marquardt's drawing power.

Eleven fights are now official for the Dec. 10 event, which features a light heavyweight scrap between Ultimate Challenge titlist Jimi Manuwa and Antony Rea. Additionally, welterweight veterans Jim Wallhead and Joey Villasenor will clash, as will lightweights Andre Winner and Niko Puhakka.

Marquardt, 32, was released by the UFC this summer after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone the day prior to his scheduled main event with Rick Story at UFC Live 4. Before his release, the former middleweight King of Pancrase had split his last four contests, earning wins over Rousimar Palhares and Dan Miller while falling to Yushin Okami and Chael Sonnen.

Yoshida snapped a three-fight skid by posting back-to-back wins in 2011. Following defeats to Anthony Johnson, Michael Guymon and Chris Lozano, “Zenko” finished Ferrid Kheder in July and followed that technical knockout with a unanimous decision over Phil Baroni at One Fighting Championship's inaugural event on Sept. 3.

BAMMA 8
Saturday, Dec. 10
Capital FM Arena
Nottingham, England

Jimi Manuwa vs. Antony Rea
Jim Wallhead vs. Joey Villasenor
Andre Winner vs. Niko Puhakka
Jack Marshman vs. Lee Barnes
Paul McVeigh vs. Erik Perez
Curt Warburton vs. Tim Newman
Jason Jones vs. Mark Godbeer
Dean Amasinger vs. Danny Mitchell
Colin Fletcher vs. Chris Fishgold
Tom Breese vs. Quasim Shafiq
Brian Hyslop vs. Owen Gayle