Matt Manzanares is 3-2 under the RFA banner. | Marshall Boyce/Sherdog.com
RFA 18 now has a new headliner, as Matt Manzanares will defend his flyweight strap against Alexandre Pantoja Passidomo on Sept. 12.
RFA 18 takes place at the Albuquerque Convention Center in Albuquerque, N.M., and also includes a bantamweight clash between Ulysses Gomez and Abel Cullum. The main card will be televised on AXS-TV beginning at 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT.
Manzanares is 3-2 with RFA overall, most recently capturing the promotion’s vacant 125-pound crown with a split verdict over Junior Maranhao on April 11. The Black Dragon Martial Arts representative has finished six of his seven career triumphs inside the distance.
The 24-year-old Pantoja is enters the bout on a seven-fight winning streak. The Nova Uniao product’s last defeat came at the hands of current UFC talent Jussier da Silva at Shooto “Brazil 16” in June 2010.