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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The UFC has added two more fights to their Fuel TV card in Nottingham, England this September, with a third likely in the works.
According to a report from MMAWeekly.com, the UFC has signed BAMMA middleweight champ Tom "Kong" Watson to a multi-fight deal, and he'll make his debut against Brad Tavares on the Sept. 29 event. Also headed to the card is a welterweight bout between John Maguire and John Hathaway.
Additionally, ESPN.co.uk reports that the UFC has also signed undefeated British light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa, who is expected to debut on the card as well.
Watson makes his UFC debut as the reigning BAMMA middleweight champ, having made three straight title defenses in the organization after a decision loss to TUF vet Jesse Taylor in Maximum Fighting Championships. He'll take on the 8-1 Tavares, who has won three of his four fights in the Octagon since his stint on The Ultimate Fighter 11.
Maguire has won both of his UFC appearances thus far, and enters his fight with Hathaway off a highly impressive step over armbar against DaMarques Johnson at UFC on Fuel 2 in April. That was his seventh straight win.
Hathaway, meanwhile, returns to his home country looking to earn his third straight win. Hathaway racked up a 14-0 record, including four straight in the UFC, before dropping a decision to Mike Pyle in 2010. He's bounced back with consecutive wins, but he's battled injuries and layoffs in the 21 months since that loss.
Manuwa, a 32-year old light heavyweight out of England, holds an 11-0 record, with ten wins by (T)KO and one by submission. He hasn't yet reached the third round in a fight, and has only gone out of the opening frame twice.
UFC on Fuel 5 takes place from the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England, on Sept. 29, headlined by the heavyweight bout between Stefan Struve and Stipe Miocic.
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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