Hexagone MMA 7 card announced with Norman Parke debut

Welterweight title bout: Walter Gahadza vs Aymard Guih

Strawweight title bout: Samantha Jean-Françios vs Andressa ARAUJO

Futuroscope – France, 11 MARCH 2023

Watch on BT SPORT (UK) & DAZN

Tickets are available here.

Just weeks on from packing the Zenith of Paris, HEXAGONE MMA 7 has announced its full fight card for 11 March in Poitiers, where the Arena Futuroscope is preparing to host its first-ever MMA event. The night will be broadcast on BT Sport, in the UK, and DAZN, internationally (including in the USA and Canada).

As announced last week, HEXAGONE MMA 7 presents two world title matches: Walter ‘The Sniper’ Gahadza (UK ) faces Aymard ‘Barakuda’ Guih (France) for the welterweight (-77 kg) belt, while France’s Samantha Jean-François is to defend her title against Brazil’s Andressa Araujo in the strawweight championship. Already the holder of the middleweight (-84 kg) belt, Guih will attempt to become the organisation’s first two-time champion, as he faces a 30-fight professional in Gahadza, who is well experienced on the international stage. Suspense also surrounds the other championship match of the night, for which both fighters have a track record of finishing notably in the first round, by both submission and strikes.

Elsewhere on the card, MMA fans will be excited to see new signee Norman Parke make his HEXAGONE MMA debut against Junior Orgulho in a catchweight match at -82 kg. The Irishman has a 30 -7 record with elite-level experience across shows that include UFC, KSW and BRAVE. He notably won the Lightweight tournament in The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes.

The evening also boasts three high-level, heavyweight clashes, and features Abou Tounkara, who is considered one of France’s best athletes at -70 kg.

Meanwhile, the preliminaries will give pride of place to young, local fighters, who will be putting everything on the line for a win on home ground. Promising plenty of spectacle, big names and rising stars, HEXAGONE MMA 7 is set to present an unmissable night of MMA action.

Co-president, Jérôme Pourrut commented: “This is our most stunning card to date. There are new signings and new fighters that are proving to be the attraction of HEXAGONE MMA. We are proud to be heading to the Futuroscope on 11 March to take MMA where it has never been before.”

FIGHT CARD: HEXAGONE MMA 7

Main Event: Welterweight (-77 kg) title match:

Aymard Guih (16-13, Ivory Coast) vs Walter Gahadza (19-7, UK)

Co-Main Event: Women’s Strawweight (-52 kg) title match:

Samantha Jean-François (6-6, France) vs Andressa Araujo Rocha (6-1, Brazil)

Catchweight bout (-82 kg):

Norman Parke (30-7, Northern Ireland) vs Junior Orgulho (16-10, Brazil)

Heavyweight (-120 kg):

Prince Aounallah (15-11, France) vs Ion Grigore (10-4, Romania)

Bantamweight (-61 kg):

Thibault Marino (3-2, France) vs Helder Fernandes (7-7, France)

Lightweight (-70 kg):