BRACE has announced huge changes starting March next year, with the promotion revealing plans to execute multi-division tournaments for its Male crop of fighters.
Officials disclosed details with Fight Sport Asia on Tuesday.
The Australia-based organization will be embarking on tourneys across multiple divisions much like Bellator’s, but with a few differences.
BRACE to start an unprecedented tourney format across multiple weight divisions in 2014
Knockout-style tournaments will be held where eight fighters (in each division, Bantamweight to Heavyweight) will fight their way through to be crowned champions of the promotion. But, the BRACE champs will only be classified as champions for that particular year. So that means a tourney champ in 2014 returning for the 2015 season, will have to compete again if he wishes to re-capture his title.
All weight division tourneys will run throughout the year, culminating in a year-end finale event where all the belts will be contested.
Officials believe this new format provides certainty for fighters to know when they are fighting, and a clear path to gaining a title belt with BRACE. Moreover, the general Australian sports fan will be accustomed to a similar product that they are used to and can easily follow.
For current title-holders of the promotion (as of 2013), they would have an option of either entering the tournament system at the start the year, or gaining automatic entry to the grand finale event. Regardless of their choice, as aforementioned, tourney winners will only be classified as champions for that particular year.
Only fighters living in Australia will be eligible to compete.
“After 5 years of touring across Australia, in 7 different cities, in 4 different States and hosting hundreds of fights, I realised that the status quo made very little sense,” explained BRACE CEO, Kya Pate (pictured).
“How does a fighter become a champion? You can have some shows with walk up title fights, other shows have to “sell the story” of who should fight who and fighters have to jostle and position themselves to get opportunities.
For us this move makes perfect sense and I am 100% excited for this the first of many changes that are coming for BRACE.”
The promotion also announced “BRACE – Ascend”, a show that will be filled with Professional and Amateur MMA match-ups. This will be a feeder league to BRACE, where emphasis will be placed on up-and-coming fighters to showcase their skills to impress the masses.
Keep it locked to MMASucka.com as we bring you updates and information on BRACE.
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