Following on from a hugely successful debut event in Dakar, Senegal in December, ARES Fighting Championship returns with its anticipated sophomore event ARES 2 set for April 3 at the Forest National-Vorst Nationaal arena in Brussels, Belgium.
France’s Nordine Taleb (15-7) will take on Belgium’s very own Maarten Wouters (11-7) in a middleweight main event. Taleb is coming into ARES after a twelve-fight UFC run which saw him score victories over the likes of Erick Silva, Danny Roberts, & Oliver Enkamp. Now ready to start the next chapter of his career the 38-year-old will go into enemy territory and meet the extremely dangerous Maarten Wouters.
Belgium born and raised, Wouters has the biggest opportunity of his career in this contest. Owner of a 90+% finishing ratio and with nine first round finishes, the 31-year-old jumped at the opportunity to face Taleb and main event ARES 2 in his home country.
In the co-main event, UFC veterans John Moraga (19-7) and Hector Sandoval (15-4) will collide in the flyweight division. A former UFC title challenger, 35-year-old Moraga is one of the world’s most experienced flyweights and has shared the cage with Demetrious Johnson & Joseph Benavidez and scored wins over the likes of Wilson Reis, Dustin Ortiz, and Justin Scoggins during a successful fourteen-fight run in the promotion.
Sandoval himself enjoyed a 2-2 run in the UFC between 2016 and 2017. Most recently the 33-year-old Team Alpha Male fighter scored a win in the co-main event of Combate Americas 37 and now he is looking to make a statement in his new home of ARES Fighting Championship.
ARES Fighting Championship will soon be announcing ticket availability for ARES 2 along with the rest of the fight card and broadcast details.