This summer's UFC event set for Dublin's O2 on July 19th is beginning to take shape after the world's premier Mixed Martial Arts organisation announced five bouts which will take place on the card as well as the initial ticketing information.
The two most high-profile match-ups announced so far will showcase the skills of two of the world's most promising contenders in the welterweight division (77KG) as undefeated prospects Gunnar Nelson (12-0-1) and Ryan LaFlare (11-0) will lock horns, while bantamweights (56KG) Brad Pickett (24-8) and Ian McCall (12-4-1) will battle to get one step closer to challenging Demetrious Johnson for his UFC championship belt.
Iceland's Nelson (pictured above) has been wowing MMA fans since making his UFC debut in September 2012. The John Kavanagh-trained teammate of Conor McGregor, Cathal Pendred and Chris Fields regularly visits Dublin and, having already competed on our island in four professional bouts, will have significant hometown support behind him. In fact, not one of Nelson's opponents in Ireland has ever made it out of the first round with him and the Reykjavik native will look to continue this trend in July.
Tough wrestler Ryan LaFlare is another top prospect in the UFC's talent-heavy welterweight division, having dominated the four opponents he's been faced with thus far inside the Octagon and the winner of this contest will likely be thrust into the upper echelons of the division.
London's Brad Pickett was scheduled to face American fighter Ian McCall earlier this year, however the bout was scrapped when McCall suffered an injury in training leaving a spot open for tough-as-nails Dubliner Neil Seery who lost a close decision to the UFC veteran. Seery will make second appearance - and another shot at redemption - in the Octagon against UK fighter Phil Harris who previously won a decision against Seery in 2010.
Elsewhere on the card, two Light Heavyweight scraps were also announced with Tom Lawlor facing off against Illir Latifi and Cody Donovan will square off against Nikita Krylov.
The card is expected to be headlined by Conor McGregor and US fighter Cole Miller but no official confirmation on that has been received thus far. A host of Irish fighters such as Cathal Pendred, Chris Fields and others are also expected to be announced shortly.
Tickets for the event will go on sale from 4th of June for UFC Fight Club members, 5th of June for Newsletter subscribers and 6th June on general sale to the public. No prices have been announced as of yet but tickets for the recent UFC event in London ranged from £40 to £850, though the latter inflated ticket price was for the very upmarket UFC VIP Experience.