Dream date for Regis

Newark’s Regis ‘The First’ Sugden is just weeks away from realising a long-held ambition as he prepares to return to the cage next month at the Nottingham Motorpoint Arena.

“It’s always been my dream to fight at the Motorpoint,” said the 22-year old Suggy’s Gym MMA professional. “I’ve been there to watch other big events and walked past it so many times thinking ‘one day, one day’. Now that day’s almost here and I can’t wait to get out there and show people a completely different fighter.”

Fully recovered after a break following a training injury last year, Regis will be back in action on Saturday 19 May on the card of ACB 87, the first major MMA event hosted by the Nottingham venue since September 2012.

Fighting for the first time at Lightweight, he takes on Stephen Martin from Derby in a match up which sees both men making their debut with Europe’s number one MMA promotion.

“It’s going to be a huge show, with an action-packed card of 12 fights,” added Regis. “I just think to myself that if ACB want me on there, I must be doing something right.

“All I can say to the friends and fans who are going to be there on the night is that this is going to be the greatest show of them all – expect fireworks and whatever you do don’t blink!”

“Having to pull out of ACB 70 last year due to injury was a massive disappointment for all of us,” said Suggy’s Gym head coach Dean Sugden. “Yes, it was a setback for Regis but, as soon as his treatment was successfully completed, nothing was going to stand in his way and he was determined to be back doing what he does best as soon as possible.

“He’s been working hard on every aspect of his game, on things that maybe other people didn’t see as weaknesses before but that he recognised as such. He’s moving up a weight division, he’s fitter and stronger than ever and he’s made no secret of the fact that this one won’t be going the distance, he’s going for the KO.

“Tickets for the show are available to buy online only here and are priced from £35 to £150. Use the promo code SUGGYS and choose from the options marked with Regis’s name – as he says, this is going to be the best show ever and we want all his family, friends and fans to be sitting together to cheer him on.”