UFC veteran and former KSW lightweight title challenger Norman Parke has stepped in on short notice to replace Dricus Du Plessis in his scheduled bout against fellow former welterweight champion Borys Mankowski at KSW 47 in Lodz, Poland on Mar. 23.
A number of sources confirmed the bout to MMA Fighting Tuesday. Du Plessis was forced from the card due to an undisclosed injury.
Parke (25-6-1) is set to compete as a welterweight for the first time at the March event after struggling to hit the lightweight limit on a number of occasions following his UFC exit in 2016. The Northern Irish fighter has a history with Mankowski. Following his lightweight bout against champion Mateusz Gamrot in Dublin, which was overturned to a no contest, Parke shoved Mankowski who was cornering “Gamer” at the event.
“Stormin’ Norman” is 4-0-1, 1 NC since leaving the UFC. He has remained a top tier European lightweight and would have contested two titles fight under the KSW banner and another under the BAMMA banner had he come in at championship weight. His cut from the UFC was quite controversial at the time given his winning record of 5-1-3 under the banner.
Mankowski (19-7-1) is a former KSW welterweight champion. “The Tasmanian Devil” is currently on a two-fight skid beginning with a loss in a catchweight clash with legendary middleweight Mamed Khalidov. Following the decision loss to Khalidov, Mankowski was stopped between rounds to lose his title to European standout Roberto Soldic at KSW 41.
The former champion was scheduled for a return bout at KSW 46 against Bruce Souto, but was injured two weeks out from the event. KSW 47 will mark his first outing since the loss to Soldic, which took place in Nov. 2017.
