David Branch-Ronny Markes Light Heavyweight Tilt to Headline WSOF 20

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World Series of Fighting middleweight champ David Branch has his eyes on more promotional gold.

The Las Vegas-based organization announced on Wednesday that Branch will move up to 205 pounds to face Ronny Markes in the WSOF 20 headliner on April 10. The bout will be part of the promotion’s four-man light heavyweight title tournament; Thiago Silva and Matt Hamill will square off in the other half of the bracket at WSOF 19 on March 28.

WSOF 20 takes place at Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Ledyard, Conn., and also includes a lightweight scrap pitting Melvin Guillard against Ozzy Dugulubgov in the evening’s co-main event. In addition, Nick Newell will face Joe Condon in a featured 155-pound matchup.

A four-time UFC veteran, Branch is 5-0 since signing with WSOF in 2012. The Renzo Gracie Jiu-Jitsu product captured the promotion’s inaugural 185-pound strap with a first-round submission of Jesse Taylor at WSOF 10 and defended the belt with a fourth-round technical knockout triumph against Yushin Okami in his most recent outing this past November.

Anchored at Nova Uniao Kimura, Markes was released from the UFC after back-to-back knockout losses at the hands of Yoel Romero and Thiago Santos. He rebounded in his WSOF debut, scoring a unanimous verdict over Cully Butterfield at WSOF 12 last August.