The first big French MMA stop of 2026 is locked in as ares fc rolls into Nice for Ares FC 37: Augen vs. Shiguemoto 2 on Friday, January 9, 2026 at Palais Nikaïa. The lineup has a little bit of everything: a five-round rematch that already has history, a heavyweight title defense, and a bunch of matchups that feel built for highlight reels.
Shiguemoto vs Augen 2: the five-round rematch
The main event is the sequel fans have been asking for: Fight: Shiguemoto vs. Augen. Their first meeting turned into a legit war, and ARES has been pushing the idea that the “numbers” from that first fight tell the story — volume, pace, and chaos. Two years later, they run it back in Nice, and the expectation is the same: pressure from the opening minute and no safe minutes.
Les chiffres d’un combat épique entre Henrique Shiguemoto et Virgil Augen à #ARES18 ! 🔥
— ARES Fighting Championship (@ares_fighting) December 16, 2025
Deux ans plus tard, ils s’apprêtent à s’affronter de nouveau le 9 janvier à Nice, en Main Event d’#ARES37 🤩
Tenez-vous prêts pour une véritable guerre en 5 rounds, avec à la clé la… pic.twitter.com/s44gwh5m3n
Kacapor defends the heavyweight belt
On the title side, the champ is back: Fight: Kacapor vs. Lessou. ARES framed Moreno Kacapor’s reign as a power takeover, and this defense in Nice is a clean test — can the champion keep imposing his pace, or does Xavier Lessou drag him into something messy and unpredictable?
Notre champion a pris le pouvoir par la force ! 👊💥
— ARES Fighting Championship (@ares_fighting) December 20, 2025
Moreno Kacapor défend sa ceinture poids lourd le vendredi 9 janvier au Palais Nikaïa de Nice sur #ARES37. 🏆🔥
[📲 Réservez vos billets pour nos prochains événements | LIEN EN BIO] pic.twitter.com/LchdAtLbZC
Sofiane El Fatni is on the card, and the building knows it
Nice is also getting local energy with Fight: Misiuk vs. El Fatni. The venue itself has been hyping Sofiane El Fatni as a guy who shows up to make noise — and that’s the perfect vibe for an early-2026 kickoff card.
Êtes-vous prêts pour le premier rendez-vous de 2026 🔥 ?
— Palais Nikaia (@palaisnikaia) December 28, 2025
Sofiane El Fatni et son équipe vont à nouveau faire parler la poudre sur #ARES37 pic.twitter.com/45K570m7HV
ARES FC 37 fight card (Nice, France)
- Main Event: Shiguemoto vs. Augen (rematch)
- Heavyweight Title: Kacapor vs. Lessou
- Djiroun vs. Roberto
- Bouzy vs. Boukichou
- Aida vs. Tyshchenko
- Aliev vs. Palancica
- Krasniqi vs. Martins
- Amaev vs. Silva
- Abdoulaye vs. Boungab
If you’re looking for a card that starts 2026 with urgency — not a slow build — Ares FC 37 reads like it was designed to keep the crowd standing.
