The event was headlined by a WSOF Middleweight Championship fight between champion
David Branch and
Clifford Starks. The co-headliner was a fight between
Jon Fitch and João Zeferino for the vacant WSOF Welterweight Championship.[1] After
Rousimar Palhares was stripped of the title for holding the submission too long in the fight against
Jake Shields,[2] Fitch and Shields were originally expected to fight for the vacant title, but Shields pulled out of the fight, citing an disagreement over his contract.[3][4]