With the rest of the MMA world on virtual shutdown, all eyes will be on Manchester, England, on Friday when U.K.-based promotion Cage Warriors moves ahead with its latest event.
The behind-closed-doors Cage Warriors 113 was moved to Manchester’s BEC Arena earlier in the week due to the shutdown of the original venue, London’s Indigo at The O2. The promotion remained determined in its quest to keep the event alive and put on a show for MMA fans around the world.
Understandably, the card is full of U.K. and Irish fighters, as well as a few European names who already had traveled to England prior to the coronavirus shutdown. It also features a first: a UFC fight in a non-UFC event. Middleweights Bartosz Fabinski (14-3) and Darren Stewart (11-4) go head to head in a UFC bout in the main event.
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The co-main event features a battle for the vacant Cage Warriors lightweight title. Undefeated Welshman Mason Jones (8-0) takes on Northern Ireland’s Joe McColgan (6-2-1), while former BAMMA and Cage Warriors welterweight title challenger Nathan Jones (13-9) faces off against French contender David Bear (8-1).
Kicking off the main card will be the returning former featherweight champion Paddy Pimblett (14-3), who makes his long-awaited comeback after an 18-month hiatus. He faces Ireland’s Decky Dalton (11-4), who steps in to face “The Baddy” on just one week’s notice.
Cage Warriors 113 will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, with the preliminary card also streamed live on Cagewarriors.com.
Full Cage Warriors 113 results include:
MAIN CARD (5 p.m. ET)
- Bartosz Fabinski vs. Darren Stewart – UFC bout
- Mason Jones vs. Joe McColgan – for vacant lightweight title
- David Bear vs. Nathan Jones
- Decky Dalton vs. Paddy Pimblett
PRELIMINARY CARD (2:30 p.m. ET)
- Steve Aimable vs. Perry Goodwin
- Coner Hignett vs. Darren O’Gorman
- Adam Amarasinghe vs. Jake Bond
- Matthew Bonner vs. Jamie Richardson
- Kris Edwards vs. James Hendin
- Jack Collins vs. Aidan Stephen
- Kingsley Crawford vs. Lewis Monarch