Cage Warriors makes history with first government-recognized MMA shows in U.K.

Cage Warriors’ upcoming “Trilogy” events in Manchester have received official approval from the U.K. government.

Cage Warriors’ upcoming triple-header in Manchester is set to make history in more ways than one.

The U.K.-based promotion’s “Trilogy” events, which will take place on Sept. 24, 25 and 26 at the BEC Arena, represent the first time the promotion has hosted back-to-back events across three days. But, more significantly, the upcoming events have received something no other U.K. MMA promotion or event has ever had before – official government approval.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing guidelines regarding public gatherings and event protocols, the promotion applied to the U.K. government to get their three-night run rubber-stamped by lawmakers in Westminster.

The resulting approval, signed off by the U.K. government’s Secretary of State Grant Shapps, permits elite sportspersons taking part in government-specified events to be permitted exemptions to the standard self-isolation requirements upon their arrival in the U.K.

Under this week’s amendment, Cage Warriors’ upcoming shows have been officially added to the list of approved events, along with two championship boxing cards, an under-18 British Gymnastics meet and a Matchroom Snooker event.

[lawrence-related id=536041,529663,529650]

The approval not only means Cage Warriors’ event is cleared to go ahead with full government approval, it also represents the first time the U.K. government has officially recognized the sport of MMA.

While MMA is governed by state athletic commissions in the United States, the sport remains unregulated by the U.K. government. The English Mixed Martial Arts Association (EMMAA) has been established under the global IMMAF umbrella to help promote best practices for organizations holding events in the U.K., while Safe MMA was set up as a voluntary organization to provide third-party medical screening and record-keeping services, as well as to act a point of information and medical advice for athletes competing in the U.K. and Ireland.

However, Cage Warriors’ official recognition via the government’s COVID-19 event legislation represents a notable landmark for the sport in the U.K.

Cage Warriors 114, 115 and 116 take place Sept 24, 25 and 26 at the BEC Arena, Manchester. All three events will stream live worldwide on UFC Fight Pass.

[vertical-gallery id=501964]

Cage Warriors 115: Nathias Frederick to defend middleweight title in Manchester

Cage Warriors 115 will feature a battle for the middleweight title as champion Nathias Frederick returns to make the first defense of his title.

Cage Warriors’ September triple-header continues to take shape, with a middleweight title fight confirmed for the second leg of the promotion’s three-night run.

Middleweight champion [autotag]Nathias Frederick[/autotag] will put his 185-pound title on the line against [autotag]Jamie Richardson[/autotag] at Cage Warriors 115, which takes place Friday, Sept. 25 at the BEC Arena, Manchester. The event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

After losing his first two bouts as a pro, Frederick (8-2-1) has gone unbeaten, winning eight and drawing one of his last nine. He captured middleweight gold in his last appearance inside the Cage Warriors cage as he defeated James Webb via fourth-round TKO at Cage Warriors 111 last November. His planned title defense against Andreas Michailidis in April was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and Michailidis subsequently moved on to join the UFC.

[lawrence-related id=465049,545593,543388]

Now the 37-year-old from Birmingham will look to register the first successful defense of his title against 24-year-old “Young Gun” Richardson (9-5), who heads into the bout riding a three-fight win streak, thanks to victories over Phill Wells (twice) and Matthew Bonner.

“These guys never take a backward step,” said Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan, via press release.

“We knew this one had ‘Fight of the Night’ written all over it from the moment it was signed. Styles make fights, and I’m predicting carnage on Sept. 25 – and the stakes are even higher with the title on the line.”

Cage Warriors 115 confirmed fights include:

  • Champion Nathias Frederick vs. Jamie Richardson – for middleweight title
  • James Webb vs. Craig White
  • Ian Garry vs. George McManus

Cage Warriors 115: Craig White returns to middleweight to face ex-champion James Webb

Cage Warriors 115 will feature an all-British middleweight battle between grapplers James Webb and Craig White in Manchester.

U.K. promotion Cage Warriors has booked an all-British battle for the second night of their triple-header in Manchester next month.

Former middleweight champion [autotag]James Webb[/autotag] will return to action against former welterweight campaigner and ex-UFC athlete [autotag]Craig White[/autotag] at 185 pounds at Cage Warriors 115. MMA Junkie confirmed the matchup with promotion officials.

Cage Warriors 115 take place on Friday, Sept. 25 at the BEC Arena in Manchester. The event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Webb (7-2-1) is looking to battle his way back to the 185-pound title after losing out to Nathias Frederick at Cage Warriors 111 last November. He bounced back with a unanimous decision victory over Mick Stanton at Cage Warriors 112 in March, and will be keen to build some momentum as he bids to make an undeniable case for a title shot later this year.

[lawrence-related id=543388,541891,536041]

He’ll be facing White (14-11), who is moving back up to middleweight for the first time since 2016 in a bid to reignite his career after suffering a run of four straight defeats at 170 pounds.

White earned a UFC contract off the back of a four-fight, four-finish run in the Cage Warriors welterweight division, but lost out to Neil Magny and Diego Sanchez before returning to the U.K. promotion in 2019.

Unfortunately for White, he was unable to bounce back to form as he suffered back-to-back losses to Joilton Santos and Louis Glisman at Cage Warriors 102 and Cage Warriors Unplugged 2, respectively.

Now “Thundercat” is looking to start a new chapter as a middleweight and will hope that victory over former champion White will kick-start another run of success.

Confirmed bouts for Cage Warriors 115 include:

  • James Webb vs. Craig White
  • Ian Garry vs. George McManus

Cage Warriors announces return for Manchester with shows on three straight days in September

Cage Warriors will return this fall with an ambitious triple-header in England.

Cage Warriors will return this fall with an ambitious triple-header in England.

Cage Warriors 114, Cage Warriors 115 and Cage Warriors 116 will take place on three consecutive days on Sept. 24, 25 and 26 at BEC Arena in Manchester. Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan previously revealed the plan to MMA Junkie, but the promotion made it official Friday.

The events will be Cage Warriors’ first since Cage Warriors 113 took place March 20 in Manchester just as most of the world was starting to shut down due to the global COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’ve pulled off big events before, but this is something else entirely,” Boylan stated. “(We’ll have) all our biggest names across one weekend. We’re leaving no stone unturned.

“It’s taken a lot of planning, but we’re ready to get back on the road. We’re back to doing what we do best, and that’s showcasing Europe’s best talent and providing the proven pathway to the top.”

[lawrence-related id=529663,529650,528388]

No actual fights have been announced for the trio of shows, but the promotion said lightweight champion Mason Jones, bantamweight champ Jack Cartwright, flyweight titleholder Samir Faiddine and middleweight champ Nathias Frederick will put their titles on the line. Plus, standouts like Paddy Pimblett, Morgan Charriere, Rhys McKee and Adam Proctor also are expected to be part of the lineups.

The series of events, which Cage Warriors has dubbed “The Trilogy,” will take place without fans in attendance at BEC Arena. The events will stream on UFC Fight Pass.

[vertical-gallery id=501964]

Rhys McKee lands shot at vacant welterweight title at Cage Warriors 115

Former two-time BAMMA lightweight champion Rhys McKee will fight for the newly vacated Cage Warriors welterweight title.

It’s all change at the top of the Cage Warriors welterweight division as another champion says goodbye to the organization and an in-form contender steps up to fight for the vacant belt.

Hot on the heels of lightweight champion Jai Herbert’s departure to join the UFC, it was announced that welterweight champ Ross Houston also fought his last fight for the promotion.

But Cage Warriors is wasting no time in its quest to ensure the 170-pound title isn’t left on the shelf, however, and one half of the promotion’s next welterweight title fight already has been booked.

The promotion confirmed to MMA Junkie that two-time former BAMMA lightweight champion [autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag] will form one half of the battle for the newly vacated belt at Cage Warriors 115 on May 16 from the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

[lawrence-related id=486119,486117]

McKee (10-2-1) twice held lightweight gold for rival British promotion BAMMA before signing with Cage Warriors in late 2018. Since joining the organization, “Skeletor” has won three straight, with the third win seeing him move up from lightweight to his more natural weight of welterweight.

His 63-second TKO of Norway’s Hakon Foss immediately put him within range of a shot at the 170-pound title, and following Houston’s departure, the Northern Irishman will get his shot at the gold against an opponent still to be determined.

Cage Warriors 115: Local heroes set for action in European promotion’s Belfast debut

Cage Warriors will host its first show in Belfast, Northern Ireland on May 16, with a host of local stars set for action at the SSE Arena.

Cage Warriors will head to Belfast for the first time for Cage Warriors 115, and the promotion has already confirmed a host of local favorites will feature on the card.

The event, which will take place at the SSE Arena on May 16 and streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, will be headlined by [autotag]Rhys McKee[/autotag], who heads into his latest bout riding a three-fight win streak after a hugely successful year in 2019. Now the Ballymena native will look to position himself for a shot at championship gold at 170 pounds with a big win on home soil.

Former BAMMA lightweight champion McKee (10-2-1) defeated Jefferson George and Perry Goodwin at 155 pounds in his first two bouts under the Cage Warriors banner, but moved up to welterweight and scored a 63-second knockout of Hakon Foss in his last outing at Cage Warriors 110 last November.

McKee will be joined by fellow countrymen [autotag]Joe McColgan[/autotag], [autotag]Decky McAleenan[/autotag] and unbeaten prospect [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag], with each man heading into Belfast with momentum on their side.

McColgan (6-2-1) followed up his spectacular draw with Mehdi Ben Lakhtar in September 2019 with a first-round submission of Robbie Scott at Cage Warriors 110, while McAleenan (6-3) snapped his two-fight losing skid with a hard-earned decision victory over Antanas Jazbutis on the same night. Hughes (4-0), meanwhile, will look to continue his unbeaten run as he looks to build on his first-round submission finish at Cage Warriors Unplugged 2 last September.

The show also marks the second appearance of the year for Dublin’s Ian Garry, with the undefeated Irishman set to kick off his year with back-to-back fights. Garry (3-0) will make his first appearance of 2020 at Cage Warriors 113 in London on Mar. 20, and is scheduled make a swift turnaround to compete in Belfast on May 16.

Their respective opponents are set to be announced in due course.