Tag: Connor Hitchens

Cage Warriors featherweight Connor Hitchens dead at 26

A rising English fighter, 26-year-old Cage Warriors prospect Connor Hitchens has died.

English featherweight [autotag]Connor Hitchens[/autotag] has died.

Hitchens’ death was confirmed Tuesday by Cage Warriors, the promotion for which he’d been fighting. No cause of death has been publicly revealed. Hitchens was 26.

Hitchens competed 20 times as an amateur through the ranks of IMMAF and other organizations. After a 6-0 start as a professional, Hitchens lost two consecutive fights. He had not competed since his Cage Warriors debut in April 2022, a spinning wheel-kick TKO loss to Manny Akpan. Hitchens was booked to fight in November 2022 vs. Antonio Sheldon but withdrew from the bout.

‘Knockout of the Year’ contender: Watch Manny Akpan smoke opponent with spinning hook kick

Was it luck? Was it impeccable timing? Who cares. Manny Akpan just landed one of the best knockout blows of 2022.

Over and over again, rising MMA fighters are informed of the importance of differentiating themselves from the pack. Sometimes, it’s difficult and fighters act a fool to supplement substantial interest.

But for [autotag]Manny Akpan[/autotag], he will not need to do such things – all because of his Cage Warriors 136 knockout against [autotag]Connor Hitchens[/autotag]. If he does nothing else in the near future, he will always be known as “the guy who hit that ridiculous roundhouse kick,” because that’s exactly what he did.

Was it luck? Was it a perfect analysis of timing? Was it a combination?

None of those questions really matter in the end. The bottom line is Akpan (4-1) wrecked Hitchens (6-2) with a violent, face-plant-inducing roundhouse kick that ended their featherweight bout at the 4:36 mark of Round 2.

After Akpan stuffed a takedown from Hitchens, the two fighters bounded upward. As he looked to back off and reset, Hitchens dashed away – but directly toward Akpan’s power side. Akpan made him pay as he spun and landed the knockout blow, which you can watch below.

Cage Warriors 136 took place Saturday at BEC Arena in Manchester, England, as the second of a two-day doubleheader for the promotion.

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