Tag: Kyle Driscoll

Cage Warriors 141 results: George Hardwick crumples Kyle Driscoll with slick body punch to win vacant title

George Hardwick resorted to his signature weapon at Cage Warriors 141 when he defeated Kyle Driscoll by TKO due to body shot.

[autotag]George Hardwick[/autotag] is known for his sharp body shots and he showed why in his first major regional promotional title fight Friday in London.

At Cage Warriors 141, Hardwick (10-1) went to his bread-and-butter attack when he blasted AKA’s [autotag]Kyle Driscoll[/autotag] (13-4) with a series of punches to the body and head to claim the promotion’s vacant lightweight title at 1:25 of Round 4.

The fight was closely contested in the early stages. Slowly but surely that changed as Hardwick maintained a high energy level and quick movements. Driscoll’s range was excellent early, but as the fight continued he appeared to slow down.

In Round 3, Hardwick dropped Driscoll with a body shot that swung the momentum clearly in his favor. Driscoll succeeded in wild exchanges when he had no other option, but Hardwick’s attack proved relentless.

In the next round, Hardwick finally got the job done. A left hook to the right side of Driscoll’s body sat him against the cage. A couple of light follow-up punches were enough for referee Marc Goddard to step in.

With the victory, Hardwick extended his winning streak to six. Five of those wins came inside the distance. As for Driscoll, his eight-fight winning streak is no longer.

“Maybe this will get me into the UFC, but I’m a competitor first,” Hardwick told MMA Junkie before the fight. “I want to have an active schedule first. I want to have defenses. I’ve seen some champions that win the belt and then they just sit on the sidelines. I’ve seen some champions win this and think it’s a ticket to the UFC. They sat on their arse for like two years. You only get one career. You don’t want to lose two years of fights. I’m a competitor first. I want to compete. I want to go through the competitive process as much as possible.”

The full Cage Warriors 141 results include:

  • George Hardwick def. Kyle Driscoll via TKO (punches) – Round 4, 1:25
  • Jim Wallhead def. Daniel Skibinski via TKO (right hook) – Round 1, 1:15
  • Mike Figlak def. Agy Sardari via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Mick Stanton def. Darren Stewart via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
  • Samuel Bark def. Tobias Harila via TKO (knee) – Round 2, 2:30
  • Steve Aimable def. Jeremy Petley via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Reece McEwan def. Kingsley Crawford via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Will Currie def. Naglis Kanisauskas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Adam Amarashinghe def. Sam Spencer via unanimous decision (28-29, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Madars Fleminas def. Jesse Urholin via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:10
  • Lone’er Kavanagh def. Ander Sanchez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Omiel Brown def. Alexander Lindgren via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 1:51

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On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC with March wins

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves.

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC, Bellator, or PFL gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.

This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major promotion notoriety – one for the second time – return to the cage for what could be their stepping stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

This month:

  • A wrestler from AKA is excited to finally prove his worth to any major promotion watching when he makes his lightweight debut.
  • A former UFC fighter continues to win and win and win outside of the promotion – and hopes one more victory pushes him over the top and back with the promotion.
  • An undefeated Brazilian wants to capitalize on a big opportunity for LFA in order to climb into the ranks of a major promotion.
  • A British Cage Warriors champion hopes putting a definitive stamp on the lifetime series against a past rival gets him the UFC call.
  • One of the Middle East’s most entertaining fighters looks to extend his winning streak to four and catch the attention of the UFC.

Not Ready Yet: On the Doorstep: 5 fighters who could make UFC or Bellator with April wins

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey starts long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves.

Every champion in MMA history started out somewhere.

For those who make it to the highest stage, the journey begins long before they strap on UFC or Bellator gloves. Modern-era fighters progress through the regional ranks with hopes of accomplishing the highest accolades. Many will try, few will succeed.

This month, five fighters on the verge of achieving major-promotion notoriety return to the cage for what could be their stepping stone fight. There are dozens of fighters close to making the jump in the coming weeks, but these five are particularly exemplary.

This month:

  • A welterweight finisher hopes his first CFFC title defense will be his only – and he’ll go to the UFC right after.
  • One of the most impressive unsigned performances on the inaugural season of Dana White’s Contender Series, comes back after a 3.5-year hiatus with his sights set on earning the contract that eluded him.
  • Two Oklahomans hope their LFA homecoming headliners will be eye-catching enough to elevate them to MMA’s big leagues.
  • With a title defense for Fury FC, a lightweight standout thinks a UFC phone call could come his way.

10 featherweights you can expect to see on Dana White’s Contender Series, Season 4

The return of Dana White’s Contender Series isn’t far off, and here are 10 featherweights who are candidates to appear on the show.

Dana White’s Contender Series has become a focal point for fighters on the regional scene. Since its inception in 2017, the UFC Fight Pass-turned-ESPN+ summer original removed some of the guesswork for up-and-comers trying to make it big.

With UFC president Dana White and matchmakers Mick Maynard and Sean Shelby cageside, the stakes are high. Have an impressive, exciting win on the show, and you’re in.

Rumored for a late-June start date, DWCS Season 4 is almost here. The lineups haven’t been announced quite yet, but advanced planning is underway. While there are hundreds of fighters qualified to compete on the show, we’ll be narrowing each divisional pool to 10 fighters you should expect to see on the show this summer.

Up next, the featherweights…

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Image via XFC

Mohammad Alavi

Record: 5-0
Age: 33
Height: 5’8″
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran

It’s hard to build your record when you struggle to find willing opponents. That’s the issue [autotag]Mohammad Alavi[/autotag] has been having lately. At only 5-0, Alavi hasn’t generated much buzz outside of the Australia/New Zealand regional circuit. However, many inside the circuit view him as a force to be reckoned with. He’s finished all of his fights inside the distance, including his 102-second knockout of Jackson Small at XFC 42 in August. With the coronavirus outbreak canceling his March 20 bout for Superfight MMA, Alavi could jump right into DWCS this summer.

Image via RFA

Anthony Avila

Record: 18-5
Age: 31
Height: 5’7″
Birthplace: Lemoore, Calif.

It’s crazy that [autotag]Anthony Avila[/autotag] is only 31 years old considering the amount of experience he’s accumulated over the years. From his Shark Fights and Strikeforce Challengers days early on, to his most recent fights in Combate Americas and Tachi Palace Fights, Gutierrez has been around the block. Over the years, the Team Alpha Male product faced top-tier regional talent. He’s had ups and downs, but now he’s ready. A winner of five of his most recent six outings, Avila has proved he’s made the proper advancements to stay consistent.

More fighters on the next page:

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