Cage Warriors 122: Jordan Vucenic edges Morgan Charriere, captures featherweight title in London

England’s Jordan Vucenic went toe to toe with rising French star Morgan Charriere for five rounds and came out victorious as the man known as “The Epidemic” claimed a split-decision win, and the featherweight title, at Cage Warriors 122 in London. …

England’s [autotag]Jordan Vucenic[/autotag] went toe to toe with rising French star [autotag]Morgan Charriere[/autotag] for five rounds and came out victorious as the man known as “The Epidemic” claimed a split-decision win, and the featherweight title, at Cage Warriors 122 in London.

Vucenic (8-1) started strongly and used his range and jab to good effect to bank the early rounds against reigning champion Charriere (16-8-1), who was making his first defense of the title. The Frenchman upped his intensity through the middle rounds and briefly stunned the challenger, but he was unable to shake the composure of the 25-year-old, who dealt with everything the champion threw at him and kept firing back over the full five-round duration to earn the split-decision win with scores of 46-49, 48-47, 48-47 from the cageside judges at York Hall.

“I put everything that I’ve got into this sport. I love it, man. I don’t have a life outside of it. I put so much into it, it’s nice to get (the belt). It’s been a lifelong dream,” he said after his victory.

“I just treated it like sparring. It might look like I was being cocky to people at home when I talk and smile, but I just love being in there. It was just amazing to be in there. That was the best I’ve ever felt in there, as well. No pent-up emotion, no nothing.”

When it was suggested that a potential matchup with former featherweight champ Paddy Pimblett could be a possibility, Vucenic instead highlighted the fighter he thinks should get the first shot at his title.

Vucenic defeated Paul Hughes via split decision at Cage Warriors 119 to earn his shot at the title, and the Irishman bounced back from that loss on Thursday with a unanimous decision win over James Hendin. Now Vucenic says the time is right for a rematch, with the title on the line.

“Listen, I’m the champion, I’ve gotta fight whoever,” he said. “I like Paddy, but I think we all know who’s next in line, and I’m not going to deny who’s next in line, and it is Paul Hughes. I’m not going to shy away from anybody, I’m not scared of defending it against anybody. He deserves it, so he’ll get the shot.”

https://twitter.com/CageWarriors/status/1373403109549039624

Cage Warriors 122 live results

France’s Morgan Charriere puts his featherweight title on the line on the final leg of Cage Warriors’ first “Trilogy” event of 2021.

The final leg of Cage Warriors’ first “Trilogy” series of 2021 features one of the biggest rising stars of European MMA as he looks to defend his newly won title.

France’s [autotag]Morgan Charriere[/autotag] (16-7-1) captured the Cage Warriors featherweight title with a body-shot knockout of Perry Goodwin at Cage Warriors 119 in December and now “The Last Pirate” will return to action at Cage Warriors 122 as he puts his belt on the line for the first time against top contender, England’s [autotag]Jordan Vucenic[/autotag] (7-1), in the main event.

Also set to return is another of Cage Warriors’ most recognizable stars. Former featherweight champion [autotag]Paddy Pimblett[/autotag] (15-3) is has his sights set on a UFC contract, and will be looking to deliver another irresistible performance when he takes on Italy’s [autotag]Davide Martinez[/autotag] (8-2) in the co-main event.

Cage Warriors 122 takes place Saturday at York Hall, Bethnal Green, London. The card streams on UFC Fight Pass.

Full Cage Warriors 122 results include:

MAIN CARD (4:00 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass)

  • Champ Morgan Charriere vs. Jordan Vucenic – for featherweight title
  • Davide Martinez vs. Paddy Pimblett
  • Tobias Harila vs. Aidan Stephen
  • Brian Bouland vs. Liam Gittins
  • Corrin Eaton vs. Jean N’Doye

PRELIMINARY CARD (2:30 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass)

  • Nathan Fletcher vs. Michele Martignoni
  • Yassine Belhadj vs. Tom Mearns
  • Nicolas Leblond vs. Darren O’Gorman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CjpxuSlLJY

Cage Warriors 112 results: Jack Cartwright calls for UFC Dublin shot after retaining title

Bantamweight champion Jack Cartwright defended his title at Cage Warriors 112, showing a different side to his skill set.

He might not have delivered the explosive finish some expected pre-fight, but Cage Warriors bantamweight champion [autotag]Jack Cartwright[/autotag] showed another side as he showcased his grit and determination to outpoint Croatian challenger [autotag]Manuel Bilic[/autotag] over the full five-round duration at Cage Warriors 112 in Manchester.

The pair met in the main event at BEC Arena, with Cartwright claiming the unanimous decision by scores of 48-47, 49-46, 50-45 after a grueling encounter that saw the Bolton man light up the challenger with his heavy-handed boxing early on, then showcase his patience and defensive smarts in the championship rounds.

Cartwright (8-0) looked in superb form early on as he repeatedly dropped Bilic (15-7) with solid punches. It also played into the Croatian’s gameplan as Bilic repeatedly looked to trap the champion in a triangle choke as the Brit followed the challenger to the mat. But Cartwright, whose heavy hands disguise a fighter whose base comes from the wrestling and grappling realms, exercised calmness and composure in tricky situations to ensure he was never fully trapped against his opponent, who came into the bout on the back of two consecutive submission finishes.

The pace began to drop as the bout entered the championship rounds, but while the pace may have slowed, Cartwright’s mind stayed sharp to avoid Bilic’s submission attacks as the bout went all the way to the judges’ scorecards. All three judges scored the fight for the reigning champion, who completed his first title defense with the first decision win of his career.

After the fight, Cartwright told Cage Warriors co-commentator Josh Palmer he was happy to show he had the fight IQ – and the gas tank – to go all five rounds.

“It feels very good,” he said. “Everyone was wondering if I could last more than one round, so I thought I’d give people their money’s worth and give them five!

“It’s almost a mental game, isn’t it? Stay switched on the whole time, don’t make any silly mistakes. I know I’m more than capable of beating 99% of fighters in the world, so as long as I don’t rush and stay patient … I did that tonight, and I’m quite pleased with myself to not rush for the knockout the entire time, and just accept some positions and stay clever. It’s that self-belief and that grit that I know I’ve done this since I was 5 years old. If I’m feeling tired, they’re (expletive) exhausted.”

Cartwright then sent a message to UFC president Dana White, as he called for a chance to join the promotion and be a part of the upcoming fight card in Dublin.

“Dublin loves some fighters, don’t they? So, August 15, Dana White, give me a ring, and I’ll go and put on a show for those Irish fans (and) knock out some of your bantamweights, man,” he said. “Just give me a call!”

Proctor stays patient to secure decision win

Rising welterweight contender [autotag]Adam Proctor[/autotag] dominated proceedings throughout his co-main event bout with U.K.-based Latvian [autotag]Madars Fleminas[/autotag], but despite his efforts, “The Love Doctor” couldn’t quite secure the finish after 15 minutes of action.

Proctor (12-1) used his reach advantage well in the striking exchanges as he edged the first two rounds, but the main difference between the pair came when the South Shields man took Fleminas (7-1) to the canvas.

Proctor totally dominated on the mat, particularly during a lopsided third round, but found the previously-unbeaten Fleminas a tough nut to crack as the pair battled all the way to the scorecards, with the Englishman claiming 30-26 scores on all three scorecards to secure his seventh straight victory.

Smith secures slick submission

SBG Manchester’s [autotag]George Smith[/autotag] showcased his grappling acumen as he submitted England-based Pole [autotag]Lukasz Marcinkowski[/autotag] via armbar submission in the dying seconds of the opening round of their middleweight contest.

Smith (5-1) was caught by surprise when Marcinkowski (4-2) pulled guard and dragged the fight to the mat during the opening striking exchanges. But once the fight ended up on the mat, the Mancunian dominated proceedings and, after looking to lock up an omoplata, he swiftly transitioned to an armbar as Marcinkowski looked to roll his way to safety. The tap quickly followed as the 25-year-old stated his case as a dangerous contender in Cage Warriors’ 185-pound division.

Webb bounces back with dominant victory

Former middleweight champion [autotag]James Webb[/autotag] returned to action with a win as he dominated [autotag]Mick Stanton[/autotag] over three rounds to claim a dominant decision victory following his defeat to new champ Nathias Frederick at Cage Warriors 111.

Webb (7-2-1) hurt Stanton early with a knee to the liver, then proceeded to dominate the action on the mat throughout the three-round fight as he smothered “The Huyton Hammer” and scored with a host of ground strikes from mount, while also threatening with a host of submission attempts. Stanton (6-4) is not a man to be finished easily, however, and the gritty Liverpudlian showed his toughness as he took the fight all the way to the scorecards, and even threatened to turn the tables on the former champion with a couple of heel-hook attempts.

But the result was in little doubt when the scorecards were collated, as Webb earned scores of 30-26, 30-26, 30-27 to claim a shutout victory and put himself back on a path to his old belt.

Wilson claims landmark win

It was a night to remember for Liverpool’s [autotag]Adam Wilson[/autotag], who extended his unbeaten record with a rear-naked choke finish of former title challenger [autotag]Scott Malone[/autotag].

After a tricky opening round, Wilson (5-0) launched into attack mode at the start of Round 2. Almost immediately, he caught a kick from Malone (6-4), then launched into a flying back-take before locking up a tight rear-naked choke that eventually forced the tap 18 seconds after the restart.

Preliminary card

The star of the show on the preliminary card was undoubtedly [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] (5-0). The undefeated Irish featherweight finished [autotag]Youri Panada[/autotag] (4-2) with a thumping head kick in the second round before serving notice on the top names in the Cage Warriors 145-pound division, including reigning champion and former UFC 145er Mads Burnell.

Bantamweight [autotag]Nathan Fletcher[/autotag] (3-0) also produced an impressive display as he handed fellow undefeated prospect [autotag]Johan Segas[/autotag] (3-1) his first loss with a first-round TKO finish.

There were also notable inside-the-distance victories for [autotag]Steven Hooper[/autotag] (5-3) and [autotag]James Sheehan[/autotag] (2-2), who secured second-round submission finishes of [autotag]Tom Mearns[/autotag] (6-4) and [autotag]Kyran Sturrock[/autotag] (0-1) respectively, while in the featured prelim Danish debutant [autotag]Jonas Magard[/autotag] claimed a landslide unanimous decision win over [autotag]Liam Gittins[/autotag].

Full Cage Warriors 112 results include:

MAIN CARD

  • Champion Jack Cartwright def. Manuel Bilic via unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 50-45) – for bantamweight title
  • Adam Proctor def. Madars Fleminas via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
  • George Smith def. Lukasz Marcinkowski via submission (armbar) – Round 1, 4:47
  • James Webb def. Mick Stanton via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
  • Adam Wilson def. Scott Malone via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 0:18

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Jonas Magard def. Liam Gittins via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-25)
  • Nathan Fletcher def. Johan Segas via TKO (ground strikes) – Round 1, 2:36
  • Steven Hooper def. Tom Mearns via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 2:11
  • Paul Hughes def. Youri Panada via knockout (head kick) – Round 2, 2:33
  • James Sheehan def. Kyran Sturrock via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 4:27

Cage Warriors 112 live results

Check out live and official results from Cage Warriors 112 in Manchester, England.

European promotion Cage Warriors heads to Manchester for its latest show, Cage Warriors 112, with one of the city’s homegrown stars returning to defend his title.

Bantamweight champion [autotag]Jack Cartwright[/autotag] knocked out former title challengers Scott Malone and Marko Kovacevic on the same night to capture the vacant 135-pound title at Cage Warriors Unplugged 2 in September 2019. Now the SBG Manchester-trained fighter will look to cement his position at the top of the division when he takes on Croatia’s [autotag]Manuel Bilic[/autotag] at the BEC Arena on Mar. 7.

Rising welterweight prospect [autotag]Adam Proctor[/autotag] (11-1) gets the chance to showcase his skills in the co-main event, when he looks to extend his six-fight win streak with victory over undefeated U.K.-based Latvian [autotag]Madars Fleminas[/autotag] (7-0).

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Former middleweight champion [autotag]James Webb[/autotag] (6-2-1) makes a swift return to action after losing his title to Nathias Frederick in his last outing at Cage Warriors 111. Webb takes on Liverpool’s [autotag]Mick Stanton[/autotag] (6-3) in a bout that could propel the winner into a title shot later in the year.

Meanwhile, on the preliminary card, former Bellator lightweight [autotag]Tom Mearns[/autotag] (6-3) kicks off his exclusive Cage Warriors contract against SBG Manchester’s Steven Hooper (4-3), while undefeated Irish lightweight prospect [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] (4-0) will bid to continue his good form with victory over Frenchman [autotag]Youri Panada[/autotag] (4-1) in a 150-pound catchweight bout in the first fight of the night.

The Cage Warriors 112 main card will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, with the preliminary card streamed live via Cagewarriors.com.

Full Cage Warriors 112 results include:

MAIN CARD (4 P.M. ET, UFC Fight Pass)

  • Champion Jack Cartwright vs. Manuel Bilic – for bantamweight title
  • Madars Fleminas vs. Adam Proctor
  • [autotag]Lukasz Marcinkowski[/autotag] vs. [autotag]George Smith[/autotag]
  • Mick Stanton vs. James Webb
  • [autotag]Scott Malone[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Adam Wilson[/autotag]

PRELIMINARY CARD (1:30 P.M. ET, Cagewarriors.com)

  • [autotag]Liam Gittins[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Jonas Magard[/autotag]
  • [autotag]Nathan Fletcher[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Johan Segas[/autotag]
  • Steven Hooper vs. Tom Mearns
  • Paul Hughes vs. Youri Panada
  • [autotag]James Sheehan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Kyran Sturrock[/autotag]

Tom Mearns signs multi-fight Cage Warriors contract after Bellator Dublin fight canceled

After being removed from the Bellator Dublin fight card, English prospect Tom Mearns has secured his fighting future.

Former Bellator prospect [autotag]Tom Mearns[/autotag] has wasted no time in securing his immediate fighting future after being pulled from the Bellator Europe 7 card in Dublin.

MMA Junkie on Tuesday confirmed with Cage Warriors officials that Mearns (6-3), who was pulled from his scheduled fight with Dylan Logan on February 22 over a medical paperwork issue, has now signed an exclusive multi-fight deal with the promotion. The Englishman, who previously competed at featherweight, says he plans on fighting his way to the Cage Warriors lightweight title within two years.

The Northampton-based fighter will take on SBG Manchester prospect [autotag]Steven Hooper[/autotag] (4-3) at Cage Warriors 112 on March 7 in Manchester, and the Mearns said he is happy to have resolved his situation and landed a fight so quickly after his Dublin disappointment.

“For the love of the sport, I’m glad to be signing with Cage Warriors,” Mearns said. “I’ll be under the bright lights in big fights wearing the iconic yellow gloves, sharing the same ring as some of the greatest fighters in MMA history. My dream is to have the Cage Warriors world title within two years from today by being the best I can be and putting on the greatest fights.

“Me and Hooper will be representing two of the most prestigious MMA teams in the country, BST (Blood Sweat and Tears) vs. SBG Manchester, South vs. North. I will beat Hooper in all areas to start my run towards the Cage Warriors title. I will be victorious in Manchester.”

Mearns’ first crack at the big stage came when he was signed by Bellator for its London event, Bellator 200, in May 2018. But his big-show debut ended in disaster when he suffered a horrific arm injury in his loss to Mike Ekundayo.

Mearns’ subsequent rehabilitation and recovery forced him out of action for the following 16 months and, after picking up a victory in Cage Warriors on his comeback, returned to the Bellator cage in a losing effort against Jeremy Petley at Bellator Europe 6 in November 2019.

Mearns was all set to face Logan in Dublin on Feb. 22, but after a mixup over medical paperwork he was removed from the card. Now he’s a Cage Warriors fighter and looking to kick off the latest chapter of his career with a statement victory in enemy territory.

Cage Warriors 112 confirmed fights include:

MAIN CARD

  • Champion Jack Cartwright vs. Manuel Bilic – for bantamweight title
  • Madars Fleminas vs. Adam Proctor
  • Yassine Belhadj vs. Martin Stapleton
  • Mick Stanton vs. James Webb
  • Liam Gittins vs. Jonas Magard

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Steven Hooper vs. Tom Mearns
  • Scott Malone vs. Adam Wilson
  • Paul Hughes vs. Youri Panada
  • Nathan Fletcher vs. Johan Segas
  • Lukasz Marcinkowski vs. George Smith
  • Arann Maguire vs. Jabeed Rahman
  • James Sheehan vs. Kyran Sturrock

Leah McCourt vs. Judith Ruis, four additional bouts added to Bellator Europe 7

Five new matchups have been added to Bellator Europe 7 in Dublin, including Leah McCourt vs. Judith Ruis.

[autotag]Leah McCourt[/autotag] is set to compete in the first fight of her new exclusive six-fight deal with Bellator.

The promotion announced Tuesday that McCourt (3-1 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) takes on [autotag]Judith Ruis[/autotag] (6-4 MMA) on the main card of Bellator Europe 7 on Feb. 22 in Dublin.

In her last outing, McCourt took out Kerry Hughes at Bellator 227, submitting her in the first round. She was hoping for a quick turnaround in November in London, but instead will compete in her third fight in a year in Dublin’s 3Arena, when she takes on Germany’s Ruis.

Ruis will be making her promotional debut and is coming off back-to-back first-round submission wins.

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An array of featherweight bouts have been added to the prelims of the Bellator Dublin card. A matchup between SBG’s [autotag]Dylan Logan[/autotag] (4-3 MMA, 2-0 BMMA) and [autotag]Tom Mearns[/autotag] (6-3 MMA, 0-2 BMMA), SBG’s [autotag]Ciaran Clarke[/autotag] (1-0 MMA) and [autotag]Jamie Faulding[/autotag] (1-0 MMA), and former kickboxer [autotag]Ilias Bulaid[/autotag] (1-0 MMA), who will look to pick up his second pro MMA win, when he takes on pro debutant [autotag]Diego Freitas[/autotag] (0-0 MMA). Finally, a pair of pro debutants will enter the Bellator cage as [autotag]Constantin Blanita[/autotag] (0-0 MMA) takes on [autotag]Asael Adjoudj[/autotag] (0-0 MMA).

The current Bellator Europe 7 lineup includes:

MAIN CARD

  • James Gallagher vs. Cal Ellenor
  • Aaron Chalmers vs. Austin Clem
  • Leah McCourt vs. Judith Ruis

PRELIMINARY CARD

  • Oliver Enkamp vs. Lewis Long
  • Daniel Crawford vs. Philip Mulpeter
  • Chris Duncan vs. Ryan Roddy
  • Arunas Andriuskevicus vs. Karl Moore
  • Will Fleury vs. Justin Moore
  • Danni Neilan vs. Chiara Penco
  • Ezzoubair Bouarsa vs. Blaine O’Driscoll
  • Ranjeet Baria vs. Richie Smullen
  • Dylan Logan vs. Tom Mearns
  • Ciaran Clarke vs. Jamie Faulding
  • Ilias Bulaid vs. Diego Freitas
  • Asael Adjoudj vs. Constantin Blanita

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