411’s Midweek MMA Scouting Report

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Cage Warriors 77

The Camden Centre in London, England played host to Cage Warriors 77 this past weekend, an event that saw not one, but two title fights. Streaming live on UFC Fight Pass, the British promotion put on an action-packed show that provided seven finishes across nine fights – not a bad ratio at all for fans of high octane MMA.

At the top of the bill was Abertillery’s own Jack Marshman (20-5), with the ‘Hammer’ making a strong case to become the UFC’s first ever Welsh fighter. His dismantling of the larger and more physically powerful French fighter Christopher Jacquelin (8-3) saw him capture the CWFC Middleweight title – and he needed just 4:58 to get the job done. With the first round just seconds from its conclusion, and having already hurt Jacquelin with a left earlier on, the level-changing Marshman made an emphatic statement with a standing KO via right hook.

Having bested Manchester-based Iranian Ali Arish at Cage Warriors 76 last month, Marshman has now racked up an impressive six-fight win streak that also accounts for the likes of Che Mills and Bola Omoyele. Jacquelin, meanwhile, saw successive wins in the UK and Ireland come to a sudden halt.

Liverpool’s Chris Fishgold (14-1-1) captured the CWFC Lightweight title to continue his good form since jumping up from featherweight following his sole professional defeat in Taiwan in May of 2015. Fishgold recorded his fourth straight win with a slick submission win over Adam Boussif (9-4) in a bout that endured for just 1:33. Fishgold was able to take Boussif down, work for a mounted guillotine, before taking Boussif’s back and sinking in the fight-ending chokehold with little over 90 seconds on the clock. While Boussif has been submitted no fewer than three times in his professional MMA career, this remains a stellar win for one of Britain’s most promising prospects.

There was action aplenty in the other key lightweight fight on the card as 37 year old Scott Clist (11-2) stopped the talented Tim Wilde (9-2) via second round TKO. This victory continued Clist’s impressive claim for a stoppage for every victory recorded to date, while Wilde saw a three-fight win streak disintegrate in a storm of ground and pound after a Clist takedown early in the second stanza. On the feet, Wilde was the more aggressive fighter, but between counters and takedown attempts Clist was able to present a live threat – with the fight called off at 1:08 of Round Two, Wilde may well rue his perpetual forward motion against the capable Clist.

At light heavyweight, undefeated Londoner 24 year old Darren Stewart (7-0) continued his perfect start to professional MMA with a third round stoppage of French veteran Boubacar Balde (11-9). Balde, a full 15 years Stewart’s senior, looked to pick up a third successive TKO stoppage for himself, only to find the younger Stewart smart enough to avoid engaging in wild firefights. With plenty of action taking place near the fence, both fighters seemed to tire as they entered the third frame, but Stewart was the quicker on the break as he landed a devastating right to drop the big Frenchman with 1:28 of the round having expired. Stewart has now recorded 5 professional TKO finishes.

Another Liverpudlian was victorious as Paddy Pimblett (11-1) endured a the heavy leather of fellow youngster Teddy Violet (10-3) of France. With Violet looking to score a knockout blow early, it was no surprise to see Pimblett take this featherweight scrap to the mat, where he was able to finish in the second round with a rear naked choke submission at 2:28. While Violet displayed good submission defence at times, it was clearly Pimblett’s world as he escaped a guillotine choke to set up his fight-ending chokehold. This marked “Paddy the Baddy’s” sixth career submission win.

Aspera FC 41
Lightweight Title Tournament Fight: Renato Gomes (18-8) df. Thiago Natan (8-4) via TKO @ 3:54 of Round One
Featherweight Title Fight: Felipe Cruz (17-3) df. Richard Godoy (10-3) via Unanimous Decision
Middleweight Fight: Marcio Alexandre Jr (13-3) df. Brendson Ribeiro (7-2) via Submission (Brabo Choke) @ 1:28 of Round Two
Featherweight Fight: Alex da Silva (17-0) df. Marcelo Piazza (11-6) via TKO @ 0:54 of Round Two
Women’s Atomweight Fight: Marina Rodriguez (5-0) df. Vanessa Guimaraes (4-4) via Submission (Triangle Choke) @ 1:47 of Round Two
Lightweight Title Tournament Fight: Renato Gomes (17-8) df. Fernando Aparecido (7-2) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) @ 1:43 of Round Two
Lightweight Fight: Ivan Jorge (27-6) df. Guilherme Miranda (14-5) via Unanimous Decision
Lightweight Title Tournament Fight: Alexandre Cidade (13-2) df. Thiago Natan (8-3) via Unanimous Decision
Heavyweight Fight: Ricardo Prasel (7-0) df. Helton Cruz (3-1) via Submission (Triangle Choke) @ 2:15 of Round One

Pacific Xtreme Combat 54
Heavyweight Fight: Roque Martinez (9-3) df. Kevin Fitial (13-8) via Unanimous Decision
Welterweight Fight: Han Seul Kim (8-3) df. Frank Camacho (18-4) via TKO @ 2:55 of Round One
Women’s Atomweight Fight: Brogan Walker (4-0) df. Kate da Silva (10-4) via Unanimous Decision
Lightweight Fight: Dylan Fussel (11-2) df. Tyrone Jones (5-6) via Unanimous Decision
Flyweight Fight: Riley Dutro (8-3) df. Kentaro Watanabe (10-8) via TKO in Round Three
Bantamweight Fight: Shane Alvarez (12-4) df. Emilio Urrutia (7-4) via Submission (Rear Naked Choke) @ 4:37 of Round Two
Bantamweight Fight: Mark Abelardo (13-4) df. Jung Bum Choi (2-2) via TKO @ 0:32 of Round One
Featherweight Fight: Min Gu Lee (6-2) df. Tony Reyes (7-9) via TKO (Leg Kick) @ 4:23 of Round Two

Cage Fury FC 59
Featherweight Title Fight: Jared Gordon (10-1) df. Anthony Morrison (20-11) via KO (Head Kick) @ 1:48 of Round One
Middleweight Fight: Tim Williams (13-3) df. Nah-Shon Burrell (14-7) via Unanimous Decision
Featherweight Fight: Anthony Terrell Smith (6-2) df. Robert Sullivan (6-5) via KO (Punch) @ 2:22 of Round One
Lightweight Fight: Joseph Lowry (4-0) df. Bradley Desir (8-5) via Unanimous Decision

Previews:

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Bellator 158: London

This Saturday, Bellator will host its first ever show in the United Kingdom as the arguably the number two promotion in the US presents some of the UK’s finest fighters with serious assignments. You can catch live round by round coverage of the event right here at 411mania as Jon Butterfield sets up at cage side!

The main event will see Nottingham-based knock out artist Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley (38-13-2) takes on Brazilian former Bellator Welterweight Champion Douglas Lima (26-6) in a mouth-watering main event. Packing jaw-dropping power, the controversial Daley has been on a 6-fight tear since dropping a decision to UFC-bound Alexander Yakovlev in 2013, with four of those wins coming under the Bellator banner. Only durable veterans Fernando Gonzalez and Andre ‘Chatuba’ Santos managed to avoid (T)KO defeats in that time, both drawing unanimous decision defeats for the judges troubles. Lima, meanwhile, has been even more efficient with his fight-ending flurries, having TKO’d all of his last seven conquests – though he has dropped decision defeats to both Ben Askren and Andrey Koreshkov in that time, with the title on the line on both occasions.

Nonetheless, the numbers make for exciting readers for fight fans in the UK, with a very real possibility of fireworks between two of Bellator’s best welterweights. Daley will look to get in close, while Lima’s best work could come from the outside – but with both fighters possessing reputations as exciting finishers, London could be in for a treat, while a divisional top contender may well emerge should performances merit it.

The tragic demise of Kevin ‘Kimbo Slice’ Ferguson will not prevent top heavyweight action hitting the UK, as UFC veteran Oli Thompson (17-8) will do battle with the heavy-handed Matt Mitrione (10-5), who recently crushed Carl Seumanutafa in a single round. Seumanutafa finds himself among good company, however, as he joins all of Gabriel Gonzaga, Derrick Lewis, Shawn Jordan and Phil DeFries on ‘Meathead’s’ list of first round knock out victims. Former powerlifter Oli Thompson, meanwhile, is riding a five-fight win streak having gained a ton of experience since his Zuffa release. Having waged war multiple times in Poland and Japan, as well as the UK, Thompson has played spoiler to a series of fighters with impressive records lately, besting the likes of Chris ‘Beast Boy’ Barnett, Michal Wlodarek, and Fernando Rodrigues Jr to name a few. He would be delighted to stifle the former NFL veteran in his home country.

Back at welterweight, Michael ‘Venom’ Page (10-0) will face potentially his toughest test to date in the form of former PRIDE and Strikeforce veteran Evangelista ‘Cyborg’ Santos (21-17). An aggressive fighter, the former husband of Cristiane ‘Cyborg’ Justino, Evangelista stunned Bellator fans with a thirty-second submission of talented Brennan Ward back in April, only to lose the following month to the dangerous Saad Awad. A dangerous finisher, ‘Cyborg’ will present a whole new level of competition to Michael ‘Venom’ Page, who has dazzled fans with his scintillating points fighting style. A blizzard of whirling kicks and unusual mannerisms, Page often resembles more a dancer than a fighter – until he lands. A sensational knock out artist, Page comes from a similar background as brilliant kickboxer Raymond Daniels, and displays many similar attributes, but has yet to be tested at the highest level of MMA. That could be about to change, as ‘Cyborg’ looks to introduce Page to the upper echelons of the sport.

An interesting choice was made by Bellator to demote British heavyweight James Mulheron to the preliminary card in favour of a featherweight scrap between unbeaten Irish youngster James Gallagher (3-0) and England’s Mike Cutting (7-4). With both fighters veterans of the BAMMA promotion, Gallagher and Cutting will inject youth and promise on to the Bellator main card, with Gallagher riding the wave of Team SBG’s recent global success – for those that haven’t joined the dots, that’s Conor McGregor’s camp… will one of the MMA’s most massive names grace the event? And if so, will the Team SBG exponent prevail against an eleven-fight veteran?

At light heavyweight, Tristar’s French star Francis Carmont (24-11) will face Northampton-based Polish fighter Lukasz Klinger (7-2). With a massive experience advantage, former 185 lber and UFC veteran Carmont will have the more to lose as late replacement Klinger looks to upset the odds and add yet another first round finish to his résumé. Klinger’s longest fight endured just 27 seconds into the second stanza. Carmont, meanwhile, will see this as a must-win fight as he attempts to rebound from a first round KO defeat to Phil ‘Mr Wonderful’ Davis. Prior to the Davis fight, Carmont was 2-0 in Bellator.

The preliminaries, too, will be packed with talent. Flyweight Pietro Menga (12-0) will seek to remain perfect as he faces off with Spencer Hewitt (12-10). Hewitt rides a 2-fight losing streak, though British-based Italian Menga hasn’t fought since 2014. One of Cage Warriors’ bantamweight talents, Dean Garnett (8-0), will be rewarded for an impressive win over Chinese Hongang Yao with his Bellator debut. In his way stands London Shootfighters’ Luiz Henrique Tosta (12-4). Tosta has won 7 straight fights at 135 lbs, with all but one finished in the very first round. Middleweights Jason Radcliffe (8-2) and Jack Mason (29-15-1) will face off, with Radcliffe the owner of three straight sub-sixty second KO victories. Venator veteran Mason, however, will look to utilize the dramatic experience differential to his advantage, as he looks to add Radcliffe to the same list as Simeon Thoresen, Bruno Carvalho, and Patrick Vallee, all of whom he has conquered in recent years.

Featherweights Chase Morton (6-2) and Nathaniel Wood (8-3) will be out to impress as the two BAMMA veterans hit the big stage, while two-time UFC veteran Danny ‘Cheesecake Assassin’ Mitchell (17-7) will look to build on a two-fight win streak against relative rookie CJ Meeks (5-1). A dangerous finisher and a sound submission specialist, Mitchell knows he must beat Meeks to remain relevant in Bellator.

One of the bigger stars of British MMA for a variety of reasons, Alex Reid (10-9-1) returns to action as he faces Spanish veteran Manuel Garcia (27-19). A huge favourite in London, 40-year old Reid had a bright start to his MMA career, before the distractions of the celebrity lifestyle arguably put paid to his potential. While an 8-fight losing streak discredited Reid in some eyes, a barn burner of a fight with Tom ‘Kong’ Watson back in 2010 put both fighters firmly on the MMA map. With Watson since joining the UFC, Reid has responded with a two-fight win streak – though the manner of performances and opposition haven’t quite lived up to the Watson thriller. 43 year old Manuel Garcia, then, is a well-pitched opponent for Reid.

At heavyweight, a reshuffle sees the previously-mentioned heavyweight stand out James Mulheron (8-1) facing Neil ‘The Goliath’ Grove (12-7-1) after former opponent Mark Godbeer was scratched due to a disagreement with Bellator. South African veteran Grove stands in against a man with outstanding KO power in a fight destined to end early.