Interview: Kerry Hughes Ahead of Cage Warriors 62

Interview: Kerry Hughes Ahead of Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

This Saturday BBK's Batamweight Kerry Hughes takes on undefeated Polish fighter Agnieszka Niedzwied.

Hailing from a Muay Thai background, Hughes transitioned into an all out mixed martial artist under the tutelage of UK MMA Veteran Jack Mason, making her pro MMA debut earlier this year.

Undefeated at both amateur and pro level Hughes was signed by Cage Warriors earlier this year as part of the promotion rejuvenation of their women's division; Hughes now makes her debut against Niedzwiedz in what promise to be an exciting contest.

We caught up with Hughes before her fight with Niedzwied to discuss her pro debut, signing for Cage Warriors, and most importantly her upcoming fight with Niedzwied.  

Houten: On December 7th you will be making your Cage Warriors Debut at CW62, for the fans out there who may not have seen your first fight can you tell us a little bit about yourself and what they can expect on Saturday night?
Hughes: I'm Kerry Hughes, I'm a 28 year old MMA fighter from BKK Fighters in sunny Colchester. I have a 1-0 pro record and was undefeated at semi-professional level. I like to punch people in the face.
 
On Saturday night I make my debut for CageWarriors, I'm incredibly lucky to be given the opportunity to fight for one of the best promotions in the world and, thanks to the awesome match making of Ian Dean, I will be going out against another undefeated fighter - Poland's Agnieskza Niedzwiedz. People should expect to see two athletes going out looking for the win and prepared to put it all on the line to deliver a good show... Lets face it, neither of us are there to look pretty!

How does it feel to be fighting for the number 1 organisation in Europe? The same organisation that a lot of  your BKK team mates fight for.
Fighting for Cage Warriors is a dream come true, albeit a recently discovered dream. The saying goes that one should train until their heroes become their rivals, my team mates will never be my rivals but its amazing to now be considered a peer with so many of the exceptional fighters that I aspire to reach the standard of. Cage Warriors really looks after their fighters well and I've been incredibly impressed with the professionalism of the promotion, I'm looking forward to some tough matches where I can really test myself and prove my abilities because I know that there's no such thing as an easy fight on Cage Warriors, it's really refreshing to represent a promotion with that level of professional integrity.

Now you have got your professional debut out the way do you feel a bit less pressure on you for this fight?
I train for every fight as though it were the biggest, hardest and most important fight of my life - because it is.  I've never taken an easy fight and have always looked to test myself against talented opponents, the pressure is always on for me to perform against such talented athletes. That said, on paper I've been the underdog for almost every fight I've had, so I'm sure my opponents feel the pressure even more :-)

Am I right in thinking your nickname ‘Rocksteady’ was given to you by your BKK teammates as an insult?
Rocksteady came about because my team mates think I bear a striking resemblance to the rhinoceros from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles... As far as insults go though it's actually one of the nicer things they call me. Other names recently have included the Samiad and numerous that I wouldn't repeat in polite company... Banter is the lifeblood of the family atmosphere at BKK and nobody gets to choose their nickname!

Agnieszka Niedzwiedz is virtually unknown in the UK, how much do you know about her, and have you had the opportunity to study many of her fights?
I don't really know a great deal about Agnieskza, I don't feel that I need to, I'm going out to fight my fight not hers and whilst I have the greatest respect for her as an opponent I won't be changing my tactical plan to accommodate her. I've seen a 'highlight reel' type thing she has on YouTube, there was nothing in it that fell outside of what I already knew of her/expected to see from her.
She is a young fighter and does seem to have a propensity for 'trash talking', I'm sure she will outgrow that as she matures though.

Watching a few of Agnieszka Niedzwiedz fights she seems likes a little small for 135, how much of a size advantage do you think you will have come fight night?
I have seen some pics of Agnieskza and she doesn't seem to be a big bantamweight, lots of people don't like a heavy weight cut though and you don't have to be big to be dangerous... That said I am a relatively big 135 so there may be a slight size/power advantage there.

Niedzwiedz has taken 3 of her 4 victories by TKO, what do you think of her striking? She looks like a bit of a brawler to me.
Yes, 3 of her 4 victories have come via TKO but that doesn't worry me unduly, I'm not known for having a weak chin! If I can take punches off the pros at BKK then I find it unlikely that she'll be adding a fourth TKO to her record on Saturday!

Studying Niedzwiedz, I noticed she tends to drop her hands quite low is this something you and your coaches had picked up and is it something you intend to exploit using you Muay Thai background?
I never like to rely on watching what people have done previously to predict what they'll do in the future, after every fight I have I get straight back to the gym, watch the video and work on all the weaknesses and areas for improvement - I tend to work on the assumption that others will do the same.

Knowing that you come from a Muay Thai background do you think Niedzwiedz will revert back to here Judo roots where she holds a judo belt and try and get the fight to the ground?
Agnieskza may well decide to try and take the fight to the ground, but then I may very well beat her to it, I'm comfortable wherever this fight goes and a background in Muay Thai shouldn't be confused with a one dimensional skill set.

Cage Wariors announced in June that they were rejuvenating their women’s division, do you think Cage Warriors will crown a 135lb champ in 2014?
Cage Warriors really have rejuvenated their women's division, they've made more of an impact on women's MMA than any other UK organisation, it's also gratifying to see that they have made a long term commitment with the length of the contracts offered and the number of weight divisions they are supporting.

I hope that Cage Warriors do announce women's titles, that would give me something to aim toward as a long term goal. Winning that really would be a dream come true!

Finally, is there anyone you would like to thank for helping you get ready for your fight with Niedzwiedz?
Firstly and foremost I would like to thank the wonderful Jack Mason, everything we are at BKK started with him and is driven by his relentless passion, work ethic and team spirit. From there the amazing team of coaches, fighters and non fighters at BKK, Unique Results, Tsunami and Tsunami Norfolk - with special thanks to Lee Catling, Stuart Barlegs, Arran Burton, Sean Carter, Arnold Allen, Jason Cooledge, Tim Stokes, Dean Simmonds, Craig Powell, Joe Harding, Cory McKenna, Nick Albert, John Maguire, Steve Byerley, Lee Doski, Andre Goncalves and Michael Russell, I've probably forgotten lads of people there, so sorry but I wanted to try and list just some of my team mates who are always there supporting me!

Thank you to Cage Warriors for the wonderful opportunity and for providing such a great platform for WMMA in Europe to grow - the whole team there are awesome.

My amazing sponsors make training and competing possible by removing much of the financial and practical burden:
British Fighter - who manufacture my awesome fight clothing and supporters tees!
Octagonwear - who provide my training clothing
Lockdown Fightwear - who supply me with top quality kit
eProtein - who provide me with the very best in supplements
Dave Bond - the best S&C coach I could possibly ask for
Katie Mitchell - fantastic sports nutritionist
London Bike Training - turning me into a biker chick!
Pound out - fab Polish MMA clothing brand providing my weigh in kit for this fight

I would also like to say thank you to the WMMA fans out there who work tirelessly to promote the sport - Roger, Jeff, Neil, Elias, Mark, Rob, Rene, Mike, Luca and so many others - thank you!

Interview: Ulysses Gomez 'I'll Put Him Away in the 3rd"

Interview: Ulysses Gomez 'I'll Put Him Away in the 3rd"
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

This Saturday Uysses Gomez meets Cage Warriors inaugural Flyweight champion Neil Seery in on of the biggest flyweight fights this country has ever seen.

A former Tachi Palace Fights Champion at both Flyweight and Bantamweight Gomez is an accomplished grappler having finished 7 of his 9 victories by submission.

Kingdom MMA's Chris Houten caught up with Gomez shortly after he arrived in Newcastle, to discuss why he signed with Cage Warriors, Neil Seery, and possibly returning to the UFC.

Houten: On December 7th you will fight Neil Seery for the Cage Warriors Flyweight title, when do you fly over for the fight?
Gomez: Just landed a few hours ago. Feeling pretty good.

There are some excellent promotions back home putting on some great fights, why did you decide to fight for Cage Warriors in the UK?
They have a great show with a huge fan base that allows me to travel the world. Was a fairly easy choice for me.

Your last fight was in the UK against Phil Harris, how did cutting weight in the UK compare to cutting it back home in the states, and do you plan do to anything differently this time now you have experienced a cut abroad?
Cutting weight always sucks but it's part of the game.

How much did you know about Neil Seery before accepting this fight?
He's scrappy, [he] throws hard and [is] decent off his back. Oh and he's Irish too.

How much do you know about Neil Seery now you are fighting him on December 7th? Have you studied much footage on Seery?
I've seen a few of his fights but I don't study my opponents too much, I focus on my gameplan instead of what they try plan on doing.

How has the camp gone for this fight and when did you start training specifically for this fight?
Camp went well. Some days I was the hammer some days I was the nail.

Have you done anything specifically to prepare for this fight?
[It's] Just another fight - hard sparring and hard work man.

What do you think of Neil Seerys submission game?
It's decent but not on my level.

How would you say your striking matches up to Seery?
I think he throws hard but I feel that I'm more technical on my feet.

Based on your previous experience do you feel you’re more equipped for a 5 round fight?
I'm confident going 5 rounds, I put the work in.

How do you envision the fight going on Saturday, and how do you see yourself winning?
In the 3rd round. Gonna be a tough fight but I'll put him away.

Win or lose do you plan to continue fighting for Cage Warriors?
Yeah man [they are] threat me well.

Do you see winning the Cage Warrior title as a stepping-stone to getting back to the UFC or for now are you taking it one fight at a time?
I have to win first.

How will winning the Cage Warriors title compare to the 2 TPF titles you have won?
It's my road back to the top.

Finally, is there anyone you would like to thank for help getting you prepared for this fight?
All my coaches and team mates at Cobra Kai Jiu Mitsubishi and gil Martinez.

Cage Warriors 62 Adds Fishgold vs Pastor, and Moore vs Knox

Cage Warriors 62 Adds Fishgold vs Pastor & Moore vs Knox

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Officials have today confirmed several updates to the bill for Cage Warriors 62, including the addition of two further bouts.

Cage Warriors 62 will take place at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England, on Saturday. December 7th, and tickets are currently on sale HERE.

Unbeaten English 21-year-old Chris Fishgold (9-0, pictured) will face arguably the toughest test of his career to date when he takes on French veteran Olivier Pastor (18-14-0-1nc) in a featherweight bout.

Meanwhile, England’s Richie Knox (3-0) and Northern Ireland’s Karl Moore (3-0) will both be looking to keep their respective unblemished records intact when they collide in a light-heavyweight contest.

An injury to Chris Scott has forced him out of his middleweight tussle with Steve Dinsdale, but CWFC officials are currently seeking a replacement opponent for Dinsdale.

The meeting of Tommy Quinn and Alan Johnston, which was originally booked as a welterweight bout, will now take place at a catchweight of 176lbs following a request from Johnston, who recently accepted the fight on short notice.

MAIN CARD
Neil Seery (c) vs. Ulysses Gomez - CWFC flyweight title bout
Wesley Murch vs. Curt Warburton
Chris Fishgold vs. Olivier Pastor
Jordan Desborough vs. Cory Tait
Richie Knox vs. Karl Moore
Ian Entwistle vs. Liam James

PRELIMINARY CARD
Leeroy Barnes vs. Ronan McKay
Alan Johnston vs. Tommy Quinn
Emma Delaney vs. Laura Howarth
Alex Enlund vs. Danny Lawson
Kerry Hughes vs. Agnieszka Niedzwiedz
Mark Connor vs. Shaj Haque
Paul Gregson vs. Frankie Slater

2 More Fights Added to Cage Warriors 62

2 More Fights Added to Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten @mrhouts

Photo used courtesy of Cage Warriors

A Welterweight match up between Tommy Quinn and Alan Johnston, as well as a lightweight battle between Paul Gregson and Frankie Slater have been added to Cage Warriors 62.

Cage Warriors 62 takes place on the 7th of December at the Metro Arena in Newcastle and features a Flyweight title fight in the main event, where newly crowned champion Neil Seery will defend his title against former UFC fighter Ulysses Gomez.

Quinn (5-1) fights for the first time in 2013 having not competed since his Cage Warriors 51 victory over Philip Mulpeter last New Year Eve in Dublin.

Quinn who has spent the last year training in Australia said:

“I cannot wait to fight in a city that has been my home for the past six years. All I want is to put on an exciting fight.”

Fighting out of Dink Ninjas Fight Team, Alan Johnston (7-2-1) fights for he second time under the Cage Warriors banner having took an impressive victory over TUF contestant Aaron Wilkinson at Cage Warriors 50. In his most recent outing, the 22 year old become only the 2nd man to go the distance with 13-0 Walter Gahadza, when he faced Gahadza as a late replacement replacement for injured Ryan Scope at Made 4 the Cage 11.

Johnston, who has finished all but one of his victories said:

“It’s great to be back on the best show in the UK against a guy like Tommy Quinn. He looks to bring a fight, which is exactly what I want.”

Elsewhere, in a meeting of two lightweight prospects, Frankie Slater (2-1) will take on Paul Gregson (3-1).

Tickets for Cage Warriors 62 are on sale now HERE

Curt Warburton vs Wesley Murch Added to Cage Warriors 62

Curt Warburton vs Wesley Murch Added to Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Little Red Creative

Curt Warburton will begin his Cage Warriors career against fellow promotional newcomer Wesley Murch in a 160lb catchweight bout at Cage Warriors 62, at the Metro Arena in Newcastle, England on the 7th of December.

Currently fourth in the UK's lightweight rankings, Warburton (12-4) fought 3 times for the UFC between 2010 and 2011 earning a 1-2 record, before signing for Bamma where he went on to win the promotions lightweight title defeating current CWFC champ Stevie Ray.  

“I’m looking forward to making my Cage Warriors debut against a tough opponent. Wesley is on a bit of a win-streak at the moment but that will end in Newcastle on December 7,” said Warburton.

His opponent, Wesley Murch (13-6) enters the bout with Warburton on the back of a 4 fight win streak. 

Murch, who today signed a 5 fight exclusive deal with Cage Warriors is 9-2 in his last 11 fight; the 30 year old has also taken 12 of his 13 professional wins inside the distance.

He said: “It’s great to be joining Cage Warriors and getting the chance to compete against the top lightweights out there. Curt is an example of that. He’s a great fighter and beating him will prove that I’m among the best in Europe.”

Cage Warriors 62 is headline by Flyweight Champion Neil Seery taking on UFC vet Ulysses Gomez, tickets are on sale now HERE  

Cage Warriors 62 Adds Jordan Desborough vs Cory Tait

Cage Warriors 62 Adds Jordan Desborough vs Cory Tait
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Cory Tait (Photo: Fight Agents)

An intriguing Bantamweight battle between Jordan Desborough and Cory Tait has been added to Cage Warriors 62.

Fighting out of SBG Manchester, 21-year-old Jordan Desborough (7-3) who joined Cage Warriors on an exclusive 5 fight deal earlier in the year, is widely considered one of the finest young talents on the UK MMA scene.

With 4 finishes in 7 career victories, Desborough narrowly missed out on the Cage Warriors Bantamweight title by split decision when he stepped into to Septembers 4 man Bantamweight final as a replacement for James Pennington, who had injured himself in the previous round.

Cory Tait (7-2), A former UCMMA Featherweight and Bantamweight title holder, enters the bout with Desborough on the heals of a huge TKO victory over Spencer Hewitt.

A formidable striker who holds a black belt in Tae Kwon Do, Tait, who recently signed a 5 fight exclusive contract with Cage Warriors also, has taken all of his 7 wins by stoppage, drawing comparisons to Anderson Silva along the way thanks to highlight real finishes over Nathan Beer, and Dino Gambatesa by spin back first and crescent kick respectively.
 
Cage Warriors 62 takes place on the 7th of December at the Metro Arena in Newcastle and features a Flyweight title fight in the main event, where newly crowned champion Neil Seery will defend his title against former UFC fighter UFC fighter Ulysses Gomez; former Bamma champion Curt Warburton is also on the card. Tickets start from £35 and are on sale now HERE

Curt Warburton Signs for Cage Warriors, Makes Debut at Cage Warriors 62

Curt Warburton Signs for Cage Warriors, Makes Debut at Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Little Red Creative

Cage Warriors have today confirmed the addition of former Bamma British Lightweight Champion Curt Warburton, on a five-fight exclusive contract.

A veteran of the European scene, Warburton (12-4) began his professional career in 2007, putting together A 6-1 record in local North East shows including a victory over  TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson, before joining his former opponent in The UFC.

Following an unsuccessful spell in The UFC, where he compiled a 1-2 record, Warburton returned to the UK scene under contract with Bamma where went on to win the promotions British Lightweight Title, earning the belt with a victory over current Cage Warriors Lightweight Champion, Stevie Ray.

“Cage Warriors is growing all the time and joining them is the right move for my career,” said Warburton.

“This deal guarantees me five fights over the next 18 months and the opportunity to fight at home and around the world against some of the best lightweights on the planet. I’d like to thank my management - Elite MMA Agency - and Cage Warriors for making this possible.”

Following his most recent fight against Mansour Barnaoui at Bamma 13, Warburton opted against renewing his contract with the promotion, and according to Cage Warriors CEO Graham Boylan, Waburton instructed his management team to pursue a deal with Cage Warriors:

“I’m very pleased to have Curt Warburton on the Cage Warriors roster." Said Boylan. "He’s shown his ambition by making an upward move like this and I think he’ll be rewarded for that as, in my opinion, his best years are still ahead.”

Curt Warburton will make his Cage Warriors debut at Cage Warriors 62, which takes place December 7th, at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, UK. Warburton's opponent is expected to be announced within the next few days.
 

Neil Seery Defends Title Against Former UFC Fighter Ulysses Gomez at Cage Warriors 62

Neil Seery Defends Title Against Former UFC Fighter Ulysses Gomez at Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Neil Seery will defend his Cage Warriors Flyweight Title at Cage Warriors 62 in December against former UFC fighter and Tachi Palace Fights champion Ulysses Gomez.

Seery (13-9), who made history in his native Dublin back in June, when he submitted Mikael Silander to become CWFC’s first ever flyweight champion, will defend his belt for the first time against Gomez. Prior to becoming champion, the 34-year old Irishman rattled off wins against Mark Platts, Karl Harrison and Paul Marin to secure his shot at the vacant 125lbs title. 

Seery said: “I’m looking forward to defending the belt against Ulysses Gomez in Newcastle. He’s a high-calibre opponent with experience at the top level, but I won’t give up this belt easily.” 

His opponent Gomez (9-4) made his name winning the Tachi Palace Fights Bantamweight Title, where he defeated Cody Gibson by guillotine choke, before joining the UFC as a flyweight, where he lost both of his fights to John Moraga and Phil Harris respectively.

30 year old Gomez, who has not fought since is February lost to Harris at UFC on Fuel 7 in London has takes 7 of 9 victories by way of submission, with his only losses coming to UFC fighters Moraga, Harris, Darrell Montague, and world no.1 strawweight Rambaa Sombet.

“Fighting for the Cage Warriors belt is a huge honour. Becoming Cage Warriors champion will prove that I’m one of the best fighters in the world.” Said Gomez ahead of his fight with Seery.

Cage Warriors 62 takes place at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle on the 7th of December, and also see newly crowned Bantamweight champ, Brett Johns defend his title against James Brum. Tickets are expected to go on sale soon.

James Brum Challenges Brett Johns for Bantamweight Title at Cage Warriors 62

James Brum Challenges Brett Johns for Bantamweight Title at Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Newly crowned Cage Warriors Bantamweight champion Brett Johns will defend with bantamweight title at Cage Warriors 62 on December 7th at Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, against James Brum.

Undefeated, judo black belt Johns (9-0) climbed to the summit of the CWFC 135lb division at Cage Warriors 59 in Cardiff, when he overcame both David Haggstrom and Jordan Desborough over 8 grueling rounds the same evening to win the promotion’s four-man 135lbs title tournament.

Speaking on his upcoming bout with Brum, the 21 year old Welshman said:

“James Brum has been at the top of this division for a while, he’s someone I’ve watched over and over again,” said Johns. “He’s a sound guy too and a win over him would be huge for me. That’s exactly why I wanted to fight Brum. I can’t wait already.”

His opponent, CWFC Fighter of the Year for 2012 James Brum (13-2) who is the highest ranked European bantamweight not under contract with the UFC, enters the bout undefeated under the Cage Warriors banner with wins over Leandro Gontijo, Thomas Back, James Saville and Moktar Benkaci, Olivier Pastor, and most recently Ruslan Abiltarov, earning the 26 year old GYM01 talent at shot at the 135lb title.

Fighting for Cage Warriors in The UK for the first time, Brum said:

“Brett Johns deserved to win the title at Cage Warriors 59, but now he’s in with the sharks and I’m the biggest shark in the division. After six fights abroad for Cage Warriors, I’m excited by the prospect of returning to the UK to fight for what I believe is my title.

“For me, this has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it. I guarantee that on December 7 in Newcastle, I’ll be walking into that cage the challenger and walking out the new Cage Warriors bantamweight champion of the world.”

Stay tuned to Kingdom MMA for all the latest on Cage Warriors 62.

 

Cage Warriors 62 set for Newcastle in December

CWFC set for Newcastle

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship will hit Newcastle, England, in December for the promotion’s penultimate event of the year.

Officials can today confirm that Saturday, December 7, will see the city’s Metro Radio Arena will play host to CWFC’s eighth UK show of 2013, which is currently scheduled as Cage Warriors 62.

The venue, which can cater for up to 11,000 fans, will open ticket sales shortly for an event that’s set to attract huge attention in the north-east of England.

Cage Warriors 62 will be the first CWFC event to be held in the region since November 2003, when Cage Warriors 5 took place in nearby South Shields.

“The Cage Warriors fans in the north-east have been begging me to bring the show up there for a long time so we’re delighted to be doing that on December 7,” said Cage Warriors CEO Graham Boylan.

“Based on the number of requests I’ve had, we’ve obviously got a huge following in Newcastle and the surrounding area, so I think this has the potential to be our biggest event of the year.

“We’ve got some excellent local talent on our roster, such as Alex Enlund, Liam James, Shaj Haque and Chris Scott, and I’m sure they - along with the big national and international names we’ll bring in - will be keen to put on a show.

“We’ve had successful arena shows in Cardiff and Liverpool already this year, but I’m really looking forward to this one. I think Cage Warriors in Newcastle will be something special.”

Cage Warriors 62 will be the first of two CWFC events in the month of December, with another visit to The Helix in Dublin, Ireland, booked for New Year’s Eve.

For Cage Warriors 62 ticket news and fight announcements, keep track of Cage Warriors on Facebook and Twitter.