Is Cage Warriors 170lb division the most stacked division in European MMA

Kingdom MMA Review the Cage Warriors Welterweight Division

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

May 3rd will see some of Europe’s most promising MMA talents throw down as part of the stacked Cage Warriors 68 card, hosted in Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Though we will see several bouts take place which will have a profound impact on their respective weight divisions, this event is particularly geared towards the Welterweight class. In recent months the always-strong 170-lb division of Europe’s leading MMA promotion has become increasingly stacked with an array of both new and returning fighters. Since former champions Cathal Pendred (13-2 MMA, 6-0 CWFC) made the decision to relinquish his belt and enter TUF 19 with the chance to eventually fight in the UFC, Cage Warrior’s Welterweight division has become extremely open with many potential challengers to the belt. Here is Kingdom MMA’s breakdown of arguably the most stacked division in European MMA:

Nicolas Dalby (12-0 MMA, 1-0 CWFC)

Currently the man with the target on his back and the Cage Warriors gold around his waist, the unbeaten Danish fighter looked venomous in his last bout as he dispatched Sergei Churilov midway through the third round with a beautiful head kick which lead to the TKO victory by ground strikes. Getting a finish this late in the fight highlights not only the 29-year-olds impressive cardio but also how dangerous he remains throughout the fight. Dalby’s fight for the Welterweight belt was also his debut for the promotion, demonstrating just how highly rated this fighter is – it will be interesting to see how he performs against the long list of potential challengers queuing up in Cage Warrior’s 170-lb Division. 

Jimmy “Judo” Wallhead (25-8 MMA, 10-5 CWFC)

The first half of Saturday’s main event, Wallhead – who launched his career at Cage Warriors in 2005 – makes his promotional return after racking up a wealth of experience at M-1, Bellator and BAMMA. Jimmy uses his high level black belt in judo to dominate his opponents with heavy hands and a crippling submission game; of his 25 wins only 7 have hit the judges’ scorecards. Most recently Wallhead proved his judo base to be just as effective as a fighter with a background in amateur wrestling as he knocked out Florent Betorangal with a huge slam 20-seconds into the third round. Wallhead has been victorious over UFC-calibre opponents like Igor Araujo, Matt Veach and two-time title contender Frank Trigg. Now having once again joined Cage Warrior’s ranks, Wallhead will be a force to be reckoned with.

Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts (10-1 MMA, 5-0 CWFC)

The man who will be stood across the cage from Jimmy Wallhead at Cage Warriors 68, Danny “Hot Chocolate” Roberts has the difficult task of welcoming the Leicester-native back to the promotion. While the superior experience of Wallhead makes him the favourite going into Saturday’s main event, Danny has been fighting about as hot as his nickname suggests, currently riding an impressive 4-fight win steak which includes an Armbar victory over Jack Mason. Mason – who is every bit as experienced as Wallhead – is another Welterweight contender and Danny’s victory over him proved that experience really isn’t everything. “Hot Chocolate” is a well-rounded fighter and will look to employ his length and speed advantages to ruin Wallhead’s homecoming party. Liverpool is Danny’s adoptive home city and the natives will be vocal in their support of the young fighter. The winner of this bout looks likely to be next in line to face Nicholas Dalby.

Matt Inman (13-5 MMA, 4-1 CWFC)

After a faulty start in Cage Warriors with a loss to the incredibly tough Jack Mason, Inman has been tearing through every 170-lber unlucky enough to find himself opposing the Manchester-based fighter. Matt is a big fellow for the weight-class measuring a lengthy 6’1” and uses his long frame to his advantage for his killer striking arsenal and equally skilled submission-game. Of Inman’s 13 wins 6 have come via KO/TKO and 6 via submissions – Inman has pulled off a wide array of submissions including Guillotines, Triangles and even a Heel-Hook! On Saturday Inman will face a tough opponent in Mauro “Xuxa” Chimento Jr (15-10 MMA, 1-1 CWFC) who, in keeping with his Brazillian roots, is primarily a BJJ specialist who fought his first pro-MMA fight in 2001. If he overcomes this veteran of the sport Inman will be on a five fight streak and should be nearing a title shot.

Benny “Benny Blanco” Alloway (13-5 MMA, 2-0 CWFC)

A veteran of The Ultimate fighter and the UFC, Benny Alloway bounced back from being prematurely cut from the UFC with a closely-fought decision victory over Jack Mason. The outspoken Aussie is known for his dangerous striking, advancing to the quarter finals of the TUF: Smashes tournament with a second round knockout of the far larger Valentino Petrescu and also knocking out Manuel Rodriguez in the first round with a devastating front kick and strikes. In his two stints at Cage Warriors Benny has remained unbeaten against some of the toughest opponents the division has to offer. Alloway will be watching the two crucial welterweight bouts on this Saturday’s card which could potentially determine who his next opponent in the promotion will be.

Jack “Stone” Mason (27-13 MMA, 9-6 CWFC)

A fighter which has already been mentioned several times during this examination of Cage Warriors’ Welterweight division, Jack Mason always seems to be involved in the upper-end of the division’s activity. Having lost a close some may say controversial decision to Benny Alloway in March, Jack bounced back just over one month later with a victory over former training partner Patrick Vallee. This desire to immediately get back on the horse after a loss is typical of Jack Mason’s grit. What is not so typical of Jack Mason is that his past 3 fights have gone to a decision – since his debut all the way back in 2005 Jack has been a proven finisher, with a particular tendency towards getting a hold of the throat of his opponent and using his remarkable strength to choke them out.

Sergei Churilov (15-2 MMA, 1-1 CWFC)

Though his most recent bout saw him losing to Nicholas Dalby for the vacant Welterweight belt, it would be unwise to rule the young Ukrainian out of making another run at the title. The fight against Dalby was remarkably close coming into the fourth and many actually had Churilov winning on their scorecards. It was all the more devastating therefore when he ate that big head kick and was eventually knocked out to the joy of the pro-Dalby Dannish crowd. This was only Churilov’s second loss however and it would be crazy to think he couldn’t bounce back. The 28-year-old has a mean submission game and went into the title fight having won his preceding three bouts via submission. This was his first bout in Cage Warriors since early-2012 – in his other fight for the promotion he beat Anatoly Starodubtsev via first round Achilles Lock.

Gael Grimaud (19-6 MMA, 3-1 CWFC)

The man who originally lost his belt to Cathal Pendred, Gael Grimaud will certainly be seeking to regain his lost championship gold. The Frenchman was riding an eight fight unbeaten streak until the Irishman came and defeated him. Since then Gael has bounced back with a brace of wins, most recently with a brutal first round KO over Bruno Carvalho. Though we knew Grimaud packed a punch, the 24-year-old was primarily known for being able to submit his opponents with 12 of his 19 wins coming in this way. Gael has a wealth of high-level MMA experience, having picked up wins both in M-1 and Pancrace. With the aforementioned KO victory coming back in October, we hope to see Grimaud continue his winning ways soon.

Jake “Brutal” Bostwick (14-8 MMA, 2-0 CWFC) 

Yet another contender in the welterweight division to have once tangoed with Jack Mason, Jake Bostwick’s fighting career started slow but has gathered a great deal of momentum in recent years. Indeed, by the end of 2008 Bostwick’s record was a disappointing 3-7. However, since 2010 Bostwick has really earned his nickname of “Brutal”, stringing together seven impressive victories (four of which came via KO/TKO). Though he is yet to pick up a stoppage in his Cage Warriors career, he has looked extremely impressive picking up two one-sided unanimous decision victories. The man who was once blasted with a KO from the knee of one Alex Reid has certainly come a long way since the early days in his MMA career. With the momentum he has built up since 2010 there is no sign of Bostwick slowing down.

Simeon “The Grin” Thoresen (17-4 MMA, 1-0 CWFC)

Since his one Cage Warriors bout way back in 2008, this super-talented submission specialist has been climbing the ladder eventually reaching the heights of the UFC. He even picked up that all-important victory inside the Octagon choking out Besam Yousef on the UFC on Fuel TV 2 card in Sweden. However, back-to-back loses meant that he was cut from the promotion and so now finds himself back with Cage Warriors. Though he may no longer be in the UFC, Thoresen has a legitimate chance of becoming the Cage Warrior’s welterweight champion which would certainly be some consolation. The guy is a legitimate grappler, having picked up 15 of his 17 victories through various different submissions. He is scheduled to fight Jake “Brutal” Bostwick in his first bout back in the promotion, a fighter who certainly has the tools to be a real threat to the Swede.

Kingdom MMA chat to Matt Inman ahead of Cage Warriors 68

Matt Inman: Cage Warriors 68 Pre Fight Interview

by Alex Dillon @_AlexDillon_

Copyright: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

On Saturday night Cage Warriors returns to Liverpool for Cage Warriors 68. One of the stars who will be competing on the night is Matt Inman (13-5), Matt is currently on a four fight win streak and will be looking to improve his streak and his chances of pushing towards a shot at the title on Saturday night. Before his big fight Kingdom MMA caught up with Matt to talk about his fight.

Alex: Hi Matt, cheers for taking the time out to talk to us about your upcoming fight at Cage Warriors 68 in Liverpool. With less than a week until your fight with Mauro Chimento, how have your preparations been for this camp and how is your weight looking?
Inman: No Problem, thanks for the interview.

Preparations have gone really well, I feel very fit and strong, and I've effectively rehabbed a few little injuries I was carrying for the last few months, so I'll be going into the fight as injury free as you can hope to be after a long, hard fight camp.

My weight is fine, I've been making this same weight for the last six years or so now so I've really got the whole process nailed down. It's never easy and its definitely my least favourite part of the job but there are some really big cutters in my division (to be fair there are in every division) so its a necessary evil.

Alex: Are you excited about fighting in Liverpool given its close to Manchester?
Inman: Yes, I fought in the Echo when Cage Warriors were there last year, it's a cracking venue. It's also nice to be able to stay at home before the fight which is not very common for me as I'm normally on the road. It's just easier at home as you know where everything is, you can sleep in your own bed and you don't have to wander round obscure foreign cities looking for food to refuel on that's not going to batter your already delicate system post weight cut! Having said that I love fighting abroad and experiencing new places as well.

Alex: Does fighting so close to home create extra pressure, or does it make it more enjoyable, to fight in front for friends and family, as well as having that support from the crowd?
Inman: There's definitely that excitement factor and I'm really fortunate that I get some good support even though I'm not actually from Manchester. I've been blown away by the amount of people who have got tickets and are making the trip to show their support.

The pressure is always there because the Cage Warriors fights go out to so many people on the telly and the internet that everyone is going to see the fight regardless of how far away it is. I think at the end of the day when you're in there you know a lot of people are watching it just gives you that little bit of extra determination to bite down on your gummy and get the job done.

Alex: On May 3rd your facing Mauro Chimento, do you know much about him?
Inman: Yes, he's a Brazilian who has been competing for a long time and has a lot of experience. I always feel the more experienced a fighter is the more dangerous they are. It's totally different in that sense to my last fight against Wiebel who was a comparatively new guy riding a good streak but lacking some of that big fight experience.

Alex: I've found it difficult to find much footage on Chimento, is it fair to say you have had the same problem and how does preparing for a fight differ when you can't find that much on a guy?
Inman: A lot of his fights have been in Brazil so naturally footage is tricky to come by, I've watched his more recent fights, particularly his Cage Warriors appearances.

I don't think it does make a huge amount of difference to me, I like to watch a little bit of footage to get a sense of a fighter but I don't do a lot of in depth study. My coach Karl does a lot of work on that side, he has a really good eye for picking up little areas where we can exploit a weakness, or recognising a particular strength that a guy might have that we need to be wary of so I take a lot of my cues from the work he does.

Alex: What would you say his strengths and weaknesses are and where do you see your self having the advantage over Chimento?
Inman: To be fair I think he's not bad all round, obviously he has a really good grappling calibre but at the same time he's no mug on his feet. I won't divulge on what I feel his weaknesses are at this point but hopefully that will come out in the fight!

Alex: In the footage I did manage to find of Chimento I’ve noticed he can get a little wild with his striking, sometimes he drops his hands when he shoots in. Is this something you have picked up on in your preparations at all?
Inman: Yeah, wildness is a strange thing. It can work either way, when a guy has developed a style like that after a long time fighting its generally because it works for him. A good example would be the fight in Chechnya where my opponent had a really unorthodox, off-the-wall striking style that you wouldn't hope to teach anyone, but he caused me problems just because I wasn't used to it, it's hard to train for that kind of thing or get your sparring partners to replicate it, so there is very much the element of the unknown.

On the other hand though there's a reason why the best strikers all work from similar fundamentals, it's because they work, sometimes when a guy is just loading up on his shots and swinging for the fences you can pick them apart. Of course you can never really tell which will happen until you're in there though, fingers crossed it's the later!

If you're looking to catch a guy as they shoot your timing has to be bang on, so it's something I'm always looking to do but It's difficult to say if I'll have any success.

Alex: Do you think Chimento will want this fight to go to the ground, and have you trained more on your ground game and defensive wrestling than you would do normally in preparation for this fight?
Inman: I'm always working to improve my defensive wrestling because its no secret that that's one of the worst aspects of my game. I'm really fortunate to count some of the best MMA wrestlers in the UK as training partners now, Including Saul Rogers and Aaron Wilkinson, so I definitely feel that that aspect is improving quickly.

As to whether Chimento will look to take me down its difficult to say, maybe he'll fancy his chances on the feet. I have a lot of faith in my ground game though, and I feel I have really strong Jiu Jitsu for MMA, so I certainly won't be afraid to fight on the ground if that's where the fight ends up.

Alex: One could make the argument that on paper Chimento who is coming into the fight 2-3 in his last 5 is maybe a step back compared to your last few fights - Bahari, Sharaputdinov, Weibel, etc, would you agree?
Inman: I don't really feel that way at all, I think Chimento is just as dangerous as any of those guys and I think the fact that he is coming off mixed results will make him determined to get the win and steal some of the momentum I have built up. In my mind this is a real 50/50 fight and I'm expecting, and ready, for it to be really tough.

Alex: Do you feel after putting together a 4 fight win streak you should be in the mix with the likes of Roberts, Mason, Alloway, Wallhead etc.
Inman: I feel like I'm maybe half a step behind those guys at the minute, but I'm just taking things one fight at a time and seeing how far I can take things.

Alex: Am I right in saying you're studying towards a degree as well as coaching at the SBG gym? How do you balance these commitments when you have a fight coming up?
Inman: Yes, i am studying a fairly intensive post graduate law conversion course, called a GDL, and I work full time in SBG as a coach and personal trainer. I have my final exams starting not long after this fight so I have been balancing my time between training, revising and working. It makes for quite long days but I'm used to it now and I work a lot better when the pressure is on anyway.

Alex: Who would you like next with a win and do you think it should be for that no. 1 contender spot? A rematch with Jack Mason maybe?
Inman: I don't know really I'm just focusing on the fight in front of me. There's a lot of good guys in the division and I certainly need to win this and then beat one of the top guys before I'm looking at a title shot (easier said than done!).

I would like a Mason rematch as I feel I'd do better this time, even though stylistically it's not a good fight for me, but I can't see that happening and, outside of a title fight or a possible number one contender spot, objectively I don't think it makes great sense as a fight.

Alex: Finally, how do you see yourself beating Chimento on the 3rd?
Inman: I think I'll grind him down with good consistent pressure and stop him late in the fight.

Alex: Would you like to thank anyone ahead of your fight?
Inman: Thanks to my coaches Karl and Jon and all my training partners.

Thanks again for your time ahead of the fight and we are all looking forward to another exciting performance on Saturday night.

Danny Roberts vs Jimmy Wallhead to headline Cage Warriors 68 in Liverpool

Welterweight battle announced as main event for Cage Warriors 68

A huge welterweight match-up has been set for the main event at Cage Warriors 68.

Danny Roberts and Jimmy Wallhead will collide in the headliner when Cage Warriors Fighting Championship returns to Liverpool’s Echo Arena on Saturday, May 3, 2014.

Also confirmed for the CWFC 68 bill is a middleweight bout between Che Mills and Leeroy Barnes, in addition to another big welterweight contest between Matt Inman and Mauro Chimento.

But in the evening’s main attraction, Danny Roberts (10-1) will be hoping for his sixth consecutive CWFC victory as he aims to strengthen his claims for a shot at the CWFC welterweight crown, which is up for grabs this weekend at CWFC 66 in Copenhagen.

Roberts, who’ll be fighting in his hometown of Liverpool, has climbed into the top-five in the UK rankings courtesy of impressive wins over Jack Mason, Diego Gonzalez, Henry Fadipe and Juan Manuel Suarez.

With all but two of his wins coming inside the distance, 26-year-old Roberts says fans can expect fireworks when he takes on Wallhead in what will surely be the biggest test of his career to date.

He said:

“Fighting in front of my friends, family and fans in my adopted hometown again for a top organisation is going to be special, and I’m looking forward to welcoming Jimmy Wallhead into one of the toughest welterweight divisions in the world.

“He is a very well-respected fighter and is one of the biggest names in the sport in the UK. This is going to be one that people won’t want to miss.”

Wallhead (25-8), who turned 30 last week, recently signed to fight exclusively for Cage Warriors, having previously competed for the promotion on 15 occasions, more than any other fighter.

A judo black belt and veteran of 25 professional victories, 18 of which have come via stoppage, Wallhead holds notable wins over several fighters with UFC experience, including Igor Araujo, Matt Veach, Che Mills and Frank Trigg.

The Leicester native, who competed for Bellator on three occasions between 2010 and 2012, hasn’t been stopped in his last 20 outings, with his last loss inside the distance coming at the hands of current UFC star Dennis Siver back in 2006.

“I’m really excited to be back on Cage Warriors and I’m especially pleased to be fighting in Liverpool on May 3,” said Wallhead.

“The opponent is irrelevant to me as all fights at this level are tough, but I’m really motivated by the prospect of beating him in his hometown. I expect a war, which is great for the fans and great for me, as I just love fighting.”

Meanwhile, having impressively disposed of Gregor Weibel at CWFC 64 last month, Matt Inman (13-5) will also be keen to stay in the CWFC welterweight title hunt when he goes in search of a fifth straight win, with Brazilian star Mauro Chimento (15-10) providing the opposition as he returns to Cage Warriors after a lengthy lay-off due to illness.

Elsewhere, after both fighters endured a disappointing 2013, Che Mills (15-7-2nc) and Leeroy Barnes (12-13-1nc) will be looking to return to winning ways when they clash in a middleweight bout.

Cage Warriors 68, for which many more bouts are still to be announced, will take place at the Echo Arena in Liverpool, England, on Saturday, May 3, 2014.

Matt Inman out points Gregor Weibel

Matt Inman vs Gregor Weibel: Cage Warriors 64 Fight Review

by Ben Heather @benheather

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

On Saturday night at The Forum in Kentish Town, Matt Inman opened the main card of Cage Warriors 64. This was good positioning for Cage Warriors as Inman had finished every fight he has won in the distance and was looking to continue his current 3-0 run. Standing the opposite side of the cage on the night was Gregor Weibel, the Swiss submission specialist with an 8-1 record with every win coming via Submission. It had all the makings to perfectly open the main card in style.

Inman started the fight mixing up his striking using his jab well to keep Weibel at distance. He then added to his superior striking bringing in his kicks and a takedown to dominate the first round and towards the end of the round even went for a leg lock.

You could tell that Weibel was constantly looking to take the fight to the mat and in the second round his persistence was rewarded when he got Inman down and kept him there for a couple of minutes. Weibel lands a heavy punch to the head from a standing position to the downed Inman and followed it up by dropping in to his guard. Weibel tries to pass guard and attempts to take Inman’s back but its Inman who comes out on top. Once Inman is on top he tries to fold Weibel up to prevent him from defending his ground strikes.

The fight goes to the third round, this marks the first time Weibel has been past the second round in his career but he starts the round the stronger and gets the takedown he has been looking to exploit all fight. Once they are down though it doesn’t take Inman long to reverse and end up on top. From the top he again gets to a standing position and tries to fold up the downed Weibel looking for the finish. The fight ends as Inman continues to push for the finish and it looks like it could be the first time he picks up a decision victory. The judges agree and score the fight 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 to Inman.

The win takes Inman to 13-5 and 4-0 since he lost to Jack Mason in March last year and solidifies his spot in the top 10 welterweights on the Cage Warriors roster. Knowing how regularly Inman likes to fight I am sure it won’t be long before we see him back in the Cage Warriors cage again.

cage warriors 64 Fight Card Update

More Fight Announcements for Cage Warriors 64 



Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

 The addition of the meeting of Matt Inman (pictured) and Gregor Weibel is one of several updates to the bill for Cage Warriors 64, which takes place at The Forum in Kentish Town, London, on Saturday, February 15.

The exciting welterweight contest is one of four bouts that officials have today announced for the card for CWFC’s opening event of 2014, while injuries have also led to two enforced changes.

After his scheduled CWFC 61 main-event clash against Bruno Carvalho last month in Amman fell through due to an injury to his opponent, Inman (12-5) is eager to return to action as he chases his fourth consecutive victory.

Currently ranked ninth in the UK, the 27-year-old SBG Manchester product has taken all 12 of his professional victories inside the distance, with six submissions and six (T)KOs on his record.

“I’m planning to start 2014 with another win over a good opponent, so I can’t wait to get back in the CWFC cage, especially in a fantastic venue like The Forum,” said Inman.

Weibel (8-1) will face Inman for his CWFC debut on the back of a 3-0 streak in 2013, with all three victories coming inside the very first round.

The 27-year-old Swiss prospect, who has taken all of his wins by submission, said: “I’m really excited about the opportunity to fight for the biggest promotion in Europe. It has been a dream for me and I’m looking forward to testing myself.”

Also added to CWFC 64 is a women’s strawweight bout between Kirsty Davis and Veera Nykanen, a lightweight clash between David Howell and Brad Wheeler, as well as the meeting of Andy Kerr and Charlie Watts, which will be contested at welterweight.

Meanwhile, an injury has forced Dave Lee out of his CWFC 64 bout against Nad Narimani, so highly-rated Swiss featherweight Benjamin Brander steps in to fill the vacancy.

Scott Pooley has also picked up an injury so Spencer Hewitt will now take on Cameron Else instead at a catchweight of 130lbs.

Tickets for Cage Warriors 64, priced from just £25 (plus booking fee), are available to purchase HERE.

CAGE WARRIORS 64
James Pennington vs. Cory Tait
Boubacar Balde vs. Jake Bostwick
Danny Roberts vs. TBA
Laura Howarth vs. Amanda Kelly
Benjamin Brander vs. Nad Narimani
Matt Inman vs. Gregor Weibel
David Howell vs. Brad Wheeler
Cameron Else vs. Spencer Hewitt
Kirsty Davis vs. Veera Nykanen
Andy Kerr vs. Charlie Watts
Daniel Crawford vs. Huseyin Garabet

Arnold Allen talks to Kingdom MMA ahead of his fight at Cage Warriors 61

Kingdom MMA catch up with Arnold Allen ahead of his fight with Doni Miller

by Ben Heather @benheather

On Friday Cage Warriors finally gets to hold Cage Warriors 61. The event that was originally announced to take place in Dagestan in November then moved to Iraq before ultimately taking place this weekend in Amman, Jordan. The event is was supposed to be headlined by Matt Inman (12-5 MMA 3-1 CW) vs Bruno Carvalho (15-7 MMA 1-2 CW) but now Inman will face Hakon Foss (2-2 MMA) who has stepped in as a late notice replacement for Carvalho, who had to pull out due to an injury. As of writing this the replacement main event is likely to be James Brum (13-2 MMA 6-0 CW) vs Marat Pekov (10-4 MMA 0-1 CW).

Also on the card in Jordan is the young undefeated rising talent from BKK Fighters Arnold Allen (5-0 MMA 2-0 CW) who continues to impress in his career. On Friday he looks to continue that run as he meets Doni Miller (5-1 MMA) who will make his Cage Warriors debut. Earlier this week we caught up with Arnold ahead of his fight.

Ben: Hi Arnold, thanks again for taking the time out of your schedule to talk to us so close to your fight. How has this camp gone for you and has it been a bonus to work to the same schedule as your coach Jack Mason?
Allen: Training has gone good as usual, and it's great to be fighting on the same card as my coach for the first time!

Ben: This will be the first time you have fought abroad. Will you be getting tips from Jack Mason, who has done it many times now to make it as easy as possible for you?
Allen: Not really a fights a fight whatever country it might be in so just the usual tips and advice.

Ben: When do you fly out to Jordan?
Allen: We fly out early Tuesday morning.

Ben: What were your thoughts when it was announced the location of the fight had changed from Iraq to Jordan?
Allen: I was happy with the change mainly after what I've heard about the last show in Jordan, everyone said how good it was so I'm really looking forward to being a part of it this time.

Ben: A constant in all of your previous fights has been Jack Mason in your corner. Will he still be able to corner you on Saturday night even though he fights afterwards?
Allen: I don't think he will be able to corner me this time but we've got a great team at BKK and I'll have Jason Cooledge in my corner whose cornered me before.

Ben: Last year you made your pro debut, this year you are living up to the hype and certainly look like a star of the future and only 19 years old. A win on Saturday night will be the perfect way to end the year. What has your highlight of 2013 been and what are your goals for 2014?
Allen: My highlight of 2013 is definitely winning my Cage Warriors Debut in July! Next year I'd like to do more of the same and work closer to a shot at the title!

Ben: Last time out you finished Dec Williams with a brilliant triangle choke and transitioned to that after releasing a guillotine. Is that something you train or was it a split second thought?
Allen: I've drilled it a couple of times but it was just something I watched before and just went for it when I knew I'd lost the guillotine.

Ben: One of the key words I would use to describe you is Explosive. You certainly showed why people say that in your last fight while on the ground by posturing up and landing some heavy shots on Dec Williams. Do you pride yourself in the fast paced game you bring to the cage?
Allen: I do like setting a fast paced fight it just makes for an exciting fight, that's why the smaller guys are so exciting to watch!

Ben: Was that last victory the biggest win of your career to date over a fighter much more experienced than yourself?
Allen: For sure he was the most experienced person I've fought so it was good to beat someone with that experience and get my first finish by triangle choke.

Ben: You have shown in your previous fights that you have a well rounded skill set finishing some fights with submissions but also have one punch knock out power. What would your ideal method of victory be on Saturday night?
Allen: I do love to finish a fight! But my favourite way to finish is by Knock out it's an amazing feeling!

Ben: Your opponent has changed for Saturday night, originally it was announced you were due to fight Taylor Lapilus but will now fight Doni Miller. How long have you had to prepare for the new opponent and what do you know about him?
Allen: I've been preparing to fight someone for long enough so the change isn't an issue.

Ben: How do you see yourself winning the fight on Saturday night?
Allen: I see myself winning an exciting fight

Ben: Thank you for your time. Would you like to thank anyone?
Allen: Thank you for the interview, all my coaches, my management team, my team mates and sponsors for all there support!

Cage Warriors 58 adds four more bouts including first heavyweight fight of 2013

Cage Warriors 58: Fight card update
  

The bill for Cage Warriors 58 has today been boosted by four additional bouts, including the first CWFC heavyweight fight of 2013. Cage Warriors 58, which is set for Saturday, August 24, will take place at the Olympisk Arena in Grozny, Chechnya.

A meeting of two exciting heavyweight prospects will feature, with Ion Cutelaba and Michal Andryszak set to clash.

Following their recent meeting at Cage Warriors 57 in Liverpool, both Matt Inman and Mohsen Bahari will make swift returns to action, while the card will also include the featherweight comeback of Alex Enlund.
Cutelaba (4-1) has attracted much attention in Europe since making his professional debut last year at the age of 18.

With a background in judo and combat sambo, the Moldovan youngster has taken three of his four wins in less than a minute, while his only loss came via a controversial TKO stoppage.

“I’m really happy to be competing for such a prestigious organisation as Cage Warriors,” said Cutelaba. “This will be the biggest test of my career but I will look to put on a big performance.”

Andryszak (9-3-0-1), a 21-year-old Pole, comes with a similarly impressive reputation having taken all nine of his wins by stoppage, eight of which came inside the first round. He said:

“This is between two young guns and I think we’ll put on an entertaining fight because my opponent is a tough fighter, like me. Fighting on Cage Warriors is a big opportunity for me and a great honour. I really want to take this chance.”

Elsewhere, having submitted Mohsen Bahari via heel-hook after just 44 seconds of their CWFC 57 meeting, Matt Inman (11-5) will aim for his third consecutive Cage Warriors win when he takes on Russian 22-year-old Eldar Eldarov (4-1), whose only loss to date came at the hands of unbeaten UFC star Khabib Nurmagomedov.

Bahari (5-1), who saw his undefeated streak ended by Inman, will be keen to returning to winning ways against Alexander Voitenko (9-3), a 26-year-old welterweight from Ukraine who disposed of Dan Hope by third-round TKO at Cage Warriors 46.

Meanwhile, following a bantamweight defeat to CWFC title challenger Martin McDonough at Cage Warriors 52, Alex Enlund (7-2-0-1) returns to the 145lbs division for a meeting with 23-year-old Polish prospect Sebastian Romanowski (7-1).

More fights are still to be announced for CWFC 58.