Cage Warriors 113 Play-by-Play, Results & Round Scoring

148: Lewis Monarch vs. Kingsley Crawford

Round 1

Kicking off the CW 113 preliminary card is a 148-pound catchweight contest between Crawford (4-2) and Monarch (10-5). Referee Rich Mitchell will oversee the action, and there is no touch of gloves as these two are amped to get down to it. Crawford misses with an overhand right, but does manage to land a loud leg kick. Monarch throws one back at him, and evades a right looping right from Crawford. The two come together and swing heavily, but neither connect as Monarch backs off and scores a slapping body kick. Crawford scores a straight left hand, and Monarch loads up on a counter but comes up short. Crawford hops forward to score a few right hooks, and a cut has opened up over the eye of Monarch from some of these strikes. Monarch chases Crawford down and backs him against the cage to unload a combination, but does not land a great deal with it. Crawford lands a few long punches to the body, and when Monarch fires a kick back at him, a straight right hand sends Monarch down to the canvas. “The Silent Assassin” pops back up without much issue, as the strike was likely more of one to knock him off balance than a legitimate knockdown blow. They clinch up against the fence and jockey for position, and Monarch hits a trip but Crawford springs right back up. Crawford targets that damaged eye with some solid right hands, and lands another on the break. Monarch gets a few strikes off, but Crawford is unconcerned and comes right back at him with a big right hand. The two clinch up as every person in the building -- all 20 of them -- seem to shout “knee” at once. Crawford obliges, but Monarch scoops his legs out to take him down. In the process of the takedown, Crawford scrambles and ends up on top, riding out the round on top in mount. 10-9 Crawford.

Round 2

The second frame begins more cautious than the first, as Monarch tries to take the center of the cage while landing a low calf kick. Crawford bites down on his mouthpiece to win a big left hand, and then two more come but none of those land flush. They trade leg kicks, and Crawford goes up with a high kick that gets blocked. Monarch changes levels to hit a takedown, but Crawford is wise to it as he scrambles and takes top position only momentarily. Monarch is able to get off top as they fight for position, leading Crawford to set up an inverted triangle choke. Crawford throws punches to the body while Monarch pulls himself free, and he eventually does so. Crawford throws his legs up again as Monarch scoots him against the fence, and on his back Crawford goes fishing for a triangle choke that he turns into an armbar. Monarch is in a tight spot and appears to tap but instead tries to punch himself free. Seconds later, Monarch has no choice but to submit, trapped in both the choke and the armbar position. In doing so, Crawford earns his first career submission victory, and also becomes the first fighter to ever finish Monarch.

The Official Result

Kingsley Crawford def. Lewis Monarch R2 2:45 via Submission (Triangle Armbar)

155: Aidan Stephen vs. Jack Collins

Round 1

Up next, we are treated to a lightweight bout as “The Phenomenal” Stephen (6-2) tries to hand “Jack Sparrow” Collins (3-0) his first career defeat. Marc Goddard will serve as our third man inside the cage for this one, and Stephen runs at him to start off. Like the previous bout, they race at each other. A huge right hand from Collins puts him off balance, and Stephen hits a takedown quickly. The Scot immediately takes mount, and is dropping down hammers in the form of punches and elbows. Collins gets to his knees but Stephen has his back, and is working him over. Goddard is taking a close look at the action, and Collins wriggles around back to mount but eats some nasty shots. Collins keeps twisting and turning, but Stephen is on him with heavy, constant pressure. Collins tries to pull one of the hooks out, and turns to his side. Stephen smashes him in the face with three blistering elbows, and Goddard rushes in to stop the fight. This was one-way traffic for “The Phenomenal,” ejecting Collins from the ranks of the unbeaten with relative ease.

The Official Result

Aiden Stephen def. Jack Collins R1 1:24 via TKO (Punches and Elbows)

145: Kris Edwards vs. James Hendin

Round 1

We move to the featherweight division, as longtime Cage Warriors vet Edwards (13-11) looks to play spoiler against the undefeated Hendin (4-0). Our referee will be Rich Mitchell, and for the first time in the night, the two fighters touch gloves before coming together. Hendin starts to implement his kicking game right out of the gate, with multiple front kicks to the face and a few leg kicks sprinkled in for good measure. “The Honeybadger” loads up on a right but is more interested in clinching up, and lifts up a solid knee up the middle. Hendin scoops him up and plants Edwards down, but Edwards sits on his backside before he can spring back up. Hendin immediately pressures him against the fence, and rips Edwards down. The CW vet gets back up, but Hendin lifts him in the air and slams him down, where he lands in half guard. Edwards tries to defend with a guillotine choke from his back while looking to retain his full guard. Hendin shucks it off and steps over before nearly taking his opponent’s back. Edwards defends with two-on-one wrist control, and thwarts Hendin from taking his back. Hendin lowers himself down into half guard while they are against the cage wall, and as Edwards tries to turn, he gives up mount. Hendin slams down a few punches, leading Edwards to try to turn out, and gives up his back. “Dez” returns to his knees, and tries to walk up the wall, but Hendin kicks his legs out from beneath him. Edwards manages to get back up, and eats several punches on the way up. Hendin mashes him against the fence, and hits a trip takedown with 20 seconds left in the round. He lands in half guard, and drops down some thudding elbows to end the round emphatically. 10-9 Hendin.

Round 2

The second frame begins with a flurry, until Hendin clinches up to slow things down. Edwards circles around to nearly take Hendin’s back, but Hendin turns about with his back against the cage. “The Honeybadger” don’t care, and hits a beautiful throw to land Edwards down hard on the canvas. In half guard, Hendin grinds his elbow down while working “Dez” over with short punches. Edwards tries to buck his man off but almost gives up his back, allowing Hendin to hammer him with several more hard punches. Edwards gets to a knee and walks up the cage, while Hendin is on him like glue. Hendin kicks his leg out again, and Edwards is trapped on his knees while fighting Hendin off from taking his back. Edwards does manage to get up again, and defends the kick-out but is wrenched down to the floor. Hendin steps around into side control and protects against a potential armbar by fishing for a choke. Edwards rolls over to stand up, and takes a few more punches on the chin before fighting out of brabo choke position. Hendin postures up in half guard to throw some huge punches on top, and hops over to mount with 20 seconds left, Edwards turns around to give up his back, and Hendin stands up as the horn sounds. We are treated to the all-time classic tune of “Kashmir” by Led Zeppelin in the interlude. 10-9 Hendin.

Round 3

They touch ‘em up to clock in the final round, and Edwards starts off with a few leg kicks. Hendin fires back with harder kicks, before dropping low for a takedown. Edwards defends by setting up a guillotine choke, but “The Honeybadger” again don’t care and rips his head free without much concern. As Hendin looks for position, he kicks the leg out to put Edwards on his back like he has done the previous rounds. Hendin is unable to advance position, and Edwards nearly drills him with an upkick before Hendin allows him to stand. The Welshman wins a huge right hand, and drops down to hit a quick takedown. Hendin in side control, he flirts with north-south position but settles for side control as Edwards tries to sweep him but cannot do so. Edwards is nullified, nearly standing but getting yanked back down to the ground. Hendin is on him tight as he takes the back, and fishes for a rear-naked choke. Edwards scrambles and gets out of the bad position and back up against the cage wall, but gets pulled back down. Hendin punches him in the side of the head repeatedly as he tries to kick Edwards out, and spins Edwards around as he tries to land one big, dramatic throw. He cannot get the slam he is looking for, but just settles for dragging Edwards down and takes mount. With 30 seconds left, Hendin elects to bail on the position and stands back up, where Edwards unloads a bomb of a right hand that goes whizzing over the head of his adversary. The clinch is where the fight ends, and barring something unusual, Hendin will his “0” intact here. The only real question that remains is if judges awarded 10-8 scores for any round. 10-9 Hendin (30-27 Hendin).

The Official Result

James Hendin def. Kris Edwards via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)

185: Matthew Bonner vs. Jamie Richardson

Round 1

In the heaviest weight class we see tonight -- middleweight -- “The Beast” Bonner (6-5-1) squares off against “Young Gun” Richardson (8-5), with the latter looking to keep his 100 percent knockout rate intact. The Octagon ranger for this potential brawl is Marc Goddard, and there is a glove touch after all. Richardson starts off the round by stalking Bonner down, and starts to load up with big punches right out of the gate. He lands a left and then a right, but Bonner defends himself by shooting in for a single leg takedown. As he defends, Richardson grimaces in pain for some reason, but appears to be alright as he works a few elbows on his back to force a break. Bonner lands a few kicks against the fence, but is fighting off his back foot as he goes after a single. He cannot land it, but he is persistent so Bonner finally scores it. Richardson again looks to be in visible pain, and Bonner steps over to side control. While Richardson tries to keep two-on-one wrist control, he stands back up, but gets wrenched back down quickly. Bonner takes Richardson’s back, but does not sink in the hooks as Richardson gets back to his feet and turns Bonner around against the fence. “Young Gun” loads up with a huge right hand but Bonner drops down low to time a single, and nearly lands it but Richardson circles around to take Bonner’s back. Richardson starts to unload some heavy punches and bullies Bonner down to the floor. Before standing up to rain down some big elbows and punches. Richardson pours on his barrage of punches, and these are doing some damage but Bonner keeps defending. Richardson rips a nasty knee to the body while Bonner is on his knees, and “The Beast” bursts back to his feet. Bonner starts to flick a jab out there, and starts landing on Richardson to great effect. Bonner throws a lazy body kick, and Richardson catches it and takes Bonner down. In full guard, Richardson tries to stand up and rain down punches at a long distance, before stinging him with a short elbow. Sensing the success of that strike, Richardson fires a few more to the same target, and Bonner gets back to his knees and stands up before pushing for a takedown. Richardson stuffs him and backs off, and both swing as if they were at the end of Rocky 3 when the bell rings. 10-9 Richardson.

Round 2

They touch gloves again to begin the round, and Bonner uses his jab and a low kick to keep the advancing Richardson at bay. Bonner throws a looping shot, allowing Richardson to come back at him with two punches but catching Richardson in his trap. Bonner drops down with a single, and after a struggle, he finally pulls Richardson down while Richardson looks upset. They do not stay down for long, and in the clinch both unload heavy shots as they are breathing hard now. Bonner jabs a few times, and they sting each other with big hooks that cause them both to take a pause, both they shake out of it quickly. They both land on each other successfully, with Bonner more interested in straight punches while Richardson launches huge hooks. Richardson clips him with a right hand, and chases after Bonner to push him down to the ground where he tries to unload some ground-and-pound. While in half guard, Richardson scores a few short elbows, and Bonner is content to get into a firefight with him as he connects with some surprisingly effective elbows while on his back. Richardson works with a few short elbows, and although Bonner tries to fire back, he is getting outstruck and outpowered. Bonner turns around to try to get to his knees but eats several punches that force him to abandon his effort. Bonner fishes for a kimura sweep, but Richardson shrugs it off and rains down punches. Bonner again turns to get on his knees, and Richardson holds him down as he throws heavy punches and sneaks in a few elbows for good measure. The round ends with Richardson landing a knee on the shoulder. 10-9 Richardson.

Round 3

Richardson is fired up and practically races out of his corner to start the round, but it is Bonner that lands first. He scores a few jabs, and follows them with right hands that hurt Richardson. The strikes are amounting for Bonner, and it is Richardson who shoots in for a double. He gets stuffed, and Bonner works him over at distance with tomahawking elbows. Richardson loads up on some power shots, and Bonner is landing straight punches successfully, but the power forces Bonner to back against the fence and marks his nose up. The furious pace leads to a clinch, but they break and Richardson cracks him with a right hand. Bonner is not fazed, and throws right back at him as we have a brawl on our hands now. Bonner lands some heavy knees up the middle, leading Richardson to hit an easy takedown where he quickly takes half guard. Richardson steps over to land some short elbows, but “The Beast” again muscles his way back up standing. In the clinch, Bonner scores some more knees, and Richardson shoots for a single. Bonner hops around to defend it, but Richardson hits it and manages to nearly take Bonner’s back. Richardson drops down a few heavy hammerfists while he has Bonner’s right arm tied up. Goddard is watching closely for a potential stoppage as Richardson unloads a salvo of elbows and punches, but Bonner turns to his back and throws his legs up to get full guard back. Richardson lays heavy on his opponent, and Bonner is trapped and gassed without being able to get out of this position as precious seconds tick off the clock. Bonner tries to swing his legs for a triangle choke, but Richardson pushes out of it and rips him with a few elbows and one final knee to the body as we hear the final bell. Unless the judges watched a different fight, Richardson will likely pick up his first career win by decision. 10-9 Richardson (30-27 Richardson).

The Official Result

Jamie Richardson def. Matthew Bonner via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)

125: Adam Amarasinghe vs. Jake Bond

Round 1

A pair of relatively inexperienced but talented flyweights are up next, as Amarasinghe (4-2) locks horns with Bond (3-2). Rich Mitchell will serve as our third in the cage for this scrap, and they touch gloves to start things off. Amarasinghe leads off with a jab, and eats a low kick right off the bat. He tries to fire back with a heavy one, but he is well off the mark as Bond backs away. Bond skips forward to land one and darts out of danger quickly. The jab from Amarasinghe connects again, and a power leg kick from “Apex” scores emphatically as Bond nearly spins about. Bond rushes in to string together a combination of punches, and is halted as they clinch. They separate, and clash legs as they kick at the same time. Bond loads up on a right hand, and backs off before jumping in to throw a right to the head and left to the body. Amarasinghe stings him with a thudding low kick, and Bond rushes in to throw punches but actually pursue a double leg takedown. On the break, Bond fires a right hand over the top, and it glances off the target as Amarasinghe sets up the nasty leg kick again. Bond corks his right hand and tries to chase Amarasinghe down to land it, but he cannot get in position successfully as they clinch. Amarasinghe rips a knee up the middle, and then blasts him with a leg kick that makes Bond grimace. Although Bond throws back his own kick, it is not nearly as impactful. The two trade punches, and Bond is gunning for big hooks but cannot score them flush. Amarasinghe nearly hits a takedown, and clinches up to scores a huge elbows that staggers Bond for a second. Bond regains his composure and comes back at him with winging shots, but cannot find his intended target effectively. Amarasinghe backs him against the fence and hurts him with uppercuts, and drops Bond with a huge knee. Bond tries to scramble and survive, and Amarasinghe pours it on with thunderous punches as he knocks Bond down again. Bond gets back up against the fence, and as we hear the 10-second clapper, Amarasinghe puts everything he has into this last huge flurry of punches. One big right hand sends Bond crashing to the canvas once more, and Mitchell has seen enough, waving off the contest barely one second before the horn sounds. This is a statement performance for “Apex,” notching an impressive win with style points.

The Official Result

Adam Amarasinghe def. Jake Bond R1 4:59 via KO (Punches)

125: Darren O'Gorman vs. Coner Hignett

Round 1

Sticking to the flyweight division, two more seasoned fighters than the previous match in Ireland’s O’Gorman (6-5) and Britain’s own Hignett (7-5) come to blows. Drawing the assignment is referee Marc Goddard, and they greet one another with a glove touch. O’Gorman scores a few leg kicks to start off, and as Hignett crashes forward he gets tagged with a few punches. O’Gorman throws a body kick and then a switch kick, but Hignett is more inclined to throw one-twos. A leg kick from Hignett falls short, allowing O’Gorman to get off a jab and then a reaching front kick to keep his distance. As Hignett drops down to throw big punches, he telegraphs his position and eats three punches before getting any off. O’Gorman connects with a big leg kick, and a right hand from O’Gorman cracks Hignett on the jaw and wobbles his legs. In desperation, Hignett drops down to pursue a takedown, and O’Gorman defends with a guillotine choke. O’Gorman falls to his back while still holding on to the guillotine, but Hignett pops his head out. Not content to stay on his back, O’Gorman sweeps Hignett, and the two stand up. They come together with kicks, and O’Gorman catches a kick and nearly lands one of his own low. The Irish fighter lands his own takedown this time, scoring a double leg takedown and immediately securing the back. Getting his hooks in, O’Gorman fishes for a rear-naked choke that is more of a neck crank at this point, while Hignett defends by keeping his back and that of his opponent against the fence. In the process, O’Gorman sets up the body triangle, and hunts for a rear-naked choke but is too high on the chin to elicit a tap. Hignett fights the hands off, so O’Gorman readjusts and sinks it in but is still on the jaw. Hignett tries to scramble, and gives up the mount before falling victim to an arm-triangle choke. In half guard, O’Gorman is unable to finish the choke, and Hignett survives to make it to the second. 10-9 O’Gorman.

Round 2

There is no touch of gloves in the second, as Hignett loads up on looping punches to try to hurt O’Gorman right out of the gate. O’Gorman tries to keep his distance with reaching kicks, but stings Hignett with a combination of punches ending with a right hand. The leg kicks from O’Gorman reach their target, while Hignett’s fall short, and the latter is still struggling to find his range. They come together while Hignett loops punches, and he absorbs an elbow on the chin forcing them to separate. O’Gorman whips up a head kick, and Hignett is barely able to block it as he fires back a right hand that lands right on the chin. O’Gorman ignores it as he tries to keep his kicks going, and jabs forward as Hignett looks for a takedown. Out of nowhere, O’Gorman jumps in the air for a flying triangle choke, and Hignett is immediately in the danger zone. O’Gorman slashes a few elbows on his back to cut the forehead open, and Hignett is trapped as he spits out his mouthpiece to breathe. As Hignett stands up to try to break the choke, he gives up his arm and O’Gorman is happy to oblige by taking it. Hignett lowers himself down to protect against the armbar, allowing O’Gorman to hack at him with more elbows. Hignett falls down to his knees to keep pressure down and survive the choke, but keeps taking elbows on the head. O’Gorman locks his arms around Hignett’s head to pull him into the choke, and Hignett replies by dropping down hammerfists. O’Gorman again extends to get the armbar, and Hignett guts it out by turning around to escape the triangle choke. O’Gorman pulls with all his might to hit the armbar, but incredibly, Hignett pops his head out and stands up with 10 seconds left in the round. We are now headed into Round 3, perhaps unexpectedly. 10-9 O’Gorman.

Round 3

The question going into this last round is how gassed are O’Gorman’s legs after holding that triangle choke for the good part of the second stanza. He proves they are not totally decimated by throwing out a few kicks, but they do not have a lot of power behind them. The kicks are labored, but they are keeping Hignett at bay for the time being. Hignett rushes in for a combination, and as they get to the fence, Hignett goes after a double leg takedown but gets elbowed to the side of the head to stop him. O’Gorman nails him on the jaw with a knee to break them up, and then lands two hard left hands that stagger Hignett. Hignett gets his footing back and throws back a combination, punctuating it with a heavy right hand. The two back off, and Hignett steps in and unloads a hellacious right hand that sends O’Gorman falling to the cage floor. Hignett knows he can get the win and chases after him with one more thunderous right, and O’Gorman is out. Goddard dives in to stop the fight, and what an incredible comeback in spectacular fashion! Wow! What a knockout!

The Official Result

Coner Hignett def. Darren O’Gorman R3 2:12 via KO (Punch)

145: Perry Goodwin vs. Steve Aimable

Round 1

To headline the prelims, we get a significant featherweight matchup between two fighters that crush it in the walkout music department. Goodwin (9-7) makes his walk with “Gimme the Loot” by Notorious B.I.G., which would win most walkout music battles, but Aimable (14-6) sneaks out with a big win with “I’m Still Standing” by Elton John. If the music is any indication, we are in for a treat, and referee Marc Goddard has enjoyed these musical selections as much as we do. There is no glove touch, as Goodwin starts off with several loud leg kicks from both legs. Aimable fires back with one of his own, but cannot get much more of volume off as Goodwin is largely the aggressor. Goodwin targets the legs a few more times, allowing Aimable to ring a right hook off the bow of his opponent. Aimable scores a big leg kick that draws a reaction of his opponent, and they both land jabs at the same time. A right hand from Goodwin is followed by a leg kick, and a second gets countered. Aimable blasts home a leg kick that causes Goodwin to spin all the way around, and he eats a left on the way back. Goodwin stings him with an uppercut that splits the guard, and fires a leg kick while Aimable is doing a quick count of his teeth. Aimable walks him down and throws a body kick, avoiding the counter for the most part but taking a pair of thudding leg kicks. As Goodwin digs in another leg kick, Aimable pops him with a right hand. Goodwin scores a big uppercut, and then throws two more before they separate. He steps in again and lands one more uppercut, and Aimable shakes it out as his nose begins to change color. Goodwin lands a stomp kick to the knee, and looks to stick to that uppercut but fakes it to draw out a reaction from his opponent. Aimable takes several jabs on the way in, and races forward to hit a double leg takedown. He gets Goodwin down, and as Goodwin stands back up, Aimable hunts for his back. Goodwin defends the position as he stands back up, and takes several punches and a knee to the body. They swing to the bell, and Goodwin raises his arms in the air as if to ask Aimable if he has anything more. 10-9 Goodwin.

Round 2

The second begins with more aggression from Aimable, who is starting to land a few left hooks as Goodwin throws leg kicks. Aimable fires a bigger leg kick, and Goodwin visibly reacts as that one hurt. Goodwin lands kicks from both legs, and takes a straight left hand that sends him flying to the ground. Aimable chases after him to pursue a finish, but he cannot get it as Goodwin stands up and sets up a one-two that is followed by an uppercut. The strikes fall short, and Aimable makes him pay with a leg kick that again draws a reaction from Goodwin. Goodwin aims his right hand but falls short, allowing Aimable to again nail that lead leg that Goodwin does not like. Goodwin throws a leg kick from each leg, and then a hard right leg kick makes Aimable stagger. Aimable regroups and lands a three-punch combination that starts with a stiff left jab. Goodwin connects with a heavy right, but Aimable walks through it to land a leg kick, and we can see that Goodwin is trying to play it off that it does not hurt. Goodwin digs to the body with a left hand, and aims low with a left. He backs off and leaps forward with a knee, but Aimable catches him in the air and drives down to a double leg takedown. Aimable lands in full guard, and Goodwin tries to fight his way back up by punching and elbowing his opponent on top of him. Aimable cannot advance position as he keeps taking shots, and Goodwin briefly utilizes butterfly guard before bailing on it to set up a high guard and potentially a triangle choke should his legs go higher. Aimable pushes through it, and presses Goodwin with his back against the fence. Aimable unloads some ground-and-pound that slices up the forehead of Goodwin, and he starts bleeding rapidly. The round concludes. 10-9 Aimable.

Round 3

Goodwin rushes out to embrace his opponent, and after backing off, throws a one-two. Goodwin loads up on a right hand, and then chases after him with an uppercut as he keeps his hands low. Aimable fires a low kick that spins Goodwin around, and Goodwin comes back to position and lands a straight right. An uppercut and a thudding right come from Goodwin, and Aimable absorbs them without issue. Another uppercut from Goodwin stings Aimable, but surprisingly, “Diddy Kong” practically walks through it. Aimable doubles and trips up on his left jab, while Goodwin is loading up on his shots. A heavy right hand from Goodwin scores, and Aimable may be stunned but is hiding it well. Goodwin chains together a few combinations, all while dancing away out of danger when he completes it. Aimable shoots in for a takedown, and Goodwin pulls guard to pursue a guillotine. The arm is in, so the choke is not likely tight, and Aimable breaks free. Aimable stands back up, and we are back to the feet again halfway through the round. A right hand hurts Goodwin, and he is wobbled as Aimable stalks him down to land another. Aimable changes levels, and scoops Goodwin up to plant him down. Goodwin pops back up, and gets away with a fence grab to pull himself out of danger. Goodwin tries to stuff the single leg takedown that comes, but in the process gives up his back. He turns around before losing the position, and Aimable is grinding him out here as he goes for a low single. Goodwin fights him off and separates, but comes after Aimable with heavy punches. Aimable rushes in and lifts up Goodwin, slamming him down to take top position. Goodwin wildly springs up, and is ready to brawl. He raises his arms in the air before throwing heavy leather, and nails his man with a knee in the middle. Aimable lifts him up and throws him down once more, but Goodwin bounces back up to swing with reckless abandon. This is absolutely wild, and the two end the fight in a brawl. This could be either man’s fight, but what a battle. 10-9 Goodwin (29-28 Goodwin).

The Official Result

Perry Goodwin def. Steve Aimable via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)

155: Paddy Pimblett vs. Decky Dalton

Round 1

To kick off the main card, former champ Pimblett (14-3) makes his long-awaited return against Dalton (11-4) at the lightweight division. Referee Rich Mitchell will take charge of the cage, and the two touch gloves to begin the match. Dalton goes low with a kick, and then checks a kick before landing a solid left hand right on the chin. Pimblett walks through it and tags him with a quick right, and Dalton throws up a high kick. Dalton falls to his back, and Pimblett immediately follows him down to the canvas. “The Baddy” quickly takes the back of his opponent, and secures body kick before latching on with a rear-naked choke. Dalton grits out the first choke attempt, but his right arm his now trapped in the body triangle of Pimblett. Pimblett wrenches on the neck, and Dalton actually exclaims that he can’t tap because his arm is trapped. Pimblett looks at him quizzically, allowing Dalton to spin around, but he flattens himself out on his stomach. Pimblett starts to unload some heavy punches, and Dalton turns to his back and wriggles around to get free. “The Baddy” keeps firing off punches, and Mitchell has no choice but to intervene and call a stop to the fight. Pimblett jumps off him to celebrate, and climbs the cage and salutes to the crowd to cheer for him -- but no one is there. This does not bother him, as he hops off the cage to dance around to his music. In his first fight since September 2018, Pimblett makes a statement that he has not lost a step and is looking to get his belt back.

The Official Result

Paddy Pimblett def. Decky Dalton R1 2:51 via TKO (Punches)

170: Nathan Jones vs. David Bear

Round 1

In a battle of nicknames between two tough welterweights, “Mr Bag & Tag” Jones (13-9) takes on “The” Bear (8-1). The latter emerges wearing a bear outfit to a cover of “Circle of Life” by Elton John before transitioning to “Natsu’s Theme” from the anime series “Fairy Tail,” because why not. Jones counters with “DWMT RMX” by Izi Draro, but it falls short to the unorthodox walkout tunes heard prior to his entrance. Referee Marc Goddard’s got this one covered. They touch gloves, and Jones opens with a leg kick. Jones throws another, and stomps with a kick to the knee before whipping a heavy leg kick to Bear’s lead leg. Bear throws back at him with a few that do not have as great of an effect, and this tentative start goes on for a solid minute as they clash legs at the same time. Jones whiffs with a right hand, allowing the Frenchman to throw a hard leg kick back at him. Bear throws another, and this one sinks in to solid effect. Jones winds up with a right, and Bear ducks out of the way to avoid the brunt of the damage. They trade leg kicks some more, while feinting and faking their way in with punches. Jones connects with a right, and as they both kick each other in the lead leg, Jones chases after him with another right hand but it is blocked. Bear sticks him with a jab, but eats a solid leg kick for his effort, and they both score left hooks as they close the distance. A right hand from Bear lands successfully, and he loads up with another but pulls back on it before committing to it. Jones ducks a few punches, and Bear rushes in to hit a takedown and quickly lands in side control. Bear has his right arm trapped in the legs of his opponent, but pulls it free as he looks to set up an arm-triangle choke from the opposite side. Bear stays heavy to thwart any sweeps and kick-offs from Jones, but does not throw any strikes while on top. Jones scrambles and tries to retain half guard, so Bear decides to drop down a few short punches. As the 10-second clapper sounds, Jones gets to his knees, and Bear jumps for a guillotine choke. The round ends before Bear can sniff out a tap. 10-9 Bear.

Round 2

They touch gloves to commence the second, and go right back to hitting each other with leg kicks. Jones sneaks up a high kick, and Bear blocks part of it but the foot skips off his face. Jones loads up on a right, and evades a big counter coming back at him. A loud leg kick from Bear scores, and Bear changes levels to land a smooth takedown. While in half guard, Bear throws a few very short punches to frustrate his opponent and allow him to advance his position, and Jones grimaces. Bear sets up an arm-triangle choke, and Jones walks out of danger but gives up three-quarter mount in the process. Bear threatens with the arm-triangle choke again, and uses that to pass to side control. “Mr. Bag & Tag” cannot fight off this position, and looks very irritated as he is trapped on his back. Jones rolls to his knees, but he gives up his back for a moment. Jones rolls all the way through to a kneebar and then a heel hook, but Bear spins around to end on top. Bear passes to side control on the other side, and thuds down an elbow that does some damage. Jones tries to roll out again, but he is thwarted as Bear stays heavy and grinds him out. Few strikes come for Bear, who is more concerned with getting position over dealing any damage. Jones gets to his feet as seconds remain, but he cannot connect with anything of note to end the round. 10-9 Bear.

Round 3

They touch gloves one final time, and Jones is interested in landing some sort of a knockout blow. He has his right hand locked and loaded, but takes a few leg kicks on the way in. Jones lands a turning back kick, and Bear sticks him with a jab and a left hand on the way out. “Mr. Bag & Tag” nails Bear with the huge right hand he has been setting up, and Bear is hurt. Bear shoots in for a desperation takedown and lands it, and Jones looks dismayed that he is now on his back and stuck again. Bear steps over from half guard to side control with relative ease, and time is ticking off the clock fast for Jones, who is looking to mount a comeback the likes of Hignett earlier. Bear stays heavy, and Jones turns to his knees but is bullied back down. Bear does not mount much offense, and Jones finally reverses position to land on top. Bear quickly stands up, and Jones tries to punish him with a head kick but it is blocked. Bear goes in for a takedown, and is stuffed, but doggedly pursues it again as he falls victim to a kimura defense. They spin about, as Jones has it tight, but Bear guts it out and wrests his arm free. Bear tries and fails to wing a spinning back elbow on the break, and Jones walks him down but cannot catch “The Bear.” 10-9 Bear (30-27 Bear).

The Official Result

David Bear def. Nathan Jones via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

CWFC Lightweight Title Fight: Mason Jones vs. Joe McColgan

Round 1

We have reach the co-main event of the evening, and the final bout officially under the Cage Warriors banner. The unbeaten Welshman Jones (8-0) pursues the vacant lightweight throne against McColgan (6-2-1), and referee Rich Mitchell is on top of the action. They touch gloves in the staredown, and decline an additional glove touch to start out. Jones starts out with a few thudding leg kicks, and the two clinch up and start unloading serious uppercuts on the chins. Jones pushes McColgan against the fence, and stays busy with punches and knees. McColgan’s nose is already marked up less than a minute in, as Jones continues to stay heavy and work the thighs with knees. McColgan jumps over his shorter opponent to attempt to set up a guillotine or brabo choke, but Jones pushes him off and lands a nasty leg kick. McColgan whips a body kick, and gets met with a heavy left hook and a right. McColgan fires back and scores a big left, and every strike is thrown with power right now, as Jones spins and connects with a spinning back kick. Jones dings his lead leg with a kick, but McColgan comes back with one of his own and a stern body shot. “The Dragon” goes not approve of this exchange, opting instead to press McColgan against the fence and look to land a body lock takedown. McColgan stands tall, and fights off a trip takedown and a few other attempts from Jones. Jones spams short knees before trying to drag McColgan down, but the man from Northern Ireland keeps his balance as he hops on one leg. McColgan stings Jones with a heavy knee on the break, and Jones successfully comes back with a looping let hand. Jones lands three, and McColgan gets him back with one power shot. These two are swinging heavily now, and Jones catches McColgan at the end of a combination with a left uppercut. Jones spins with a back kick but aims high this time, and barely misses. Jones strings together a lengthy combination of punches, and rips a huge knee to the body that lifts McColgan off the ground and plants him on the canvas. Five follow-up punches are academic at that point, as McColgan turtles up and Mitchell steps in to end the fight. Jones is now the new lightweight champion of Cage Warriors, and celebrates knowing that he very well may have punched his ticket to UFC Ireland in August with a dramatic win to stay undefeated.

The Official Result

Mason Jones def. Joe McColgan R1 4:40 via TKO (Knee and Punches)

UFC Middleweight Fight: Darren Stewart vs. Bartosz Fabinski

Round 1

In the main event, and the last fight in a noteworthy promotion for quite some time, we are treated to a middleweight matchup made up of fighters originally scheduled at UFC London. Stewart (11-4, 1 NC) faces Fabinski (14-3), and both men are noticeable sporting Cage Warriors gloves and shorts instead of their standard Reebok fight kits. Referee Mark Goddard is ready to for these two to throw some leather, and they touch gloves to begin. Fabinski immediately shoots in for a takedown, and Stewart spins him about and pushes him against the fence. They jockey for position against the cage wall, all while throwing sporadic knees as they twirl around. Fabinski tries to lift a high knee to the jaw, and it gets caught and he nearly gets put down to the ground. Goddard implores them to fight, and we may be potentially spoiled by the action we have seen throughout the night. Stewart holds on with his fingers in the cage, and Goddard properly calls him out on it and Fabinski reverses him momentarily. Goddard intervenes halfway through the first round, and Fabinski starts throwing jabs to work his way into a takedown attempt. Dropping down for a single, Stewart drills him on the side of the head with a few elbows but Fabinski lifts him up. With a single nasty elbow, Stewart slices the side of Fabinski’s head open, and blood is pouring down on his opponent. Fabinski does not look too concerned as he leaks plasma down while he gets Stewart flat on his back. Fabinski slams down some heavy elbows as Stewart sits back up against the fence, and Stewart gets up but sets up a guillotine choke and pulls guard. Fabinski rides out the round on top without much concern for the choke. 10-9 Fabinski.

Round 2

Goddard calls in the doctor to check the cut, which is above Fabinski’s left ear. It is not to check the status of the cut as much as it is to wipe off the large blob of Vaseline on the side of his head. Fabinski races forward to start the round, and whiffs with a spinning back fist but is dead set on pushing Stewart against the cage. “The Dentist” jumps again for a guillotine choke, but if Fabinski were wise, he would set up a Von Preux choke as Stewart holds on to the choke from his back. Fabinski drops down a few elbows to the thighs while on top, and Stewart gets out of the bad spot but takes a couple elbows from the Polish fighter. Fabinski is on top in full guard, and Stewart tries to throw back elbows but Fabinski’s punches are landing to greater effect. “The Butcher” stays very heavy without landing much of significance, and Stewart is flailing off his back as he cannot get to his feet. Fabinski is leaving pools of blood around the vinyl -- not actually canvas, to mention the traditional term of art -- and Goddard may be having flashbacks to the brutal, bloody battle between Nicolas Dalby and Ross Houston in the Cage Warriors cage. Stewart keeps working elbows and the blood continues to flow, and he is getting blinded from the crimson rain falling into his eyes. Fabinski uses the opportunity to drop down some elbows and powerful punches, and the hammerfists in response from Stewart are far behind in power. Fabinski grinds out the rest of the round on top, landing a few elbows that could have opened up a cut on his opponent. 10-9 Fabinski.

Round 3

Fabinski starts out the round aggressively, sticking out his jab but following it with a few looping punches. Stewart tries to defend and throw back at him, but unexpectedly hits his own takedown. Fabinski stands back up and nearly gives up his back, but Stewart cannot keep him grounded or land a head kick on the break. “The Butcher” wades forward with some half-hearted punches to close the distance, and Stewart tries to counter and stuff an inevitable takedown that comes immediately thereafter. Fabinski hits that takedown, and Stewart looks nonplussed as he gets back to his knees. Fabinski fishes for an unorthodox kneeling arm-triangle choke, and lets it go when Stewart flirts with a kimura sweep. Fabinski grinds him against the cage wall, and pulls Stewart back down as Stewart shakes his head in aggravation. “The Dentist” works his way back up to his feet, and as soon as he gets there, Fabinski rips his legs out from beneath him and pulls him back down. Any time he nearly gets back up, the Polish fighter stops him and returns him to the mat. Although not landing any serious offense, Fabinski lifts Stewart and places him back down on the ground in the open floor. With no cage to walk up, Stewart tries to kick off and explode his way back up, but Fabinski is on him like a leech and holds on to ride out the remainder of the round. Stewart slaps him a few times, and this grinding, bloody mess of a fight is now over. 10-9 Fabinski (30-27 Fabinski).

The Official Result

Bartosz Fabinski def. Darren Stewart via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26)