Well, you can bump and grind – it is good for your mind. Well, you can twist and shout – let it all hang out.
But you won’t fool the children of the revolution.
So sang T-Rex’s Marc Bolan on the band’s 1972 hit single of the same name. Perhaps he was more prophetic than we first thought, because on Saturday night, there’ll be a fair share of bumps dished out at the RDS, a solid amount of grinding and if certain parties manage to latch on to their signature submissions, more than a little twisting and shouting. And there certainly won’t be any fooling the children of the Irish MMA Revolution, a movement spearheaded by Cage Warriors in 2012, and one that Europe’s Leading MMA still proudly champions to this day.
Revolutions aren’t easy though, and the final few weeks leading up to CW 194 have been turbulent to say the least. First, a cut forced Aiden Lee out of a potential #1 contender bout against Solomon Simon. Then, the newly promoted main event between Leon Hill and Luan Duarte hit a roadblock when the Brazilian was unable to clear customs in France to complete his journey.
Cage Warriors doesn’t go quietly into the night though, and within hours, news broke that the teak-tough slugger Samuel ‘Yan’ Blasco had packed his shorts and gumshield and boarded a flight to Dublin. A true veteran of the scene, Blasco is the personification of the notion that records are for DJs.
A hard hitter with a body that feels like it’s made of bricks, the Spaniard is no easy night for anyone on the European circuit.
Leon Hill might take exception to that though; he feels like Saturday night belongs to him and him only. The Drogheda man had a feeling that he might be called upon to serve as CW 194’s main event, so in a way, it wasn’t too much of a surprise.
Following in the footsteps of head coach Chris Fields and the likes of Cathal Pendred, Hill aims to wrap CW gold around his waist before his time in the organisation is done. He also recognises his own place in the Revolution, with the new pros looking up to him just as he looked up to his own MMA forefathers.
Its an honour and a responsibility he takes seriously, and as a result, has no intention of leaving the RDS with anything less than an emphatic victory under his belt.
One of those upcoming prospect looking to follow Hill’s path is Max Lally, the undefeated phenom competing in his first ever Cage Warriors co-main event. The 22 year old has already picked up notable wins and multiple titles as an amateur, and his journey through the professional ranks is veering in the same direction.
Lally’s debut was explosive to say the least; a clinical imposition of his own will versus an exploitation of his opponent’s weaknesses. And with that barnstorming victory over Alexis Tsarmantidis behind him, it’s time for the Dubliner to test his mettle against a gritty CW veteran who has proved to be the undoing of a prospect or two in him time.
Ben Ellis is 4-1 in the Famous Yellow Gloves, and despite a three year hiatus from competition, possesses the kind of awkward to deal with skillset that reads like nightmare for even the brightest of prospects.
It’s a fascinating proposition; will Ellis’ stifling wrestling and veteran gamesmanship be enough to shut down the explosive output and youthful exuberance of Lally? We’re less than 24 hours away from finding out.
Irish interests trickle down through the main card, with Ger Harris back in action looking to snap a two fight skid. Scrappy as hell wherever the fight goes and capable of latching onto submissions in the blink of an eye, the ‘GTA Selector’ is a serious threat in the division. A reversal in fortunes is crucial though.
The same can be said for opponent Jonny Touma, a champion on the Scandinavian regional scene looking for an emphatic win to reignite his championship flame. Touma is a massive hitter for the weight, meaning that we might just be in for a classic striker versus grappler affair.
Elsewhere on the bill, another Irish favourite in Adam Darby looks to continue an impressive run of form as he faces the unbeaten Robert Constantin. Can ‘The Plank’ end his 2025 campaign unbeaten? Connor McCarthy, Damien McKenna and Keith Keogh will also be looking to improve upon thusfar perfect years. McCarthy faces the always tough Diego Visanzay, while Keogh and McKenna meet each other in an all Irish affair.
With a full slate of preliminary bouts featuring the likes of Anthony Orozco, Manuel Del Valle, Ryan Shelley and more set to kick of the festivities at the sold out RDS, if you’re not already in possession of a golden ticket, your only option is to catch all the action live on UFC Fight Pass, or one of our international broadcast partners!