By Brad Wharton @MMABRAD48
“Still rock my khakis with a cuff and a crease / Still got love for the streets, repping 213”
27 years ago, Dr Dre dropped that classic bar on ‘Still D.R.E.’ – A reference to the G-Funk side project comprised of labelmates Snoop Dogg, Warren G and the late, great Nate Dogg. Just over a quarter of a century later, Cage Warriors is reppin’ 213 at the BBC, as the second leg of our London double-header hits the iconic studios for another truly unique night of mixed martial arts.
Last Saturday saw the promotion with the Famous Yellow Gloves kick down the door to the former Television Centre complex for the very first time to deliver a showcase of Spanish MMA. This week’s offering comes with a distinctly local flavour, with a pair of London lads taking up arms for potentially career-defining title bouts.
Bagley vs Souza
Top of the bill is a defending champ who rates himself as not just the best combat sports athlete at 145lbs in Cage Warriors, but perhaps the world. It’s the kind of confidence we’ve come to know and love from Nik Bagley in recent years, as the GB Top Team man has evolved from Academy to World champion.
With a UFC card every weekend and Cage Warriors churning out shows in rapid bursts (we’re currently in the midst of a run of six events in 29 days), there’s perhaps not a sport in the world that moves on as fast as MMA. The only solution for those seeking to remain centered in the conversation when Monday morning rolls around is to do things (to quote the US President) ‘bigly’. Talk a big game. Win big fights in big ways. Leave a big impression.
That’s been Bagley to a tee of late. Talk about walking into the lion’s den; the 29 year old walked into arguably Cage Warriors’ biggest event of all time – the mighty 200 – and defeated hometown hero Solomon Simon in front of 4,000 rowdy Dubliners. And it wasn’t just a win, he practically pitched a shut out.
He followed that up with a similarly impressive performance against a certified killer in Aiden Lee; a clinical striker and submission specialist with one of the heaviest ledgers on the circuit. Again, Nik dispatched his man in style.
On Saturday night Bagley will up the difficulty once again, defending his title for a second time. Just days after Podcaster, comedian and long-time UFC colour commentator Joe Rogan noted heaped praise on the business end of CW cards being ‘UFC level’, the Ukranian-born London native will step into the cage against a former A1 Combat and LFA champion, Bruno Souza.
Souza, a karateka and grappling expert in his own right, steps into the spotlight for his second Cage Warriors main event, having previously bested the legendary Wilson Reis in a nip-and-tuck affair in California two years back.
He’s gone 4-1 since, with a pair of wins already under his belt this year; besting Bagley could cap off a phenomenal career turn around and offer up the opportunity of a second crack at the UFC whip.
Scott vs Nogueira
It’s been a year of hometown heartbreak for some of Cage Warriors’ firmest fan favourites. Bagley and Gustavo Souza have both claimed title victories in enemy territory in 2026, and in Saturday’s co-main event, Willians Nogueira will look to extend the run of shattered dreams when he faces London’s Jawany Scott for interim flyweight gold.
Opportunity has well and truly knocked for the 27-year-old Brazilian Jiu Jitsu blackbelt. With champ Nicolas Leblond on the long-term injured list, he slots in against GBTT’s Scott in what could be a life changing five rounds of action.
A product of Brazil’s notoriously tough Jungle Fight promotion, Sao Paulo’s Nogueira is no stranger to danger in the cage. But make no mistake, he’ll be experiencing an elevated threat level on his Cage Warriors debut.
Jawany Scott came within a whisker of capturing flyweight gold in his own back yard last summer, going down to the wire in a thriller with Shaj Haque that split the judges, as well as the audience. A late rally for the local lad made the decision that little bit more bitter of a pill to swallow, but he wasn’t about to dwell on the past. Instead, Scott got his nose back to the grindstone and earned a second run at the strap with a dominant performance against Michelangelo Lupoli almost a year ago to the day.
He looked sharper than ever in the process and with a keen eye on December’s Haque vs Leblond title bout, was surely pulling for the ‘AND STILL’ to set up a return fixture against his old foe. Sadly it wasn’t to be, with the challenger pulling off a twenty-fifth minute miracle comeback to dethrone Haque, Scott had a new foe to prepare for…or so he thought.
Leblond’s injury woes put paid to a scheduled March clash, and with the champion unfortunately still sidelined, Jawany now finds himself in the unenviable position of returning from a year out of competition to face a young, hungry unknown quantity who just so happens to be a lethal finisher.
The ingredients are in for a pair of blistering title fights to top Saturday’s bill, but the fun doesn’t stop there. If there’s one man who’s been within touching distance of a CW title longer than Scott, it’s his teammate Shirzad Qadrian.
Originally set to face Liam Gittins for the bantamweight strap following his $50,000 PrizeFighter win, an injury to the then champ led to a sidequest in the form of a grudge match against Cameron Else. A pencilled-in November 2025 clash against Brazilian sensation Elton Armindo for the newly vacant title went by the wayside when both challenges missed weight.
Qadrian will finally make his return to action on Saturday night, hoping to put the drama behind him and get back to doing what he does best; crushing bantamweight challengers and looking to prove that he’s the king without a crown at 135lbs.
Opposite him is another man with a point to prove; Brazil’s Manoel Silva. ‘Lorinho’s first outing in the Famous Yellow Gloves ended early after a series of unfortunate – albeit inadvertent – low blows. The Brazilian scrapper has grabbed a pair of wins on the regional scene since; an 18th professional victory could put him in good standing to face bantamweight champion (and compatriot) Weslley Maia in the new year.
With the likes of Tariq Pell, Sado Ucar, and former title challenger Ollie Sarwa all back in action, Cage Warriors’ final London stop of the year promises to be a worthy entry on a 2026 closing stretch that might just be one of the promotion’s finest to date.