Another trip to Manchester, another double-header of organised chaos. Cage Warriors has once again set up shop in the BEC Arena for back-to-back nights of bedlam in the Famous Yellow Gloves, and you’re all invited.
Tickets for CW 178 are available here!
Well, that’s not strictly true… you’re all invited to CW 178 on Saturday night, but before that, there’s the small matter of another edition of Unplugged; a stripped-back, intimate night of fights in a studio setting.
Topping the bill on Friday night is a lightweight tilt between a familiar face and a promotional newcomer.
Submission specialist Florin Pîrtea (8-2) is one of the Romanian circuit’s finest exports, but has struggled for opportunities to showcase his skillset in recent times.
The Bucharest man last saw action in 2022, submitting to recent Cage Warriors title challenger Christian Iorga after a rowdy three-round affair.
Since then he’s had multiple bouts fall through, and will no doubt be keen to get back on track at the expense of a CW fan favourite.
Chasen Blair continues to improve and excel on his Cage Warriors journey.
The former UNC wrestler recently made the transition to 155lbs and turned in arguably his most efficient performance to date against Artūrs Leisāns in Newcastle earlier this year.
Elsewhere on the bill, two-weight Cage Warriors Academy champion Rhi Rhi Hudson gets her second outing in the yellow gloves following a period of inactivity.
The blade-sharp striker concluded business in just thirteen seconds on her CW debut, stopping French veteran Jennifer Trioreau with aplomb.
She’ll face traveling Australian Alish Smith, who jumped at the opportunity to compete after struggling to find a match on the UK’s regional scene.
Ollie Sarwa will make his long awaited debut in the evening’s co-main event; the Stevenage man captured Cage Warriors Academy titles as both an amateur and a professional, and will now strap up the Famous Yellow Gloves on the big stage.
‘Sweet & Sarwa’ faces a step up in competition; he meets the always game ‘Peruvian Dog’ Percy Herrera, who brings impressive finishing ability to the dance.
Another CW fan favourite, Anthony Orozco, will also make an appearance on Unplugged, after Brazilian Thiago Habib flew in from Rio at the eleventh hour.
The MMA Fight Academy man will be giving up a significant height deficit as he looks to make it four in a row under the Cage Warriors banner.
With Unplugged out of the way, all eyes will refocus on Saturday night, as the BEC Arena opens its doors to welcome the Manchester faithful for CW 178.
Luke Riley is already an athlete with superstar status, but at CW 178 he’ll compete in his first ever main event.
A life long martial artist, Riley grew up in Muay Thai, flirted with boxing and eventually settled on a career in MMA after jumping into the deep end at Liverpool’s famed Next Generation.
The Widnes man compiled an impressive 9-0 record, including multiple show-stealing finishes and the 2023 ‘Fight of the Year’ before Dana White’s Contender Series came calling; a delay to hit visa now means he get’s the chance to go 10-0 in Europe’s Leading MMA Organisation.
Make no mistake; every fight from here on out is a risk for Luke Riley, and the fight of his life. A setback at this stage would be unthinkable.
But this is a man who is not risk averse; from fighting in Thailand as a kid to running through a murderer’s row of opponents in Cage Warriors, he’s happy to put it on the line and continues to reap the rewards.
On Saturday he’ll face Brazil’s Alexandre Junior (6-2), a rugged customer who will change his life should he upset the applecart and steal Riley’s thunder.
Speaking of stealing thunder, few predicted that Brazilian veteran Amaury Junior would be the one to handle unbeaten Italian Giuseppe Ruggeri his first defeat, but that’s exactly what happened when the pair met in Manchester earlier this year.
Junior now returns to the scene of the crime, hoping to derail the dreams of another unblemished prospect in the shape of Ieuan Davies.
At 5-0 and coming off impressive wins over Dec Dean, Leon Hill and Adam Shelley, Davies could be a fight or two away from conversations about his place in the lightweight title picture, but will have to mind his Ps & Qs against the crafty Junior.
It’s a tough test for the UK fighter, but exactly the type of test he needs as he looks to climb the ladder.
Dean Trueman has already reached the top of the CW ladder, capturing gold in 2018.
He’s competed only sporadically since, and is still in search of an elusive 11th pro victory.
He should get exactly the kind of fight he wants against the always game Gav Hughes, who will no doubt have the crowd at his back when the pair throw down on Saturday’s main card.
We’re expecting fireworks, and so should you.