With an event as top heavy as Cage Warriors’ 2024 European curtain call, you could be forgiven if one or two of the undercard bangers had flown under your radar.
That cant be said of the lightweight clash between top divisional contenders James Power and Dumitru Girlean though; a bout that demands as much attention as it does respect.
When it comes to the hurt business, the pair are titans of industry; all violence, all the time.
Between them they’ve carved bloody and brutal paths through the notoriously competitive 155lbs division and now, in Newcastle, those paths finally intertwine.
The results should be a feast for the eyes of all watching; fast, furious fistic fundamentals from a pair who’s bread and butter is meeting out punishment.
James Power has never found himself in a fight he didn’t like.
The Wakefield man seemingly revels in the chaos inside the cage, as happy to go to war for three rounds as he is to deliver a swift, fight ending finish early doors.
His brawls in the Famous Yellow Gloves have become the stuff of legend. The war of attrition against Michael Pagani, the hometown destruction of Adam Shelley, the splatter-house showdown against Łukasz Kopera.
All vastly different fights, with one common denominator – Power looked like he was having the time of his life.
His performances have won him plaudits from the critics and adulation from fans the world over; when even the US corners of #MMATwitter are tuning in for ‘James Power Fight Day’, you know you’re doing something right.
But ultimately all of that is just noise…things are getting serious now.
At 33 years of age, Power is in his fighting prime; time to strike while the iron is hot.
More importantly than that, he’s a new father; if that isn’t something to fight for, then what is?
In order for there to be a fairy tale ending though, our story requires a villain, a spoiler.
Moldovan born, Italy based Dumitru Girlean isn’t a bad guy, but he’s happy to play the role.
He’ll walk into your hometown like some uninvited outlaw, before leaving with the victory like a thief in the night.
And that’s not just a muddled metaphor; the kid’s got form.
Ask Adam Cullen, who was left staring at the lights in Manchester courtesy of a savage right hook. Ask Chris Bungard, dragged through the ringer in Glasgow. Ask Simone Patrizi, strangled into submission in Rome on what should have been his night of redemption.
On the balance of probabilities, he’ll likely think nothing of rocking up to Newcastle and crushing Power’s dreams too.
It’s fair to say that when it comes to unbridled in-cage action, both Girlean and Power have had their fair share of fun.
But now it’s time to get down to business; there’s gold in them there hills.
155lb champion George Hardwick recently returned to the cage, shutting out Romania’s Cristian Iorga in consummate fashion.
Which only serves to beg the question: Who’s next?
Could it be the winner of Adam Cullen versus Tobias Harila on November 15th? Or are Power and Girlean vying for de facto #1 contendership in one of the promotion’s most competitive divisions?
In truth, any of the four would make a compelling challenger; it might just come down to who makes the biggest statement between bells.
Thankfully for Dumitru Girlean and James Power, making statements is kind of their thing.
Fifteen minutes, boys…the stage is yours.
Have at it.