Cage Warriors 69 - Fight Card Updates

[Keithlewis]

Warburton versus Ray 155 Title Fight Set for Cage Warriors 69


The CWFC lightweight world title will be at stake when Curt Warburton (13-4) and Stevie Ray (14-5) clash at Cage Warriors 69 at The Forum in London, England, on Saturday, June 7, 2014. CWFC officials can confirm that previous champion Ivan Buchinger has been released from his contract with the promotion, leaving a vacancy at the summit of the 155lbs division. The bout will mark the second time that Warburton and Ray will have met, with their previous encounter - which took place in March, 2013 - ending in a unanimous-decision triumph for Warburton.

"I can't wait to be stepping back into that cage, with the opportunity of walking back out as the new Cage Warriors champion," said Warburton, a native of Newcastle, England.

Warburton signed to compete exclusively for Cage Warriors Fighting Championship last year and made a successful debut for the promotion at CWFC 62 courtesy of a first-round submission of Wesley Murch. The 33-year-old has put together a 6-1 record since his departure from the UFC following a defeat to Joe Lauzon in June 2011.

Ray, on the other hand, will be looking to regain the belt he relinquished to Ivan Buchinger after their epic encounter in the main event at CWFC 63 in Dublin last New Year's Eve. The 23-year-old Scotsman had been crowned champion back in October after emerging victorious from the four-man CWFC lightweight title tournament thanks to wins over Jason Ball and Sean Carter at CWFC 60.

Ray said: "I'm looking forward to getting back in the win column, avenging my loss to Curt and getting my title back in London where I won it last October."

Meanwhile, Ivan Buchinger and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship have parted company as a result of the fighter's refusal to honour the terms of his contract, as explained by Cage Warriors Fighting Championship CEO Graham Boylan.

"Despite having competed for us on six occasions, Ivan claimed that he didn't understand his contract and decided that he no longer wanted to fight for us under the terms that he had agreed. But it's company policy not to be held to ransom by any fighter, so we were happy to let him go," said Boylan.

"We have an incredibly stacked lightweight division, as evidenced by the meeting of Curt Warburton and Stevie Ray for the belt on June 7, so losing one fighter from that division is merely a drop in the ocean. Nevertheless, I thank Ivan for his contribution and wish him the best for his future."

[Keithlewis]

Cage Warriors Super Saturday Doubleheader


Cage Warriors Fighting Championship is set to round off its schedule for the first half of 2014 with an unprecedented event in London on Saturday, June 7.

Following a hectic recent spell which has seen Europe's leading MMA promotion host seven shows in the space of just eleven weeks, visiting five different countries in the process, CWFC will sign off in style for a summer break with Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday.

The event, which will take place at The Forum in Kentish Town, London, will be CWFC's eighth so far and is set to feature not one – but two! – main cards, which will follow both unaired and Facebook prelims.

With each main card to be headlined by a CWFC world title bout, Super Saturday will bring fans an extravaganza of top-class MMA, with professional action beginning at 3pm and continuing right through until approximately 11pm.

Super Saturday will kick off with an unaired preliminary card, followed by Facebook prelims – which will be streamed live and free of charge around the world – at 4pm BST.

The first of Super Saturday's televised main cards will get underway at 6pm BST, before the second – which culminates in the meeting of Stevie Ray and Curt Warburton for the vacant CWFC lightweight world title – swings into action at 9pm BST.

"After our event in London on June 7, we'll be taking a break until CWFC 70 in Dublin on August 16 while the World Cup takes centre stage, so we want to treat the fans to something big before we do that," said Cage Warriors Fighting Championship CEO Graham Boylan.

"Almost every other sport has a marquee event on its calendar, whether that be the Superbowl or the Champions League final, so this is something MMA needs and it's something we'll be looking to make an annual event.

"Today we've announced some huge fights for Super Saturday, which already make it a stacked card, but there's a lot more to come. June 7 will be a huge day, not only for Cage Warriors, but for the sport of MMA worldwide."

As previously announced, Stevie Ray (14-5) will look to regain the CWFC lightweight world title when he takes on Curt Warburton (13-4) for the vacant strap in the final bout of the night, which will headline part two of Super Saturday.

The full card and line-up for Super Saturday will be confirmed in the coming weeks, but also on the bill will be a massive middleweight bout between Jack Marshman (14-5) and Bola Omoyele (7-2).

CWFC's stacked welterweight division will be in focus on the night, with Simeon Thoresen (17-4-1) set to make his Cage Warriors debut against Jake Bostwick (14-8-0-1). Meanwhile, Benny Alloway (13-5) will collide with Mohsen Bahari (7-1) and Jack Mason (27-13) is scheduled to face Bruno Carvalho (15-8).

See below for details of all eight bouts announced so far, and get your tickets - priced from just £25 - for Super Saturday when they go on sale online from The Forum at 9am BST this Friday, May 9.


Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday (more bouts still to be announced)

Stevie Ray vs. Curt Warburton – vacant CWFC lightweight world title bout
Jack Marshman vs. Bola Omoyele
Jake Bostwick vs. Simeon Thoresen
Benny Alloway vs. Mohsen Bahari
Bruno Carvalho vs. Jack Mason
Liam James vs. Nad Narimani
Brett Caswell vs. Spencer Hewitt
Jason Cooledge vs. Brad Wheeler

[Keithlewis]

Three More Fights Set for Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday


The bumper bill for Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday has today been boosted by the addition of three more exciting bouts.

Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday, which is set to feature two main cards in one evening, will take place on Saturday, June 7, at The Forum in Kentish Town, London, England.

Colliding in a lightweight contest, Australia's Damien Brown and Englishman Saul Rogers will both return to action for the first time since their respective bouts at CWFC 65 in Dublin back in March.

Brown (10-6) put on a Fight of the Night performance against Paul Redmond before losing out via decision, while Rogers (8-1) edged out John Maguire after three thrilling rounds in the main event.

In featherweight action, undefeated 20-year-old Englishman Arnold Allen (7-0) will be looking for his fifth CWFC win when he takes on highly-rated Polish prospect Marcin Wrzosek (7-2), who fights under the Cage Warriors banner for the first time since last July's CWFC 57 loss to Chris Fishgold.

Meanwhile, Scotland's Amanda Kelly (1-1) and England's Kerry Hughes (1-1) will both be keen to return to winning ways when they collide in a women's bantamweight bout, following decision defeats to Laura Howarth and Agnieszka Niedzwiedz respectively in their most recent outings.

Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday (more bouts to be announced; order TBC)

Stevie Ray vs. Curt Warburton – vacant lightweight world title bout
Jack Hermansson vs. Norman Paraisy – vacant middleweight world title bout
Jack Marshman vs. Bola Omoyele
Jake Bostwick vs. Simeon Thoresen
Damien Brown vs. Saul Rogers
Benny Alloway vs. Mohsen Bahari
Bruno Carvalho vs. Jack Mason
Arnold Allen vs. Marcin Wrzosek
Liam James vs. Nad Narimani
Brett Caswell vs. Spencer Hewitt
Jason Cooledge vs. Brad Wheeler
Kerry Hughes vs. Amanda Kelly

[Keithlewis]

Sexton vs. Jedrzejczyk Added to Cage Warriors 69 on June 7


Former CWFC champion Rosi Sexton will return to the promotion on June 7 for a mouthwatering flyweight clash with undefeated Polish prospect Joanna Jedrzejczyk. The pair will collide at Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday live on Fight Network, CWFC's eighth event of the year, which is set to take place at The Forum in Kentish Town, London, England. Meanwhile, injuries sustained by both fighters in recent days have forced the removal of the featherweight bout between Liam James and Nad Narimani from the CWFC 69: Super Saturday bill.

Sexton (13-4) owns a 6-0 record under the Cage Warriors banner, including victories over the likes of Aisling Daly, Roxanne Modafferi and Sally Krumdiack. The 36-year-old English fighter, who has also competed for Bellator, will be back in action for the first time since a two-fight stint with the UFC in 2013, which saw her drop decision losses to Alexis Davis and Jessica Andrade.

Sexton said: "I'm really looking forward to fighting on Cage Warriors again against a very tough opponent. Cage Warriors is a fantastic promotion; I started my career with them and since then they've gone from strength to strength. In my experience, no promotion in the world takes better care of its fighters and I'm excited to be part of that again."

Jedrzejczyk (5-0) will be making her debut for Cage Warriors, having carved out a reputation as one of the most exciting prospects in women's MMA since making her professional debut two years ago. A 26-year-old native of Poland, Jedrzejczyk recently signed with Invicta FC and will goes into the clash with Sexton on the back of particularly impressive wins against Karla Benitez and Julia Berezikova.

"This is a huge fight for my career," said Jedrzejczyk. "My opponent is extremely strong and experienced but I'm very determined to win this fight and put on a great show for the fans."


Cage Warriors 69: Super Saturday


Stevie Ray vs. Curt Warburton – vacant lightweight world title bout
Jack Hermansson vs. Norman Paraisy – vacant middleweight world title bout
Jack Marshman vs. Bola Omoyele
Jake Bostwick vs. Simeon Thoresen
Damien Brown vs. Saul Rogers
Benny Alloway vs. Mohsen Bahari
Bruno Carvalho vs. Jack Mason
Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs. Rosi Sexton
Damir Hadzovic vs. Martin Delaney
Graham Turner vs. Suleiman Bouhata
Arnold Allen vs. Marcin Wrzosek
Brett Caswell vs. Spencer Hewitt
Jason Cooledge vs. Brad Wheeler
Kerry Hughes vs. Amanda Kelly
Aaron Blackwell vs. Adam Ventre
Maksym Matus vs. Tim Wilde
Magic Sasanowskie vs. Darren Stewart

[Keithlewis]