Daytime MMA is all the time a deal with for followers of aggressive violence. All through this month, we’ve been getting loads of MMA within the afternoon, and we’ll have much more to get pleasure from this coming weekend. Friday, whereas sports activities followers in the US shall be knee-deep in main convention tournaments in school basketball, the eye of combat followers will flip to the UK.
Manchester’s BEC Area would be the intimate setting for Cage Warriors‘ first of two dwell occasions over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, Cage Warriors 167. The cardboard may also be one other version of the promotion’s “Unplugged” sequence, the place the group is decreased by design. BEC Area may also be the host venue for Saturday’s Cage Warriors 168.
Reside protection kicks off at 2:30 pm ET/ 11:30 am PT with the prelims and continues at 5 pm ET/ 2 pm PT with principal card motion on UFC Struggle Move. All instructed, absent of any postponed fights between now and Friday, 14 bouts shall be held.
Welterweight Championship at Stake Friday in Cage Warriors 167 Principal Occasion
It’s a packed weekend of title fights in Manchester, beginning with the Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion. Counting each playing cards this weekend, the promotion will hand out no fewer than three titles.
Former Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion Stefano Paterno (16-4-1 MMA, 1-1 CWFC,) a veteran of Venator FC, Bellator MMA, and most lately Oktagon MMA, returns to Graham Boylan‘s promotion in an try and reclaim the title in opposition to Scottie Stockman (10-3 MMA, CWFC promotional debut.)
At stake: The Cage Warriors Welterweight Championship, beforehand held by Giannis Bachar (9-2 MMA, 2-0 CWFC). Bachar was lately named to the solid of The Final Fighter TV sequence for its new season after successful the belt in Rome final fall. As with all title fights, the Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion is an marketed most of 5 rounds at 5 minutes per spherical to shut the present.
BREAKING 🚨
Former Cage Warriors welterweight champ Stefano Paternò is again within the Yellow Gloves on March fifteenth when he faces Scottie Stockman at #CW167 🏴
Join an opportunity at attending Unplugged 👉 https://t.co/7w58qloVml pic.twitter.com/siqW3iwfhu
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) February 27, 2024
Cage Warriors 167 Principal Occasion Fighter Comparability
Heading into the Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion on Friday, Stefano Paterno stands because the taller man at 5-foot-11, in comparison with the 5-foot-10 body of Scottie Stockman. No attain benefit data was accessible on-line at press time.
Paterno Returns for First Cage Warriors Struggle Since 2018 on Friday
Stefano Paterno has posted a mark of 4-1 in his final 5 fights. These days, he’s on a three-fight successful streak.
Proper earlier than the brand new yr started, he scored a second-round submission by way of armbar versus Ion Surdu (14-6 MMA) throughout Oktagon 51 on Dec. 29, seen on DAZN. The Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion is Paterno’s first combat underneath the promotional banner since Oct, 20, 2018.
That night, he made an unsuccessful protection of the title, dropping the belt (break up resolution) in opposition to Ross Houston (8-1, 1 NC MMA, 6-0, 1 NC CWFC) throughout Cage Warriors 98 from Genting Area in Birmingham, England. Since then, he’s made the rounds on the MMA circuit all through the world, together with a mixed 8-0-1 run over Venator and Oktagon between Might of 2016 and December of final yr.
The circumstances surrounding Paterno’s return couldn’t have been extra good. Here’s a man who captured the gold virtually six years in the past and now he’s returned for a possibility to seize the title as soon as extra.
Will he have the ability to make an instance of the adage “What’s outdated is new once more?” Tune in on Friday and discover out.
Scottie Stockman Comes In on Brief Discover
Within the different nook, Scottie Stockman enters Friday’s headliner having posted a report of 4-1 in his final 5 fights. Most lately, he noticed a four-fight successful streak snapped by the hands of Rodrigo Sezinando (6-1 MMA) on Feb. 8 in BFL 79 on Struggle Move.
He’ll be the brisker fighter of the 2, having simply fought somewhat greater than a month in the past, however this combat could possibly be a frightening job for Scottie Stockman and his camp. The Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion was introduced on Feb. 27, simply 19 days after his combat in Vancouver.
With such a fast turnaround, what sort of a coaching camp has he been in a position to have forward of Friday’s contest? Solely time will inform.
Evaluation, Movie Research, and Prediction
Each of those fighters can rating the win by stoppage, although a slight edge might be given to Scottie Stockman’s wrestling background. Will both get the victory inside the space on Friday?
Paterno Can Punch His Technique to a Win
Stefano Paterno is a person who’s been right here earlier than in a championship combat underneath the Cage Warriors banner. Throughout his unique bid for the welterweight belt, he stopped Mehrdad Janzemini earlier than the primary spherical was over.
Paterno secured a takedown and tried to attain with leg kicks to a grounded Janzemini earlier than attending to the mat and taking high mount. Janzemini’s submission efforts have been thwarted by Paterno, who kicked away from hazard and retook high place.
From there, Paterno gathered journey time from half-guard and rained down a flurry of floor and pound pictures. It was recreation, set, and match for Paterno, who put the exclamation level on a win with one other burst of punches.
All Stefano Paterno has to do to reclaim the belt within the Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion is dump Scottie Stockman as soon as. If he will get his opponent to the canvas a single time, he’ll achieve the momentum on this combat.
Scottie Stockman Can Shut the Present in a Hurry
Within the different nook, search for Scottie Stockman to attempt to land a knockout on the first alternative. Brandon Meyer discovered this out the laborious manner throughout APFC 2 in August of 2022.
Though the combat was scheduled for 3 rounds, Stockman wanted lower than 90 seconds to earn his paycheck that summer time evening in Milwaukee. He instantly went to work, knocking Meyer down with a right-handed punch and teed off with floor and pound strikes, although his surge was momentarily tempered by a warning from the referee in opposition to punches to the again of Meyer’s head.
After the warning was administered, Stockman was extra conscious of the goal of his pictures, but nonetheless unloaded on Meyer, who had no likelihood to even attempt to defend in opposition to the onslaught. After a minute and 11 seconds, the ref noticed sufficient.
If Scottie Stockman throws the primary punch, this one could possibly be a achieved deal in expedient trend.
Remaining Ideas
It is a nice method to kick off the weekend in MMA. With no different fights taking place within the time slot on Friday, you haven’t any excuse to not watch the Cage Warriors 167 principal occasion.
Prediction: Stefano Paterno by Third-Spherical Knockout.
