Mutual Opponent Joe Orrey Weighs In On Brett Johns vs James Brum

Mutual Opponent Joe Orrey Weighs In On Brett Johns and James Brum
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

On Saturday night at The LC in Swansea, 2 of the best bantamweights in Europe will meet to determine who is next to sit atop of the Cage warriors 135lb division, looking down on would be challengers.

The man holding the belt is 22-year old Brett Johns, a Judo black belt with a perfect 9-0 professional record dating back to 2012 when he made his pro debut after racking up a 5-0 amateur record. A former British champion with Pain Pit, Johns signed for Cage Warriors in 2013 where he took on James MacAlister at Cage Warriors 54 who he defeated via TKO before going on to earn decision victories over David Haggstrom and Jordan Desborough at Cage Warriors 59's 4 man Bantamweight tournament to win the Cage Warriors bantamweight title and earn his place amongst the best in Europe.

His opponent James Brum has been on a tear, rattling off 9 straight victories since 2011 earning a reputation as one of the most dangerous 135lber in Europe. With 8 impressive wins under the Cage Warriors banner Brum has not only earned his shot at the belt, he's earned the right to be considered one of these fighters in Europe.

One man who knows just how good both men are is Welsh Bantamweight Joe Orrey of Tillery Combat who has faced both men inside the cage, and feels both men can expect a tough fight this Saturday:

'I think it's a really tough fight for both guys. There both at the top of the game at the moment and on massive win streaks'

Having fought Brum early in his career at Shock N Awe 5, and Brett Johns at Pain Pit 6 for the British Bantamweight title, it's safe to say Orrey knows better than most what both Brum and Johns do well, and while he knows this is a tough fight for both men, he's confident that one man goes into the bout with the edge:

'For me I got to give the fight to Brett, I just think he's slightly better in all areas.' Said Orrey.

'He's such a hard working lad. Having been lucky enough to train with him after our fight, he's so level headed and grounded for a young lad who's already achieved so much. I'll be be rooting for him on the night to keep the belt in Wales!'

Cage Warriors 67 takes place April 12th at The LC in Swansea, Wales. North American viewer can watch the show live on MMAjunkie beginning at 9 p.m. GMT (4 p.m ET / 1 p.m. PT). Other viewers can catch the event at cagewarriors.tv.

You can follow Joe Orrey on twitter - @joeorrey

Interview: Brett Johns Ahead of CW 67 'This is the Biggest Fight in Cage Warriors History'

Interview: Brett Johns Ahead of CW 67 'This is the Biggest Fight in Cage Warriors History'
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

 2013 was a fantastic year from 22-year old Brett Johns from Swansea, Wales. Begin the year 5-0 in his professional MMA career, Johns submitted Joe Orrey to earn the Pain Pit British Bantamweight title, before joining Cage Warriors where he is now also champion thanks to a TKO victory over James MacAlister at Cage Warriors 54, and decision victories over David Haggstrom and Jordan Desborough at Cage Warriors 59's 4 man Bantamweight tournament. 4-0 in 2013 Kingdom MMA named Johns are Domestic Fighter of the Year 2013, followed closely by fellow Cage Warriors bantamweight James Brum, who Johns will meet at Cage Warriors 67 in Johns hometown of Swansea this weekend.

On Tuesday night I caught up with Brett Johns to discuss his upcoming fight with James Brum, and find out how his preparations have gone for one of the biggest domestic fights of the year. 

Houten: This time last year fighting for Pain Pit and now your holding the Cage Warriors belt, how would you say your life has changed over the last year since winning the belt?
Johns: its been really tough. A year ago now I’d already signed the contract with Cage Warriors but I had fought under that contract. Believe it or not I had fought for Cage Warriors before, I fought Sam Gilbert who’s now on a 3 fight win streak, he’s doing really well at featherweight. [When] we got called for Cage Warriors, I decided to take a big deep [look] at my personal life along with my career as well. I decided to quite work and go full time, and that was probably the biggest thing for me. I had a lot or arguments with my mother, and my family about it because I wanted to do it, I'm still having the effects now. I haven’t got a job, I haven’t got much money but I still tell myself its going to be worth it. To be honest even if I quit MMA tomorrow, I've achieve what I wanted to achieve in this sport already. For me it wasn’t to be in the UFC that wasn’t the aim for this game, it was just the be the best I could be, and the best I could be was World Champion for Cage Warriors in September.

Your defending you Cage Warriors bantamweight title at Cage Warriors 67 where you will be taking on a tough opponent in James Brum. Would you say this is the biggest fight of your career?
definitely, definitely, definitely, without a shadow of a doubt this is the toughest fight of my career. He’s undefeated for Cage Warriors, I think in total he’s on a 9 fight win streak, the same as myself. He is 8-0 with Cage Warriors, and before Cage Warriors signed him he beat a guy from Tillery Combat named Martin McDonough, Mr. Pink. Personal I think this is the biggest fight for Cage Warriors in Cage Warriors history, I genuinely do. I think its bigger than any other fight, that's my personal opinion about it.
How has your camp been for this fight?
I say this to people. People think I train harder every camp, I don’t train harder every camp, I train as hard as I can all of the time, this is why for the Joe Orrey fight in Pain Pit where I won my first British title, I would train full time. I dislocated my shoulder before that fight. It was January the 1st [when I began my training camp], and I dislocated my shoulder on the 5th, so the begin of the camp. I was meant to be fighting on March the first. So I looked at my coach, and I said 'look I think I’m going to have to pull out'. So my coach was 'like no, no, no its ok, we will rehab it properly, we will do it.' Literally a few months later, we had won the belt even with a dislocated shoulder. That was huge for myself, it was real big to win that belt, and I’ve been full time ever since. I’ve been training as hard as I can ever since then. It’s not as if I go ‘shall we train harder for this fight?’ I train hard every fight. You can’t be in the mind set like 'this is an easier fight, I’ll take it easier this time.' You shouldn’t be like that, why should you be like that? Why not try 100% every time?

We are now 3 days away from the weigh-ins, how is your weight looking ahead of stepping on the scales on Friday?
Very good! One of my friends, is a full time athlete, a full time BJJ guy [his name is] Bryn Jenkins. [He's] same age as me, he’s a youngster but he’s done so much in his career on diets, he’s studied different sort of foods to eat. To be honest I’m known for not eating very well, although I’m not a small 61s [61 KG], I’m not a big 61s, I’m kind of in the middle, I eat whatever I want, but for this fight this had to change. I was meant to fight Brum December 7th but I ruptured my MCL so I was out that fight, and I put on a lot of bad weight. I was eating crap food, and I was having crap drinks and stuff. Then we hit January and I went to Bryn, and I said 'look Bryn I need help with my diet,' so my camp hasn’t been a 6 week camp, it been since the first of January. 

I was slowly repairing my knee, so the sessions weren’t as intense as they used to be [when I was 100%], but they were intense enough for them to be classed them as sessions, and Bryn gave me that. Bryn lives about a 2 minute walk away from the gym, so I said 'will it be ok if I stay with you guys?' So I stayed with the boys - we call it the fighters house, and I’ve been hear since the 1st of January. I only go home on the weekends to see my girlfriend, then back here all week. So he’s looked at my diet, all that excess weight I did have, I’ve lost that, plus more. This is the lightest I’ve been [before a fight]. I usually cut from about 71, 72 [KG]. A week out I would normally be about 8 kilos over, well I less than that now and I genuinely feel brilliant, I could fight now, and I would feel fine.

Ive spoke to a few other fighters in the past who come from a Judo background similar to yourself and most of them say they rare train pure Judo anymore. I watched your Cage Warriors count down video though and I was surprise to see you mainly in the GI, working pure judo techniques. Are you still training pure judo, and are you still actively competing in Judo?
My father is a traditionalist, although he love coming to watch MMA, he’s a traditionalist, he loves Judo through and through. That's the only sport he enjoys doing and I always get a phone call if Ronda Rouseys fighting, he wants to watch. He wants to show how Judo is the main sport, and thats him. I like to do my Judo, I like to go their [the Judo academy] and help the kids, I enjoy doing stuff like that. 

I haven’t fought in a Judo competition in a good while. The last time I fought in a Judo competition, I won my first 5 fights by arm-bar, just taking guys down to the floor and just arm-baring them. I genuinely thought if I stop doing Judo, my Judo would get bad but it hasn’t. I used to train Judo quiet intensely, I used to train every day of the week with Judo, not as intense as I do with MMA now but I was pretty intense. I train Judo about twice a week [now], but the classes when I’m not doing Judo I’m doing the equivalent of Judo, I’m doing my wrestling class. I’m wrestling with boys who are heavier, who are agile, and I’m getting better like that anyway.

James Brum is pretty good in most areas, where would you say you have the edge over James. Would you say your ground game is where you have the edge?
I think this is gonna be one of where, he will be preparing himself for a stoppage, but I don’t see it going that way for either of us really. He’s a tough guy to finish, I feel I’m a tough guy to finish, and I think this will be a five round fight. I think one of my biggest attributes is my fitness and my wrestling, and I think that will be the biggest factor. I genuinely think as well that my BJJ is stronger than Brum's. That's how I feel right now. I’ve done a lot of BJJ with the guys with me and I feel I have the advantage in the grappling side of things. I do think he will try and shoot and he will try and take me to the floor and try and grind it out. He hasn’t fought a five round fight before, and I have, I've done 5 rounds in my last fight.

I heard Brum say in a recent interview he feels people might be underestimating you in this fight saying how he felt you were one of the most dangerous opponents he's faced. Do you feel you feel people might be underestimating you in this fight?
Kind of. I think on the book he is, I think he will be the favourite to win it but like I said to my coach, I thrive on being the underdog, I absolutely love being the underdog. In a fight, I would be the underdog any time over being the favourite. I love that feel of someone [who is meant to be] better than me having to try and beat me. There is no better feeling in the world when you win. See the tournament stucture, I wasn’t even meant to win my first fight against David Haggstrom, who I still believe is one of the best Bantamweights in Europe. I genuinely believe that, I think Haggstrom is one of the best. Out of all the guys that Brum has fought, I think Haggstrom is better, not a crazy amount better but I think he’s better. You know James Brums last fight he Marat Pekov, but I believe that Haggstrom would stop Marat Pekov.

Brum is an experience opponent but your the champion, do you feel he deserves to be ahead of you in the rankings?
I think I'm ranked 5th. I think there's Vaughn Lee, then it's James Brum, then it's Ronnie Mann, then it's Davey Grant, then it's myself. Believe it of not after the world title fight I was ranked 7th, with Pennington in front of me, I did agree with that. Nothing against Pennington but he pulled out of that fight, he was hurt, he couldn't continue, and I was hurt but I continued. I was 9-0 in my career and he was like 9-1 maybe 10-1 and he was still above me in the rankings. I really didn't agree with that. Brum on the other hand, he's fought tought guys, and I can understand. He's fought Erik Perez from the UFC, that just says itself. He doesn't mind a tough fight but I think he's looking past me a bit in one of his interviews [that he recently did] with Addicted MMA. He was on about Ronnie Mann and Cory Tait. I'm there watching the video, and I'm like 'oh hang on a minute, you've not fought me yet.'

A lot of people have tipped James Brum for the UFC, does it give you extra incentive to win on saturday to stake that claim for yourself?
I've seen a lot of tweets, even before the Marat fight, 'James Brum for UFC, James Brum, James Brum' and I felt like, I'm the champ, maybe they might want to sign me. They want to sign the best in the division and truly the person with the belt is the best in the division, so maybe they wanna sign me. 

I think a win over Brum or say if he gets the win over me, there's a possibility, a very good possibility, that the winner gets to go to the UFC. So you could take this fight as a world title fight plus a fight for a contract with the UFC. To me though that's not a huge factor, I'm in no rush for the UFC. Maybe Brum is, I'm not sure, but I'm definitely not. I don't mind to if I'm in Cage Warriors for another 3 or 4 years, just to be better again. Why rush to go into the UFC, and be a one fight veteran for the UFC. I don't wanna rush and lose and then get kicked out

The Cage Warriors Bantamweight division is one of the most stack divisions in the promotion, have you put any thought into who could be next with a wins over James? The like of Ronnie Mann and Cory Tait spring to mind.
I think it will be one of them two. I think more Ronnie Mann than Cory Tait. I genuinely believe it will be Ronnie Mann who fight next for he belt and he's a tough fight, but I'm not afraid to fight these guys. I want to fight the best, that's why when Cage Warriors gave me the contract I looked at the list and I said James Brum and that's why I took that fight cause he was the best and I wanted to fight the best. I never duck a fight, if someone wants to fight me, fight me. Sign the contract and we will get it on.

You fighting Brum in your hometown of Swansea, will the crowd be like having an extra man in your corner on Saturday?
I haven't fought in Swansea but I've fought in areas close. I've fought in Newport, I've fought in Cardiff but I haven't fought in Swansea. My last fight in Cardiff, we took a good few guys up there and I really fed off that crowd. It's a big thing for me. My friends and family there supporting me, I know how emotional they get , and I take that emotion in there. I like to scream and release a bit of anger before the fight. I enjoy the support from the guys and they've been there from the start of my career.

Finally if you could give a message to James Brum ahead of your bout on Saturday what would it be?
No message really. I just wanna go in there really and do my fight and I hope he does his fight and may the best man win. Because the winner gets the belt but I can see big things happening after this fight.

Cage Warriors 67 takes place April 12th at The LC in Swansea, Wales. North American viewer can watch the show live on MMAjunkie beginning at 9 p.m. GMT (4 p.m ET / 1 p.m. PT). Other viewers can catch the event at cagewarriors.tv.

Brett Johns Defends Title Against James Brum at CWFC 67 in Swansea

Brett Johns Defends Title Against James Brum at CWFC 67 in Swansea

CWFC bantamweight champion Brett Johns (Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors)

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship bantamweight title-holder Brett Johns is set to put his belt on the line in his native Wales.

Johns (9-0) will take on James Brum on Saturday, April 12, 2014, when the promotion travels to Swansea for the first time for CWFC 67.

The highly-anticipated meeting of Johns and Brum will headline the bill at The LC, having originally been scheduled for CWFC 62 in Newcastle this past December, until an injury forced the champion to withdraw.

Undefeated Johns climbed to the summit of the CWFC bantamweight division at Cage Warriors 59 last September in Cardiff, when he overcame both David Haggstrom and Jordan Desborough in the same evening to win the promotion’s four-man 135lbs title tournament.

A judo black belt, Johns debuted for Cage Warriors in October 2012 as a featherweight, when he impressively overcame Sam Gilbert by unanimous decision. His next CWFC win came via second-round TKO at the expense of James MacAlister at Cage Warriors 54 in May of last year.

“I’m really thankful to Cage Warriors to giving me the chance to defend my belt in my hometown,” said Johns. “I’m training harder than ever and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep the gold around my waist.

“Thanks to James Brum for accepting the fight. He’s been one of the best fighters in Britain for years and it will be good to throw down with him.”

Brum (14-2) competes for the CWFC bantamweight title on the back of putting together a 7-0 streak under the Cage Warriors banner since making his debut for the promotion in February 2012.

A 26-year-old native of Portsmouth, England, Brum hasn’t tasted defeat since facing current UFC star Erik Perez back in September 2011.

Brum was named CWFC Fighter of the Year for 2012, courtesy of victories over Leandro Gontijo, Thomas Back, James Saville and Moktar Benkaci, before continuing his winning streak in 2013 against Olivier Pastor, Ruslan Abiltarov and - most recently, at December’s Cage Warriors 61 in Amman - Marat Pekov.

Brum said: “I’ve been training with the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world at Team Alpha Male in preparation for this fight, and I’ve told the boys that I’ll be bringing my new shiny gold belt with me when I return to California.

“In Swansea on April 12 I’ll be delivering a first taste of defeat to Brett Johns in his own backyard, before walking out as the new Cage Warriors Fighting Championship bantamweight champion.”

Cory Tait forces Pennington to tap in the first round

Cory Tait vs James Pennington: Cage Warriors 64 Main Event Fight Review

by Ben Heather @benheather

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

James Pennington came in to the fight having spent some time on the sidelines due to injury which was incurred the night of the Cage Warriors bantamweight title tournament and prevented him fighting for the title after winning his semi final fight against Kris Edwards. A win on Saturday night would have surely put Pennington next in line for a fight with Cage Warriors champ Brett Johns.

Cory Tait came in to the main event a 2-1 underdog with the bookies but was determined to prove them wrong by winning on Saturday night in the main event of Cage Warriors 64. It wasn’t just the win that made this fight special it was the way he did it. I can’t imagine many fans in the audience expected Cory Tait, the man famous for his highlight reel knockouts to win via first round submission but that’s exactly what happened.

James Pennington came out and began the better of the two fighters getting the better of the early exchanges before taking down Tait twice. Tait didn’t stay down for long though and after getting back up for the second time Pennington looked to shoot in again as he aimed to keep the renowned striker on the mat.

Tait this time managed to not only defend the takedown but got a hold of the head and neck of Pennington locking in a standing guillotine choke. Once Tait knew he had it locked in he cranked on it and it didn’t take long before Pennington tapped.

I am sure that Pennington will be back soon and try to go on another run which will push him back in to contention. The loss for James Pennington drops his record to 9-2 while Cory Tait improves his record to 8-2 keeping up his 100% finish percentage when he wins, with 4 wins by TKO and 4 by submission.

The win for Tait makes the title picture a bit clearer as I imagine now that Pennington’s team mate James Brum will be next in line for the title fight with Brett Johns while Cory Tait should be part of a number one contenders fight next time out.

15 European Fighters Who Could Sign for The UFC in 2014 (Part 1)

15 European Fighters Who Could Sign for The UFC in 2014 (Part 1)
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

2014 is set to be the busiest year in the UFC's history with between 40 to 50 cards planned for the year. The UFC are looking to expand in a big way this year, and with Garry Cook at the helm as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of Europe, 2014 is set to be a huge year for European MMA.

With a minimum of 6 European cards planned for 2014, Joe Silva and Sean Shelby will need to book around 72 fights just for Europe - that's 144 fighters! With all of these cards expected to take place on the UFCs new online subscription service Fight Pass, its likely Silva and Shelby will be looking to add local talent to these cards, to not only sell tickets but to keep the cost of the cards down.

With so many talented fighters in European, we look at some of the names which the UFC could add over the next year. Starting with our first 5 names, in NO particular order.

Jan Blachowicz - Poland
The first of several Polish fighters on this list, 30 year old Jan Blachowicz has established himself as one of the best light-heavyweights in the world not signed to the UFC. At 17-3, Blachowicz has not lost a fight since 2011. Since then he has defeated four UFC vets in a row - Sokoudjou, Mario Maranda, Houston Alexander and Goran Reljić on route to earning and defending the KSW light-heavyweight title.

Popular in his native Poland, Blachowicz is no doubt on a far better contract than the UFCs standard 6k & 6k, but with the growing trend of light-heavyweights dropping to 185 - Machida, Mousasi, and Te Tuna all in recent months, and a proposed UFC debut in Poland this year, Blachowicz would be an excellent addition to the promotions 205lb division.

Max Nunes - Sweden
Had Max Nunes not lost to Jason Jones at Bamma 13 for the first pro loss of his career, it's likely the Swedish fighter would have already been signed to the UFC.

After suffering a set back against Jones, Nunes bounced back by dropping to middleweight and picking up a unanimous decision victory against Ion Pascu. With several Scandinavian's already booked for UFC London, the UFC may look to add to their roster for their annual return to Sweden. At 12-1 with 11 finishes, Max Nunes would be a worthy addition a UFC card in Sweden particularly if the 24 year old can pick up another win or two before then.

Mamed Khalidov - Poland
Easily the fighter most worthy of a place on the UFC roster on this list, Khalidov is a top 10 middleweight with an outstanding 28-4 record which includes an impressive 27 finishes. What's more 12 of those victories are over former or current UFC fighters.

A huge star in Poland, the KSW champion is Poland's equivalent of Conor McGregor, appearing on various national adverts and TV talkshows, and could easily headline a sold out arena when the UFC make their debut in Poland this year.

A stumbling block however  could be the reported $30,000 Khalidov earns per fight, and the sponsorship deal Khalidov could lose by joining the UFC, these were the reasons sited in 2012 when Khalidov turned down a UFC contract. With a card planned in Poland in 2014 though, it would be worth the UFC matching Khalidov's current contract just for the revenue he would bring to that card alone.

James Brum - UK
James 'Job Done' Brum has been doing just that - getting the job done for 2 years straight. Currently on an 8-fight win streak, Brum has not lost since Bamma 7 in September 2011 when he was defeated by current UFC bantamweight Erik Perez.

Currently Europe's highest ranked bantamweight not signed to the UFC, Brum has fought all of his Cage Warriors fights outside of the UK showing the ability to win and make weight around the world making James Brum a great addition to the UFC's Bantamweight division.

Neil Seery - Ireland
The UFC will make their long awaited return to Ireland this year and will no doubt be in the market for some of the finest local talent, and Neil Seery is one of the finest fighters Ireland have to offer right now.

While Seery may not have the best record in European MMA, Seery is popular, and has put together a 4 fight win streak on route to winning the Cage Warriors flyweight title; a division the UFC certainly could do with adding to.

Seery would be a popular addition amongst local fans to UFC Dublin 2014.

CLICK HERE TO READ PART 2 NOW

Arnold Allen talks to Kingdom MMA ahead of his fight at Cage Warriors 61

Kingdom MMA catch up with Arnold Allen ahead of his fight with Doni Miller

by Ben Heather @benheather

On Friday Cage Warriors finally gets to hold Cage Warriors 61. The event that was originally announced to take place in Dagestan in November then moved to Iraq before ultimately taking place this weekend in Amman, Jordan. The event is was supposed to be headlined by Matt Inman (12-5 MMA 3-1 CW) vs Bruno Carvalho (15-7 MMA 1-2 CW) but now Inman will face Hakon Foss (2-2 MMA) who has stepped in as a late notice replacement for Carvalho, who had to pull out due to an injury. As of writing this the replacement main event is likely to be James Brum (13-2 MMA 6-0 CW) vs Marat Pekov (10-4 MMA 0-1 CW).

Also on the card in Jordan is the young undefeated rising talent from BKK Fighters Arnold Allen (5-0 MMA 2-0 CW) who continues to impress in his career. On Friday he looks to continue that run as he meets Doni Miller (5-1 MMA) who will make his Cage Warriors debut. Earlier this week we caught up with Arnold ahead of his fight.

Ben: Hi Arnold, thanks again for taking the time out of your schedule to talk to us so close to your fight. How has this camp gone for you and has it been a bonus to work to the same schedule as your coach Jack Mason?
Allen: Training has gone good as usual, and it's great to be fighting on the same card as my coach for the first time!

Ben: This will be the first time you have fought abroad. Will you be getting tips from Jack Mason, who has done it many times now to make it as easy as possible for you?
Allen: Not really a fights a fight whatever country it might be in so just the usual tips and advice.

Ben: When do you fly out to Jordan?
Allen: We fly out early Tuesday morning.

Ben: What were your thoughts when it was announced the location of the fight had changed from Iraq to Jordan?
Allen: I was happy with the change mainly after what I've heard about the last show in Jordan, everyone said how good it was so I'm really looking forward to being a part of it this time.

Ben: A constant in all of your previous fights has been Jack Mason in your corner. Will he still be able to corner you on Saturday night even though he fights afterwards?
Allen: I don't think he will be able to corner me this time but we've got a great team at BKK and I'll have Jason Cooledge in my corner whose cornered me before.

Ben: Last year you made your pro debut, this year you are living up to the hype and certainly look like a star of the future and only 19 years old. A win on Saturday night will be the perfect way to end the year. What has your highlight of 2013 been and what are your goals for 2014?
Allen: My highlight of 2013 is definitely winning my Cage Warriors Debut in July! Next year I'd like to do more of the same and work closer to a shot at the title!

Ben: Last time out you finished Dec Williams with a brilliant triangle choke and transitioned to that after releasing a guillotine. Is that something you train or was it a split second thought?
Allen: I've drilled it a couple of times but it was just something I watched before and just went for it when I knew I'd lost the guillotine.

Ben: One of the key words I would use to describe you is Explosive. You certainly showed why people say that in your last fight while on the ground by posturing up and landing some heavy shots on Dec Williams. Do you pride yourself in the fast paced game you bring to the cage?
Allen: I do like setting a fast paced fight it just makes for an exciting fight, that's why the smaller guys are so exciting to watch!

Ben: Was that last victory the biggest win of your career to date over a fighter much more experienced than yourself?
Allen: For sure he was the most experienced person I've fought so it was good to beat someone with that experience and get my first finish by triangle choke.

Ben: You have shown in your previous fights that you have a well rounded skill set finishing some fights with submissions but also have one punch knock out power. What would your ideal method of victory be on Saturday night?
Allen: I do love to finish a fight! But my favourite way to finish is by Knock out it's an amazing feeling!

Ben: Your opponent has changed for Saturday night, originally it was announced you were due to fight Taylor Lapilus but will now fight Doni Miller. How long have you had to prepare for the new opponent and what do you know about him?
Allen: I've been preparing to fight someone for long enough so the change isn't an issue.

Ben: How do you see yourself winning the fight on Saturday night?
Allen: I see myself winning an exciting fight

Ben: Thank you for your time. Would you like to thank anyone?
Allen: Thank you for the interview, all my coaches, my management team, my team mates and sponsors for all there support!

James Brum Returns to Action at Cage Warriors Baghdad Card

James Brum Added to Cage Warriors Baghdad Card
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Bantamweight contender James Brum will return to action at Cage Warriors Baghdad card.

Part of ambitious expansion plan which has seen Cage Warrior visit 11 different countries in the last 18 month, the Iraqi capital will play host to Cage Warriors 61 on the 14th of December; the landmark show will be the first time an international promotion has stage a show in the country.

Currently on a 7 fight win streak including notable victories over Martin McDonough, Olivier Pastor, and Rusian Abiltarov, Brum (13-2) was expected to challenge newly crowned Bantamweight Champion Brett Johns, at Cage Warriors Newcastle card, December 7th however Johns withdraw due to injury.

Fighting out of GYM01 with UFC fighter Phil Harris, Brum was voted CWFC Fighter of the Year for 2012, due to his impressive performances inside the cage. The highest ranked European bantamweight not under contract with the UFC, Brum has taken 7 of his career victories by stoppage, with his only losses coming early in his career to Kris Edwards, and UFC Bantamweight contender Erik Perez.

James Brum's Cage Warriors 61 opponent is expected to be announced within the next few days.
 
Stay tuned to kingdomMMA.co.uk for all the latest on Cage Warriors 61.

James Brum Challenges Brett Johns for Bantamweight Title at Cage Warriors 62

James Brum Challenges Brett Johns for Bantamweight Title at Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Newly crowned Cage Warriors Bantamweight champion Brett Johns will defend with bantamweight title at Cage Warriors 62 on December 7th at Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, against James Brum.

Undefeated, judo black belt Johns (9-0) climbed to the summit of the CWFC 135lb division at Cage Warriors 59 in Cardiff, when he overcame both David Haggstrom and Jordan Desborough over 8 grueling rounds the same evening to win the promotion’s four-man 135lbs title tournament.

Speaking on his upcoming bout with Brum, the 21 year old Welshman said:

“James Brum has been at the top of this division for a while, he’s someone I’ve watched over and over again,” said Johns. “He’s a sound guy too and a win over him would be huge for me. That’s exactly why I wanted to fight Brum. I can’t wait already.”

His opponent, CWFC Fighter of the Year for 2012 James Brum (13-2) who is the highest ranked European bantamweight not under contract with the UFC, enters the bout undefeated under the Cage Warriors banner with wins over Leandro Gontijo, Thomas Back, James Saville and Moktar Benkaci, Olivier Pastor, and most recently Ruslan Abiltarov, earning the 26 year old GYM01 talent at shot at the 135lb title.

Fighting for Cage Warriors in The UK for the first time, Brum said:

“Brett Johns deserved to win the title at Cage Warriors 59, but now he’s in with the sharks and I’m the biggest shark in the division. After six fights abroad for Cage Warriors, I’m excited by the prospect of returning to the UK to fight for what I believe is my title.

“For me, this has ‘Fight of the Year’ written all over it. I guarantee that on December 7 in Newcastle, I’ll be walking into that cage the challenger and walking out the new Cage Warriors bantamweight champion of the world.”

Stay tuned to Kingdom MMA for all the latest on Cage Warriors 62.

 

Weigh in Results: Cage Warriors 58

Weigh in Results: Cage Warriors 58

 

Headliners Beslan Isaev and Viktor Halmi face off at the Cage Warriors 58 weigh-ins
(Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors)


All fighters are on weight and ready for action at Cage Warriors 58 tomorrow at Olympisk Arena in Grozny, Chechnya.

Weigh-ins for the event took place this aft1ernoon at the Grozny City Hotel in the heart of the Russian republic’s capital.

Cage Warriors 58 will be headlined by a welterweight bout between Viktor Halmi and Chechnya’s own Beslan Isaev, while the show will also feature top CWFC veterans such as James Brum, Matt Inman and former title challengers Ivan Buchinger and Pavel Kusch.

The only fighter who initially came in overweight today was Akhad Mammadov, who’s scheduled to take on Liam James in a featherweight bout. Mammadov tipped the scales at 0.3lb above the 146lbs limit, but returned well within the two-hour extension period at a weight of 145.7lbs.

MAIN CARD

Welterweight: Viktor Halmi (170lbs) v Beslan Isaev (168.8lbs)
Heavyweight: Michal Andryszak (249.3lbs) v Ion Cutelaba (228lbs)
Bantamweight: James Brum (135.6lbs) v Ruslan Abiltarov (135.5lbs)
Middleweight: Charles Andrade (184.7lbs) v Bakhtiyar Abbasov (185.9lbs)
Lightweight: Ivan Buchinger (155.1lbs) v Jamal Magomedov (155.7lbs)
Middleweight: Chris Scott (185.3lbs) v Pavel Kusch (185.5lbs)
Welterweight: Matt Inman (170.3lbs) v Bagautdin Sharaputdinov (170.3lbs)

FACEBOOK PRELIMS

Featherweight: Liam James (145.8lbs) v Akhad Mammadov (145.7lbs)*
Welterweight: Mihail Serdyuk (170.8lbs) v Khusein Khaliev (170.4lbs)
Welterweight: Mohsen Bahari (170.5lbs) v Alexander Voitenko (168.2lbs)
Featherweight: Alex Enlund (145.8lbs) v Sebastian Romanowski (145.5lbs)

NON-STREAMED PRELIMS

158lbs catchweight: Denys Pidnebesnyi (155.2lbs) v Zubair Tuhugov (157lbs)
210lbs catchweight: Aslambek Musaev (210.6lbs) v Zubair Kamamyan (195.6lbs)
210lbs catchweight: Radjabov Sohib (208.6lbs) v Abdul-Kerim Edilov (210.6lbs)

*Initially weighed in at 146.3lbs but made the contracted weight within the two-hour limit

A preview of this weekends Cage Warriors 58

Cage Warriors 58 - Preview

Set to take place in the Russian republic of Chechnya this Saturday, Cage Warriors 58 is to be headlined by the meeting of Chechen star Beslan Isaev and Viktor Halmi.

Cage Warriors 58 will mark the promotion’s inaugural visit to Chechnya, with the action scheduled for the Olympisk Arena in the capital city of Grozny.

Isaev (23-6), a Grozny native, is one of Europe’s most highly-regarded welterweights and will be fighting for the 30th time in his professional career.

The 29-year-old has taken all but two of his 23 victories by stoppage - 11 submissions, 10 (T)KOs - and holds notable wins over UFC veteran Xavier Foupa-Pokam and CWFC middleweights Pavel Kusch and Valentino Petrescu.

Halmi (14-5), a 28-year-old Hungarian, also boasts an impressive record which includes 11 submission finishes from 14 career wins.

Elsewhere on the bill for CWFC 58, heavyweight prospects Ion Cutelaba and Michal Andryszak will collide following the clash of rising Ukrainian star Ruslan Abiltarov and top English bantamweight James Brum.

That’s just a small taste of some of the action scheduled for this Saturday’s bill. View the full fight card below.

The Cage Warriors 58 main card will be broadcast live all over the world at 9pm local time (6pm UK, 1pm ET, 10am PT) via the following partners:

MAIN CARD LIVE TV BROADCASTERS

Premier Sports | United Kingdom
Setanta Sports 1 | Ireland
Fight Now TV | USA
Fight Network | Canada, Portugal, Turkey, Angola, Mozambique
ESPN | Middle East, Africa, Caribbean, Pacific Rim

MAIN CARD LIVE STREAMING BROADCASTERS

MMAjunkie.com | USA & Canada
JOE.ie | Ireland
CageWarriors.tv | Rest of the world

MAIN CARD

Viktor Halmi v Beslan Isaev
Michal Andryszak v Ion Cutelaba
Ruslan Abiltarov v James Brum
Bakhtiyar Abbasov v Charles Andrade
Ivan Buchinger v Jamal Magomedov
Chris Scott v Pavel Kusch
Matt Inman v Bagautdin Sharaputdinov (replaces the injured Eldar Eldarov)

FACEBOOK PRELIMS

Mohsen Bahari v Alexander Voitenko
Liam James v Akhad Mammadov
Khusein Khaliev v Mihail Serdyuk
Alex Enlund v Sebastian Romanowski

Cage Warriors 58: Abiltarov v Brum

Bantamweight showdown added to Cage Warriors 58

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

James Brum will aim for his sixth consecutive CWFC win when he takes on Ruslan Abiltarov at Cage Warriors 58.

The event, which is set for the Olympisk Arena in Grozny, Chechnya, on Saturday, August 24, will see Europe’s fourth-ranked bantamweight face the highly-rated Ukrainian prospect on the main card.

Brum (12-2) is currently on a six-fight win-streak, which began in October 2011 when he rebounded from a loss to current UFC star Erik Perez to defeat Martin McDonough.

The 26-year-old Englishman, who has since remained unbeaten, made his Cage Warriors debut last year before going on to pick up wins over Leandro Gontijo, Thomas Back, James Saville, Moktar Benkaci and Olivier Pastor.

“I’m really looking forward to fighting for Cage Warriors for the sixth time in my career and I’ll be looking to entertain the Chechen fans. I’m excited about fighting overseas again,” said Brum.

“My opponent is young, hungry and very confident, which makes him extremely dangerous. But he’s never been in the cage with an opponent of my calibre.”

 Abiltarov (10-1) has been building a big reputation in eastern Europe since making his professional debut just last year and will be looking for his fifth win on the trot when he clashes with Brum.

The 21-year-old has taken six of his 10 victories inside the first round and has competed for the M-1 and Pro FC promotions. He said:

“I’m very thankful and excited to be competing for Cage Warriors. It will be an honour to fight at such a high level."

“I’ve been training hard and I’ll give everything I have to win this fight. I’ll be looking to impress Cage Warriors and the fans on the night.”

More fights are still to be announced for CWFC 58.

Pro Picks: UK MMA Cream of the Crop Weigh In on Pendred vs Mills

Pro Picks: UK MMA Finest Weigh In on Pendred vs Mills
By Chris Houten - @kingdomMMAChris 

On Saturday night Cathal Pendred will attempt to defend his Welterweight belt against Che Mills at The Helix, Dublin Ireland in possibly the biggest fight on the European MMA scene this year.

For weeks I have been debating who's going to win the fight, when I convince myself the striking of Mills will prevail, I can't help but remind myself of Pendreds wrestling skills. Over and over, I have decided then changed my mind again, to the point where you could confuse me for the summer weather in Britain.

So I decided to catch up with some of finest fighters in Britain, from Bamma Champions, to a Cage Warriors Champion, to a couple guys in the UFC and more, to see who they think will win on Saturday.

We surveyed 18 of the finest UK fighters..... and our surveys said:

Paul 'Semtex' Daley:
"I thinks it's a very interesting fight between to great UK fighters, both very powerful and athletic. In my opinion Pendred will win this fight with takedowns, dominance in the clinch and ground control."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

John Maguire:
"I Think Che Mills by TKO in the later rounds!"

Pick: Che Mills

Bradley Scott

"I don't think Pendred will be able to get Che down, he's a nightmare. Che will stay by the fence on purpose because he's strong defending takedowns. Pendred's no where near as Good a Riddle at wrestling. Che defo gonna win this."

Pick: Che Mills

Colin 'Freakshow' Fletcher:
"I'm going with Che! It's hard to adjust to the way the UFC do things I do think we saw the best of him in the UFC."

Pick: Che Mills

Jim Alers:
"I have my money in Pendred. I feel that he has what it take to beat anyone in the 170lbs division and have him grinding out a decision."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Rob Sinclair:
"I'm going with Che Mills."

Pick Che Mills

James Brum:
"I will definitely be tuning in to watch this fight. Both Pendred and Mills are very talented and dangerous fighters. I'm a big fan of Pendred so my money is on him. I believe he will be victorious and the Champion will retain his title."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Leeroy Barnes:
"I'm going with Mills."

Pick: Che Mills

Danny Roberts:
"The fight between Mills and Pendred will be a good fight. Mills good stand up and accurate striking where as Pendred  possesses the better grappling, he's more intense and will smother Mills work. Think Mills will start of strong but I can see Pendred capitalising with the pace and grappling taking it to a decision win for Pendred."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Matt Inman
"Pendred all the way for me."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Jack Mason:
"I am a big fan of Che Mills but I honestly think Cathal will just use his constant pressure, takedowns and pushing Che up against the cage to get the decision win and retain his belt."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Martin McDonough:
"My prediction is a decision win for Pendred. Even though I like Mills an he is a good fighter, I have been on the same Card as Pendred twice an he is really good at shutting people's game down and getting the win. I think he is a bit of a cardio machine as well and he is a unit for a welterweight."

Pick: Cathal Pendred 

Jason Cooledge:
"Pendred win decision."

Pick: Cathal Pendred

Matt Ewin:
"I can see Pendred trying to close the distance ASAP and try to bully Che up against the cage and work for the takedown from there, he won't be able to shoot in on Che with Che's reach and great foot work. But saying that Che's far to strong for Pendred and with his excellent striking the only way I can see the fight going is Che stopping Pendred in the first or very early in The second."

Pick: Che Mills

Mike Neun:
"I think Che Mills will win. My gut tells me TKO."

Pick: Che Mills

Jim Wallhead
"I have never watched Pendred fight but I hear good things, but I gotta back Che he is my mate I'm excited to see how it goes."

Pick: Mills

Curt Warburton:
"Pendred on points."

Pick: Pendred

Andrew Punshon:
"Mills to win by decision."

Pick: Che Mills

So there you have you have it 18 asked - 9 picked Pendred, 9 picked Mills... and I'm still none the wiser. All I know is we the fans can expect a hell of a fight on Saturday.
 

James Brum after Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 fight "tapping is not an option. It is either escape or go to sleep"

James Brum talks to Kingdom MMA after defeating Olivier Pastor at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8

by Ben Heather @benheather

Last Saturday night Cage Warriors visited the Mirbeh Sports Hall in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates for Cage Warriors Fight Night 8. James "Job Done" Brum went in to the fight looking to extend his winning streak and make it six wins in a row, that streak dates back to September 2011. As it turned out Brum got exactly what he was hoping for when he defeated Olivier Pastor by Unanimous Decision. Today Kingdom MMA caught up with Brum to discuss the fight and what plans he has for the future.

Ben: How does it feel standing here today having got the win on Saturday night?
Brum: All the hard work and sacrifice is paying off and it feels great to get another WIN and extend my WINNING streak to 6 fights and remain unbeaten in Cage Warriors. I can't do this without the great team I have behind me at Gym 01.

Ben: Did the fight pan out the way you expected it to on Saturday?
Brum: Although Pastor has not been finished in over 18 fights going into last Saturday's bout I believed I would TKO him in the second or third round. I didn't expect to almost lose the fight in the first 30 seconds with that mean guillotine of his. That was tight to say the least!

I would have liked to have pushed the intensity a lot more during the fight, especially in the last round but I had been feeling ill all weekend. Watching some of the footage back you can see how bloated my stomach was during the fight. It was a miracle I was able to save the projectile vomiting till after the fight.

I would have liked to have got the finish but considering the calibre of opponent in Pastor and the fact I wasn't feeling 100 %, I'm happy I got the WIN. Judging by the crowds reactions during the fight I think they enjoyed the fight too.

Ben: Did Pastor fight as you has prepared or did he surprise you with anything?
Brum: I had a great camp with my team mates at Gym 01 so felt I was prepared for wherever the fight went. All the boys did their best to mimic Pastor's fighting style and literally take my head off in sparring. I didn't expect him to look for the takedowns as much as he did and thought he would look to want to stand and bang. I have real good takedown defence as seen in previous fights and was able to keep the fight standing.

One thing that did surprise me was how well he did at getting back up to his feet after I took him to the ground as in previous fights he has worked off his back. Then again I wouldn't want to be working off my back with 'Job Done' raining ground n pound on me.

Ben: How close did you come to tapping when Pastor locked in the guillotine? Looking back at the fight your face went purple so it looked very tight.
Brum: I apologise for giving my fans an early scare. I think they all thought he is either getting out of this or we are about to see Brum go to sleep.

That guillotine was on real tight and I think most fighters would have taken the easy way out. But I'm not your average fighter. I'm not prepared to let anyone take away everything I've worked on so tapping is not an option. It is either escape or go to sleep.

Ben: What were you thinking when he got you in that situation?
Brum: I had a million thoughts running through my head but tapping wasn't an option. I went to a happy place and  grit my teeth and fought the hands. It is important to keep calm in those situations and listen to your corner team.

Ben: Now you have won your last 6 fights where do you go from here?
Brum: I'm taking a couple days off to detox and get rid of this stomach bug or whatever I have passes through my system and then I'm going straight back into training and improving my skills. People like to poke fun at how much I balloon up in weight in between fights. From now on I'm going to walk round a lot leaner (I can hear the boys saying yeah right) but you never know what opportunities may come your way. I want to be ready to take whatever opportunities come my way.

Ben: When would you like to fight again?
Brum: It is up to Ian Dean, the match maker at Cage Warriors and my management company Intensiti Fight Management to decide when my next fight is and who my next victim is. IntensitiFM have done everything right by me in steering my career and I look forward to moving onwards and upwards together.

Ben: Do you see yourself as the European #1 Bantamweight after beating 5 of the European top 10 ranked fighters in your current run of 6 wins?
Brum: I believe I am the #1 Unsigned Bantamweight in Europe, period! I am the 2012 Cage Warriors Fighter of the year and AddictedMMA Fighter of the Year. No other bantam has fought the calibre of opponents I have in the last 15 months. I am undefeated in Europe's biggest promotion and 5 of those WINS were away from home, outside of the U.K.

Most of the guys with "good" records around me in the rankings have never fought more than an hour away from their homes. Try flying and travelling for 15 hours before you make weight etc and taking risky fights on Europe's top show, not hand picked fights in front of the same judges and refs in your local Liquid n Envy nightclub where the promotion only wants their ticket seller to win.

The only fighters above me in Europe are in the UFC.

Ben: If you could fight anybody next, in Cage Warriors or outside who would you want to fight?
Brum: If I could pick a perfect scenario I'd really like the opportunity to fight David Aranda for the Cage Warriors belt. He's 9.0.0. and the only European ranked above me in some rankings. The winner would surely be on the UFC's radar.

I doubt that will happen though, I think there's a tournament being set up for the CW belt and Aranda will very likely continue to pad out his record instead of losing his "O" to me.

I'm not discounting how good he is but I have him beaten everywhere, I'm fitter, stronger, faster and more technical. Also lets be honest here, he's only beaten 2 good fighters, the rest have been average at best. I think if I fight him he'd "shoot from the weigh ins".

Ben: Next up for Cage Warriors is a big Welterweight title fight, in Pendred vs Mills, how do you see that one playing out and who do you predict walks away with the belt?
Brum: I will definitely be tuning in to watch this fight. Both Pendred and Mills are very talented and dangerous fighters. I'm a big fan of Pendred so my money is on him. I believe he will be victorious and the Champion will retain his title.

Ben: What do the next few months hold for James Brum?
Brum: I'm going to be in the gym, grafting and adding new skills to my repertoire in order to achieve me dreams. I will be helping my team mates prepare for their upcoming fights on Shock N Awe on the 27th July and whatever opportunities that come their way. Apart from training and improving I would like to devote some time to seeing my parents back home in London.  I also look forward to continuing my Coaching role at Gym01 and helping to grow the gym and mould future stars.

I train as close to full time as possible but still have to work a security job at night in order to pay the bills. I have made some great friends and contacts during my fights in the Middle East and the Gulf. If IntensitiFM can help me arrange it I would like to head out there for a few days to conduct MMA training seminars and boost the image of Cage Warriors and MMA in the Middle East and create brand awareness for Gym 01.

Ben: Would you like to say thanks to anyone?
Brum: I would like to thank Ian Dean, Graham Boylan, Paul Dollery, Shadi Tahboub and the whole of the Cage Warriors crew for putting on yet another great show and allowing me to fight on Europe's biggest promotion.

Thank you to Mum, Dad and Liz for their continued support.
Thanks to Bri and the #Gym01Monsters and Coaches for all my fight preparation (www.gym01.com).
I would like to thank my good friend and Strength & Conditioning Coach Lee Waite (@LeeProedge).
Thank you to Tommy Lakes for the quality Behind the Scenes Video of myself at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd7-5T5LwCE
Thank you: Gill Leeman, GLS Sport Massage  (http://www.glsport.co.uk/).
Thank you to my sponsors Ectomuscle (@ectomuscle) for quality supplements and fighter V-Pack only available at www.ectomuscle.co.uk. Now available in the U.S.A too at www.ectomuscle.com, Funkygums.com (@funky_gums), London Fight Store (@londonfight) and Little Red Creative (http://www.littleredcreative.co.uk/)

Thank you to Kingdom MMA for the pre and post fight interviews
Thank you to James from all at Kingdom MMA for taking the time to answer our questions again. We all look forward to seeing you in the Cage Warriers cage very soon.

James Brum Interview "On Saturday night I am going to FINISH Oliver Pastor and show the world I am the BEST unsigned bantamweight in Europe"

Kingdom MMA Interview James Brum ahead of his Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 Fight against Olivier Pastor

by Ben Heather @benheather

Kindom MMA caught up with James Brum after he weighed in today and asked him a few questions. Brum is fighting Olivier Pastor tomorrow night at Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 in Al Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Ben: You have won your last 5 fights giving you the 2nd 5 fight win streak of your career and have never lost fighting for cage warriors (4-0) does the streak give you extra confidence heading in to your fight on Saturday?
Brum: The hard work I put into my training and the team of coaches and training partners I have at Gym 01 give me the confidence I need. Yes on the night it is me alone in that Cage but without all the prep and hard work I would not be where I am today. Like Coach Brian Adam's says "Hard work equals great rewards".

Ben: Unlike the first 5 fight win streak of your career all of your last 5 wins have come via decision. Although it must be said 4 of those were against guys ranked inside the European top 10. Have you thought about this and do you think there is a reason for them all going the distance?
Brum: Of course there are no easy fights but there are easier fights or routes fighters choose. The fighters that pad out their record with bums will soon get found out when they reach the big shows. Fighting in Cage Warriors you don't get an easy fight, hence four of my last 5 being against European top ten ranked opposition. At this level no one is looking for an easy way out and therefore every opponent is difficult to put away. What people have to realise is in each fight I have dominated and devastated my opponents in a way no other previous fighter has.

Ben: Does this put extra pressure on you to want to go out and finish the fight to prove to the fans that you can still finish fights?
Brum: I never go into a fight with the aim being to WIN by decision. I believe that sets you up with a negative mentality. In all my fights I have looked for the finish. I know its there and soon the fans will too.

Ben: Both of your losses have been by rear naked choke, is this something you have worked on since you last lost?
Brum: Those losses were along time ago. If you watch the James Saville fight you will see how far I have come since those losses. James Saville and the AVT team have a sick ground game and in that fight Saville had my back and put me in some bad positions which I was able to escape and reverse.

Ben: That last loss was in Sept '11 vs the now well known rising star of UFC Erik Perez, did you learn anything from this loss?
Brum: What many people don't realise is that I took that fight on 2 weeks notice when no other Bantamweight in the country would. It was also the first time I fought without my coach in my corner. My focus was on making weight and I had little preparation for the actual fight itself. Yes Perez was the better man on the day and I'm not saying I would have won but I believe that fight would have gone a lot differently and we would have had an absolute war. The Gym 01 Monsters step up to take fights other fighters wish to avoid. For example my team mate Matt Hughes has stepped up on 10 days notice to fight alongside me and Mike Ling this weekend against a very formidable opponent. Something a lot of fighters would be quick to avoid.

Ben: Do you think a win on Saturday night will put you in a position where your next fight will be for the vacant cage warriors bantamweight title?
Brum: I want to be the best and having the title means your the number 1 and because the Cage Warriors gold is held in such high regard promotions such as the UFC start to take notice of you. Ultimately it is up to my management company. I would love to fight for and WIN the Bantamweight Title this year but if Intensiti Fight Management said they wanted me to fight another 5 top ten European and International fighter's before they felt I was ready then I would do that. They have done everything right by me and I have every confidence in them in leading my career.

Ben: 2 of your last 3 fights have been held in Jordan, do you see this as an advantage as you now know what's it like to prepare for a fight with all the travel for this fight in the UAE?
Brum: I am getting use to the travelling side of things now but I don't see it as any real advantage as Pastor has travelled and fought across Europe and the Middle East too. 

Ben: Do you prefer fighting on home soil or fighting away from home?
Brum: Of course I love having home support and having my friends and team mates come and watch me fight live. I know they miss the atmosphere of seeing me fight live in the U.K. However I love the fact I am able to do what I love and compete around the world, see far away lands and meet fans across the globe and receive the level of exposure I do fighting for Cage Warriors. Also fighting for Cage Warriors means my fans back home can still watch me live and I feel their energy. For me, fighting in the Middle East and places like Jordan and Al Fujairah feel like a second home to me now as I have a lot of local support and the fans are very welcoming.

Ben: You are fighting Olivier Pastor who is ranked #8 in Europe. Pastor has lost his last 2 and 4 of his last 6. Do you think that Pastor is better than his current record states?
Brum: I believe he majority of those losses are at Featherweight against opponents in their own backyard. Another thing to take into account is how many of those fights were taken on short notice. Pastor is not afraid of taking fights on short notice and fighting whoever, wherever. Records are deceiving in this fight game. If we look at his Cage Warriors record, he is unbeaten in the promotion, finishing all 3 opponents via KO and submission, which shows he is a very dangerous and versatile fighter.

He may have lost but no featherweight or bantamweight has stopped him in over 3 years which is what I aim to do. On Saturday night I am going to FINISH Oliver Pastor and show the world I am the BEST unsigned bantamweight in Europe.

Ben: Do you see any areas of Pastor's game that you can exploit at the weekend?
Brum: I've learnt to use my intensity and my insane level of fitness as tools in the cage along with my intelligent striking. I believe my work rate will be too much for Pastor to handle and it is he who will have to be aware of my heavy hands. At the end of the day I'm the Cage Warriors Fighter of the Year, I'm happy to take the fight wherever it goes and ultimately be the first fighter to stop Pastor in over 3 years. Tune into cagewarriors.tv and mmajunkie.com this Saturday to witness history in the making!

Ben: What's the game plan heading in to the fight on Saturday night?
Brum: I don't like to give anything away but with the high intensity style of 'Job Done' and Pastor swinging for the fences, fans can expect a Fight of the Night. Ultimately two enter the Cage Warriors cage but only one of us will be standing with our hand raised and make no mistake it will be me adding my 6th straight WIN on Saturday.

Ben: Do you have any thoughts on the Bantamweight division?
Brum: The Cage Warriors Bantamweight division is the toughest in Europe, it`s full of the best talent but I`m the top of the pile, closely followed by my team mate James Pennington.

I`m on a real 5 fight WIN streak against some of the toughest guys out there, I`ve beaten Thomas Back and Leandro Gontijo via 30-25, a FOTN war with James Saville and toughed through my last fight after the most horrendous weight cut ever (dropped 8kg in water to make weight) but won easily. Lastly I put Martin McDonough (who has won 5 since we fought) in hospital for 3 days after our fight on Shock n Awe.

All of these guys are fantastic fighters, they just aren`t on my level right now, this is a fact.

I want the Olivier Pastor and David Aranda`s of Europe, these guys are the people you need to beat to get where you want to be.
I`ve my eyes on the CW belt or a UFC contract, nothing is going to stop me achieving one or both.
  Ben: Would you like to say thank you to anyone?
Brum: I would like to thank the #Gym01Monsters and Coaches for all my fight preparation (www.gym01.com). I would like to thank my good friend and Strength & Conditioning Coach Lee Waite (@LeeProedge). Thank you to Gill Leeman, GLS Sport Massage for the Pre Event Treatment (http://www.glsport.co.uk/).

Thank you to my sponsors Ectomuscle (@ectomuscle) for quality supplements and fighter V-Pack, Funkygums.com (@funky_gums), London Fight Store (@londonfight) and Little Red Creative (http://www.littleredcreative.co.uk/) .

And lastly thank you to my everyone whose put up with my grumpy self over the last few weeks ;-)
 
Enjoy the fight this weekend :-)

Thank you to James for his time before the fight and we are all looking forward to his fight tomorrow night. As always, the Cage Warriors Fight Night 8 event is being streamed live on the Cage Warriors website.