Five Irish fighters that could sign for the UFC by the next Dublin card

by Alex Dillon @_alexdillon_

On 19th July 2014, the UFC took its Fight Night show back to Dublin for the first time in over 5 years. Aided with the rise of Dublin’s own Conor McGregor the event sold out within 3 minutes of going on sale and in the end included 5 Irish fighters in total. With an unforgettable atmosphere, all of the Irish fighters on the card picked up great victories and really put Ireland on the MMA map.

The question now is, which fighters could potentially be signed up by the next time the UFC visit Ireland? With this presumably being next July, we look at the five potential prospect’s Irish MMA has to offer.

Joseph Duffy (10-1)

Joseph Duffy (pictured), the most known fighter out of the five in this article, Duffy is notoriously known for submitting Conor McGregor in his early days as well as Norman Parke which is something the UFC could easily market to fans wherever Duffy could possibly debut never mind Ireland. Pretty impressive but aside from these two massive victories, he actually has a very good MMA record. He hasn’t fought since a loss in October 2011 at Cage Warriors and pursued a career in pro boxing but he’s back at Cage Warriors 70 next month in Dublin and you better believe it all eyes will be on him. Out of his 10 wins, 7 are by submission and with such a finishing pedigree, this makes Duffy a very likely signee for the UFC in the near future if he gets back to winning ways.

Tommy Quinn (6-1)

Welterweight Tommy Quinn currently fights under the Cage Warriors show and has racked up an impressive record so far in his pro MMA career. Currently riding a 2 fight win streak in Cage Warriors, it’s hard not to see Quinn as a potential future UFC fighter down the line. With his only loss coming two years against well known Jack Mason, Quinn bounced back by defeating SBGi prospect Philip Mulpeter and followed that up by Knocking out Dan Hope in his last outing at Cage Warriors. Quinn’s popularity with Irish fans seems to be growing and surely this will aid a possible UFC contract if he continues to impress in the cage.

Paul Redmond (9-4)

Paul Redmond is a well known lightweight on the European MMA scene having fought numerous times for Cage Warriors holding a 6-1 record with the promotion which has turned him into one of Ireland’s hottest prospects. Training out of Team Ryano MMA in Dublin alongside team mate and UFC flyweight Neil Seery, Redmond looks to further cement his status in the pro ranks next month at Cage Warriors 70 as he takes on Michael Doyle at the Helix. Redmond has finished all but one of his wins which easily makes him a marketable fighter and you’d think if he finishes Doyle next month, the UFC is on the horizon in the near future.

Karl Moore (4-0)

Fairly new on the pro MMA scene is Karl Moore but nonetheless he’s a fighter worth looking out for judging by his first four bouts as a pro. He has so far finished all of his pro fights (1 KO, 3 Subs) with his last being a KO victory back at Cage Warriors 62. Moore also fights next month at Cage Warriors 70 in Dublin and it will be interesting to see if the Light Heavyweight man from Fight Academy Ireland can continue his impressive winning streak. With an unblemished record one would think that if Moore keeps finishing opponents it’s only a matter of time before the UFC take notice of such an entertaining fighter.

Damien Rooney (10-3-1)

Flyweight Rooney, currently fights out of Team Torres MMA and is one of many stand out Irish flyweights along with Paddy Holohan and Neil Seery of whom he has both faced and subsequently lost to. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing for Rooney as they are both clearly UFC calibre fighters and both fights took place 2 and 4 years ago respectively. Like most of the fighters mentioned in this article, Rooney also has an excellent finishing rate having only gone to the judges’ score cards once in his 10 victories. This certainly makes Rooney a possible candidate for a future crack in the UFC should he keep up his impressive performances at Cage Warriors and we may well see him in the octagon in the not too distant future.

All of these fighters have shown so far in their careers that they are quite possibly borderline to making the UFC grade and could be 1 or 2 wins away from that dream phone call. The majority have finishes galore on their records which obviously makes them a hit with fans and it’ll be interesting to see if they can keep up their performances so far. With all fighting under Cage Warriors it’s more than likely that the UFC will eventually spot them if they continue to impress.

Phil Harris talks to Kingdom MMA ahead of UFC Dublin

by Chris Houten @mrhouts

On Saturday night Phil Harris steps foot back in the octagon. For some, his return may be surprising since it was only a couple of months since he was released. However in MMA the scene changes very quickly and Harris has benefited from this and will return to square off once again against Neil Seery, who Harris previously beat. This time the advantage of the third man is firmly with Seery as the fight is in his own backyard at the O2 Arena, Dublin. Before that fight Harris took time out of his schedule to talk to Kingdom MMA and discuss his last fight, his return to the UFC and of course a look ahead to the fight this weekend.

Chris: So you're back in the UFC fighting Neil Seery, how has your camp gone for this fight?
Harris: It's gone very well, it's been a long camp and I'm more than ready.

Chris: Other than the usual Gym 01 guys who are there week in week out, Brum, Pennington, Caswell etc. who have you worked with for this camp? Has Lee or Grant been down over the last few months?
Harris: Brad Pickett has been down at the start of my camp, also Mark Handley has been down, and Sam Creasy has been down for sparring. I've also been up to Poole martial arts and they've lots of good Thai fighters.

Chris: You were pulled from a fight in the Middle East for Cage Warriors just before you resigned with the UFC, have you essentially been in camp since April?
Harris: I'm always training so I'm never actually out of a camp! After this fight I'll be slowing down my training for a few weeks.

Chris: You originally lost your last fight to Gaudinot, however the bout has now been overturned due to Gaudinot failing a drug test. Was the fact Gaudinot failed a drug test instrumental in you being brought back into the UFC?
Harris: No the UFC asked my manager if he had any UK/ Euro guys at flyweight and he said that I deserve another shot and they listened to him and gave me another shot. A plus side of having an awesome manager (Graham Boylan)

Chris: You were caught early in the Gaudinot fight and you almost looked out of sorts. Talk us through the fight, how did your preparation and build up to the fight go, and where did you feel you went wrong in the fight?
Harris: I had no excuses for that fight I made a mistake rushed a take down and left my neck open. Louis jumped on it!

Chris: With the failed drug test, the loss to Gaudinot has been changed to a no contest. How are you treating this fight, is it bittersweet to have the loss overturned or are you still treating it as a loss?
Harris: It's still a loss in my eyes.

Chris: When the news broke that Ian McCall was out of UFC London in March you were pretty supportive of the UFC signing Neil Seery, it felt like you both seemed friendly. How would you describe your relationship with Neil and what is it like to fight someone you know, respect and maybe even like?
Harris: I've a lot of respect for Neil he's a top guy, he deserved his shot in the UFC so I supported him and was pleased when he got the call up.
We'll definitely have a drink after the fight.

Chris: How much better do you think Neil Seery has become since the first time you fought?
Harris: He's probably going to be more well rounded now but I'm pretty sure his come forward throwing punches style won't change.

Chris: How do you feel about fighting Seery in his back yard? Are you expecting the most hostile environment you've ever fought in?
Harris: Yeah I'm expecting to be the bad guy but it doesn't bother me in the slightest.

Chris: There are 2 other flyweight battles on the card along side your bout with Seery. You have Pickett vs McCall, and Holohan vs Sampo, how do you see those fights playing out?
Harris: Pickett has a tough fight but will come through the winner, haven't a clue how. Holohan vs sampo will be a great fight holohan will win via submission in round 1, maybe a triangle.

Chris: Finally we are half way through the year now, what can we expect from the Gym 01 guys in the second part of 2014?
Harris: Brett Caswell will finish the year with a massive win along with a few others Scott Pooley has a big fight in the pipe line
Also the next generation of fighters are coming through, watch out for Ollie Davidson and Alan Talis both big talents!

Chris: Would you like to thank anyone ahead of the fight for helping you prepare?
Harris: I'd like to thank Bri Adams, Head gym01 coach. Mok Rahman, my striking coach/pad man. All of my training partners at gym01.

Also my sponsors Smuggling duds, JY nutrition, Sweet sweat and Funky gums.

Also my lovely wife Debbie.
Thanks again for your time Phil and we wish you all the best for the fight on Saturday night.

Two TUF champions set to face off in Brazil

Norman Parke set to meet Leonardo Santos at UFC Fight Night 38

by Sam Heard @SamHeard_

‘Stormin’ has become one of the most fitting fighter nicknames in the UFC, with Norman Parke (19-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) on a nine fight streak.

Reports from Brazilian site MMA Informativo indicate that Parke’s next match-up will take place at UFC Fight Night 38 against fellow TUF winner Leonardo Santos (12-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC). The main event for this fight card is scheduled to be the second meeting of Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua, a rematch of what is considered to be one of the greatest bouts in MMA history.

Since winning The Ultimate Fighter: Smashes series with a decision victory over self-proclaimed oddball Colin ‘Freakshow’ Fletcher, Parke has added a further two decision wins to his record over Kazuki Tokudome and Jon Tuck. Though he is yet to pick up that important first UFC stoppage, Parke has distinguished himself with his crisp, technical kickboxing skills and super-human cardio. Indeed, in his last outing against knockout artist Jon Tuck, Parke’s cardio advantage was what allowed him to outwork Tuck on the feet enroute to getting the nod from the judges.
Parke’s next challenge comes in the shape of TUF: Brazil 2 winner Leonardo Santos. Santos is easily the most talented grappler to have crossed Parke’s path; of the Brazilian’s 12 wins, a whopping eight have come by submission. Santos became the TUF winner with a highly skilled arm-triangle victory over William Macario on UFC on FUEL 10: Nogueira vs Werdum. This was that card you may remember from last year which broke records for having the most wins coming by submission; eight out of 12 fights ended with the loser tapping, the same as Santos’ submission record – weird…
This fight looks to be the classic grappler versus striker affair. It will be a tall order for Santos’ first UFC fight as the TUF champion to be facing Parke who is already on a roll in the Octagon. However, the notorious home-field advantage of fighting in Brazil is likely to give Santos an edge. Moreover, Santos fought in the TUF Brazil 2 tournament at Welterweight but has since made the drop to his more natural Lightweight – this drop in division may well translate into a strength advantage. This match is certain to be highly competitive.
This clash of TUF champs looks to be an intriguing, well-balanced matchup. Over here at Kingdom MMA we’ll be backing Norman to keep Stormin and get the job done in Brazil.

7 Bouts Confirmed for Cage Warriors 65 in Dublin

7 Bouts Confirmed for Cage Warriors 65 in Dublin  

Cage Warriors Fighting Championship returns to Dublin on March 1 and officials can today confirm the event’s first batch of bouts, including a lightweight contest between John Maguire (pictured) and Saul Rogers.

Cage Warriors 65, which will be the promotion’s second event in 2014, is once again set to take place at The Helix in the Irish capital.

The meeting of Maguire and Rogers, which is likely to have major implications in the CWFC lightweight division, is one of seven fights now announced for the CWFC 65 card, which will also feature Irish favourites Philip Mulpeter, Artem Lobov and Damien Rooney, among others.

On the back of a five-fight stint with the UFC, Maguire (19-6) made his CWFC debut in Dublin on New Year’s Eve and edged out Philip Mulpeter via decision.

The 30-year-old Englishman said: “I don’t want to hang around so I’m getting straight back in there two months after my last fight and I’m ready to take my next step towards the CWFC title.”

Rogers (7-1), a fellow Englishman, defeated Jason Cooledge in impressive fashion in his promotional debut at CWFC 57 in Liverpool last July, taking his sixth submission in seven wins.

“This is a fight against a tough, talented and experienced fighter, and I expect it to bring out the best in me,” said 24-year-old Rogers. “I’ll be bringing my A-game to Ireland in order to get the win and move closer to a title shot.”

Elsewhere on the CWFC 65 bill, Alex Enlund (9-2-0-1nc) will go in search of his fourth CWFC win when he takes on Artem Lobov (8-7-0-1nc) in a featherweight bout, while lightweight action will see Philip Mulpeter (6-4) collide with Lew Long (7-3).

A third CWFC victory on the trot will be the aim for Bryan Creighton (5-1) as he faces newcomer Damien Rooney (9-3-1) at a 130lbs catchweight, and Martin Sheridan (7-4) will fight in his hometown of Dublin for the first time in a bantamweight bout against Paddy Pimblett (4-1).

Merv Mulholland (10-5) returns to welterweight for a clash with Lee Caers (10-3), with Irish lightweights Myles Price (8-5) and Peter Queally (3-1) also set to square off.

Tickets for Cage Warriors 65 will go on sale shortly so keep track of CWFC on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news and updates.

Cage Warriors 65 (more bouts to be announced)

John Maguire vs. Saul Rogers
Alex Enlund vs. Artem Lobov
Bryan Creighton vs. Damien Rooney
Lew Long vs. Philip Mulpeter
Paddy Pimblett vs. Martin Sheridan
Lee Caers vs. Merv Mulholland
Myles Price vs. Peter Queally

Jack Mason Hints at Cage Warriors 65 bout Against Benny Alloway

Will Jack Mason fight Benny Alloway at Cage Warriors 65?
by Ben Heather @benheather

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

 Cage Warriors welterweight contender Jack Mason took to twitter Tuesday evening to hint that a bout between himself and for UFC Fighter Ben Alloway is in the works for Cage Warriors 65 in Dublin:

Looks like it could be me versus @Bennyblancomma 1st March in Dublin @CageWarriors 65 :-) #CWFC65
— Jack Mason (@JackStoneMason) January 14, 2014

First reported earlier in the day by IrishMMA.com, it's believed Mason vs Alloway will feature on the main card of Cage Warriors 65 which is set to take place on March 1st at The Helix, Dublin, however Cage Warriors officials have yet to officially announce the bout.

One of Cage Warriors stand out fighters of 2013, BKK Fighters welterweight Jack Mason (26-12) is on possibly the greatest run of his career going 6-1 in his last 7 fights, with the only loss coming against Ali Arish who was a last minute change of opponent for Mason.

A win over Alloway, if the fight does happen would likely put Mason at the front of the line as far as a title shot is concerned,.
His opponent TUF Smashes contestant Benny Alloway (13-5), recently signed an exclusive 5 fight deal with Cage Warriors in November following a 3 fight stint in the UFC, which saw the Gold Cost fighter defeat Manuel Rodriguez with Knockout of the Night front kick at the TUF Smashes finale, before losing to Ryan LaFlare by decision, and Zak Cummings by d'arce choke.

12 of Alloway's 13 victories have come by either TKO or submission, with the only decision victory of his career coming to Mauro Chimento Jr in a Cage Warriors bout which took place prior to joining The UFC.

Stay tuned to KingdomMMA.co.uk for all your latest Cage Warriors Rumours

Cage Warriors Sign Flyweights Damien Rooney and Marcin Lasota

Cage Warriors Sign Flyweights Damien Rooney and Marcin Lasota
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo used courtesy of Lasota & Cagewarriors.com

Cage Warriors have today confirmed the signing of exciting prospects Damien Rooney and Marcin Lasota (pictured), both of have joined on exclusive 5 fight contracts.

Unbeaten as a pro, Lasota (7-0) is ranked as the number one bantamweight in his native Poland, however the 24 year old now plans to pursue his career as a flyweight.

In his most recent outing, Lasota who fights out of Gracie Barra Lodz, became the first fighter to defeat, Polish compatriot Tymoteusz Swiatek (12-1), submitting Swiatek in the third round of their clash this past April; Lasota has taken 3 of 7 victories by way of submission.

“Signing with Cage Warriors is a huge step forward for my career,” said Lasota. “I’ll be working harder than I’ve ever done to win my debut and show that I belong among the very best in the flyweight division.”

 Also making the move to flyweight Irishman Damien Rooney (9-3-1) of Team Torres MMA.

A veteren of the Irish MMA scene, 29-year-old holds notable wins over Cage Warriors veterans Alan Philpott and Mark Connor; Rooney has taken all but one of his victories inside the distance.

Rooney said: “I’m very excited to be signing with Cage Warriors. The promotion showcases the best talent in Europe and I believe I deserve to be among that.

“I believe I’ll pose a threat to anyone in the CWFC flyweight division, regardless of where the fight goes, and my plan is to go straight after that world title.”

Both fighter are expected to make their Cage Warriors debuts in early 2014.

Stay tuned to kingdomMMA.co.uk for the latest on Cage Warriors.

Press Release: CES Sign UFC Vets Chuck O'Neil and Irishman Tom Egan

Press Release: CES Sign UFC Vets Chuck O'Neil and Irishman Tom Egan 

With a thrilling combination of top-rank veterans, up-and-coming pros and some of the best amateurs in the region, this is the type of event that, in a nutshell, captures the essence of Classic Entertainment & Sports' famous "something for everyone" edict.

"A November To Remember," coming to Foxwoods Resort Casino on Friday, Nov. 15th, 2013, is the latest installment of CES' wildly-popular mixed martial arts division, and it will be the promotion's second pro-am card this month at Foxwoods, including its recent boxing pro-am at the beginning of November.

This time, CES will bring heavy-hitters Chuck O'Neil (11-6, 3 KOs) of Bridgewater, Mass., and popular Irish middleweight Thomas Egan (7-3, 5 KOs) of nearby Dorchester to Foxwoods' venerable Fox Theater, adding two former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veterans to an already-stacked lineup.

Egan, who starred in UFC 93 four years ago in his native Ireland, will face the always-dangerous Bombsquad veteran Harley Beekman (4-2, 2 KOs) of Amsterdam, N.Y., in a three-round bout. Looking to continue his climb back up the ladder in the welterweight division, O'Neil will tangle with Atlanta's Chris Woodall (12-4, 5 KOs) in a three-round bout. A former contestant on The Ultimate Fighter reality television series, O'Neil is looking to a rebound from a first-round knockout loss to Brazilian Gil de Freitas in August.


The undercard of "A November To Remember" features more of the region's top talent as North Haven, Conn., bantamweight Blair Tugman (5-3) will face Eugene Barrett (3-6) of Toledo, Ohio. Also on the card, hard-hitting heavyweight Josh Diekmann (13-5 9 KOs), fighting out of TriForce MMA and Groton, Conn., will battle Chris Guillen (13-15, 1 KO) of Fort Worth, Tex., and Providence, R.I., flyweight Dan Cormier (1-3) will face newcomer Marvin Malonado of Latham, N.Y.

One of the most impressive up-and-comers in New England, light heavyweight Willie Brown Jr. (1-0) of Meriden, Conn., will return to face Pittsburgh newcomer Chazz Dowell, and Dorchester, Mass., featherweight James Murrin will make his professional debut against fellow newcomer Douglas Monteiro, fighting out of the Dragon's Lair in Framingham, Mass.

On the amateur side, welterweight Kyle Bochniak (3-1) of Boston's Broadway MMA will face Travis Demko (1-0) from Wai Kru, also out of Boston, and bantamweight Mike Piacentini (0-1) of Coondog MMA in Meriden will face Dashawn Robinson (1-1) from Ultimate MMA in North Haven, Conn. The amateur undercard also features welterweight bouts between Eduardo Conde (3-0) of Team Thunder MMA in Watertown, Conn., and Jose Quinones (3-1) of New England Combat in Johnston, R.I.; and Romulado de Freitas of the Dragon's Lair and independent fighter Angel LaBoy (0-1) of Hartford. All amateur bouts feature three five-minute rounds.

Neil Seery Defends Title Against Former UFC Fighter Ulysses Gomez at Cage Warriors 62

Neil Seery Defends Title Against Former UFC Fighter Ulysses Gomez at Cage Warriors 62
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Photo: Dolly Clew | Cage Warriors

Neil Seery will defend his Cage Warriors Flyweight Title at Cage Warriors 62 in December against former UFC fighter and Tachi Palace Fights champion Ulysses Gomez.

Seery (13-9), who made history in his native Dublin back in June, when he submitted Mikael Silander to become CWFC’s first ever flyweight champion, will defend his belt for the first time against Gomez. Prior to becoming champion, the 34-year old Irishman rattled off wins against Mark Platts, Karl Harrison and Paul Marin to secure his shot at the vacant 125lbs title. 

Seery said: “I’m looking forward to defending the belt against Ulysses Gomez in Newcastle. He’s a high-calibre opponent with experience at the top level, but I won’t give up this belt easily.” 

His opponent Gomez (9-4) made his name winning the Tachi Palace Fights Bantamweight Title, where he defeated Cody Gibson by guillotine choke, before joining the UFC as a flyweight, where he lost both of his fights to John Moraga and Phil Harris respectively.

30 year old Gomez, who has not fought since is February lost to Harris at UFC on Fuel 7 in London has takes 7 of 9 victories by way of submission, with his only losses coming to UFC fighters Moraga, Harris, Darrell Montague, and world no.1 strawweight Rambaa Sombet.

“Fighting for the Cage Warriors belt is a huge honour. Becoming Cage Warriors champion will prove that I’m one of the best fighters in the world.” Said Gomez ahead of his fight with Seery.

Cage Warriors 62 takes place at the Metro Radio Arena, Newcastle on the 7th of December, and also see newly crowned Bantamweight champ, Brett Johns defend his title against James Brum. Tickets are expected to go on sale soon.

Diego Brandao Interested in Fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 168

Diego Brandao Interested in Fight with Conor McGregor at UFC 168
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Diego Brandao earlier told MMAFighting.com earlier today that he is interested in a fight with Conor McGregor.

Noted journalist Ariel Helwani reported earlier this week on US TV talk show UFC Tonight, that Mcgregor trainer, John Kavanagh, hopes to return to the Octagon on Dec. 28 in Las Vegas in a bout against TUF 14 winner Brandao; a bout that Brandao has confirmed he is interested in.

"I’m in the UFC to fight the best," Brandao told MMAFighting.com earlier today. "Everybody knows that my dream is to become the UFC champion. I already won The Ultimate Fighter, now I’m going after the title."

"I always liked challenges, and I believe a fight against McGregor would be a good challenge for me," he said. "If he wants to fight me, I also want to fight him. Hey, McGregor, let’s make it happen. It would be perfect for UFC 168 in Vegas. I wanna do a great show."

Stay tuned to Kingdom MMA for all the last UFC 168 rumours 

Fighter vs Writer: Cathal Pendred - UFC Fight Night 26

Fighter vs Writer: Cathal Pendred - UFC Fight Night 26
by Chris Houten - @mrhouts

Joe.ie & Cage Warriors

Welcome to another Kingdom MMA fighter vs writer challenge.

For this challenge we challenge some of the big names from the world of MMA to give us their picks and fight outcomes for specific MMA events. Then they will be challenged by one of our writers, who will make their own predictions. Previously we have challenged the likes of Luke Barnatt, Jim Alers, Mike Wilkison and Phil Harris. Last time out at UFC 163, Mike Wilkinson was defeated by 2 point by Tommy, leaving Jim Alers the only fighter to beat one of our Kingdom MMA writers.

This weeks opponent needs no introduction. One of the biggest prospects on the European scene, he is the current Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion, holds impressive victories over Gael Grimaud, Che Mills and many more, and is a team mate of Conor McGregor. He is Cathal Pendred and you can expect to see him taking UFCs welterweight division by storm within the next 18 months.

The Scoring
If you predict the correct winner of the fight you will get one point and if you predict the correct method of victory you will get an extra point. However, if the fight ends in a stoppage and you predict the round as well the method you could earn a third bonus point. If the fight goes the distance you can only earn a maximum of two points.

The Predictions


Chael Sonnen vs Shogun Rua

Pendred: You never know what you're going to get with Shogun. He can sometimes look like that world class fighter that won the Pride tournament, but at other times he looks very average and even sluggish. You always know what you're going to get with Chael and his style is generally very effective.

Prediction: Chael Sonnen - Unanimous Decision 

Houten: This is a big fight for both guys, with both needing to avoid a loss to save the curtains coming down on their careers. Shogun has looked up for it in the lead up to the fight, and could knock Chael out if he keeps the fight standing. Unfortunately I don't think he will be able to stop Sonnens relentless grinding style.

Prediction: Chael Sonnen - Unanimous Decision

Alistair Overeem vs Travis Browne
Pendred: These big boys are most likely gonna hit each other with big shots early and one of them will probably go unconscious. If that doesn't happen we might see a 3 round sloppy affair where both guys gas out. Lets hope not.

Prediction: Alistair Overeem - TKO (RD 1)

Houten: I think this is the fight Overeem gets found out in - no roids, no good. I expect him to look a little sluggish compared to the athletic Browne. I think Browne grind on Overeem, gets a few takedowns and wins this one.

Predictions: Travis Browne - Unanimous Decision

Urijah Faber vs Yuri Alcantara
Pendred: Faber always brings it. And he is world class, but unfortunately just falls short of being a champion. I haven't seen many of Alcantara's fights, but looking down his record he looks very good. I think this one will go the distance, unless Faber manages to slap on one of his viscous guillotines.

Prediction: Urijah Faber - Unanimous Decision 

Houten:Alcantara is a pretty serious guy, but hes not a patch on Faber. I think Faber will catch Alcantara with a big shot in second and finish the fight by submission.

Prediction: Urijah Faber - Submission

Matt Brown vs Mike Pyle
Pendred: Great welterweight fight here. Both guys are on a serious run here and a win for either will be huge. Pyle definitely has the experience advantage here and I think they'd going to play the difference here. The majority of Pyle's wins have come from submission and the majority of Brown's losses have come by submission.

Prediction: Mike Pyle - Submission (RD 2) 

Houten: This fight could be fight of the night. Both a savy vets who are competent in pretty much all areas of MMA. This fight is a pick 'em if ever there was one, but I'm gonna go with Pyle. I think Pyle has the ability to take more punishment, and might be the deciding factor in what could be an electric fight.

Prediction: Mike Pyle - Unanimous Decision 

Uriah Hall vs John Howard
Pendred: Howard is usually welterweight and I think Hall is a bit over rated because of that infamous KO. I'm really not sure about this one.

Prediction: Uriah Hall - TKO (RD 2)

Houten: John Howard has been knocking fools out since he was cut from the UFC, and say 185 is where he is best at. The problem is he is nowhere the stiker Hall is. I do however think Hall might be a little overrated thanks to the highlight real he produced against a bunch of cans in TUF, and I question whether he has the bottle to hack in on the big stage.

This fight is hard for Hall than people think. I think Howard could take this one - it will be a bit boring the way he does it but I'm having Howard as a dark house.

Prediction: John Howard - Unanimous Decision

Joe Lauzon vs Michael Johnson
Pendred: Lauzon is a submission machine and I don't rate Johnson too much. I actually think this fight is a bit of a mismatch.

Prediction: Joe Lauzon - Submission (RD 1) 

Prendred: The UFC must has decided the want rid of Johnson cause this fight is a major mismatch. Johnson is on a 2 fight losing streak to guys that our half the fighter that Lauzon is. Expect this one to end in Lauzon collection a bonus, and Johnson collection the US equivalent of a P45.

Prediction: Joe Lauzon - Submission (RD 1)

Brad Pickett vs Michael McDonald
Pendred: This is an incredible fight. I can't believe how little attention it's getting! Both guys are awesome, the only thing I can separate them by is experience, which Pickett has more off (although McDonald did fight for the title).

Prediction: Brad Pickett - Unanimous Decision

Houten: The fact that this fight is on the undercard shows how deep the line up for UFC Fight Night 26 is! No. 5 vs No.3 is worth of a main card maybe even main / co-main event on some cards.

I have been thinking about this fight all day, and I' struggling to pick. I can make cases for either guy, and while I deep down I think McDonald is probably the better fighter, I can't go against my man Pickett.

Prediction: Brad Pickett - Unanimous Decision

Conor McGregor vs Max Holloway
Prendred: MY MANNNN!! Conor can finish this fight wherever he wants! Unfortunately for Holloway the fight starts standing. The fight might last 2 rounds because I think Holloway will respect Conor's power and keep his distance. But if I predict anything less than a first round finish for Conor he'll kill me!!

Prediction: Conor McGregor - TKO (RD 1)

Houten: Simple - Holloway way came out in the press this week slating the media attention McGregor has received this week, and I expect him to come out feeling like he has something to prove. I expect Holloway to go toe-to-toe with McGregor in the first round and get knocked out for his trouble.

McGregor deserves the attention he has received, he is a start in the making. Here's hoping a big win sets up a fight on the Manchester card against some one like Nick Lentz or the winner of Poirier / Koch

Prediction: Conor McGregor - TKO (RD 1)

So that's our predictions for the fights, we will be live tweeting on Saturday night as always and we will keep you all informed as to how the challenge is going with latest scores throughout the main card.

Thanks again to Cathal for providing us with his picks for this weekends fights and it just leaves me to say.... May the best man win!!

Cage Warriors Press Release: Cage Warriors Signs TV Deal with Premier Sports & Setanta Sports

Cage Warriors Press Release: Cage Warriors Signs TV Deal with Premier Sports & Setanta Sports

CAGE WARRIORS Fighting Championship is pleased to confirm that it has penned deals with Premier Sports and Setanta Sports, which will see the broadcasters carry all CWFC events for the remainder of 2013.

Cage Warriors main cards, featuring stars like Jim Alers, Ronnie Mann and Che Mills, will air live throughout the UK exclusively on Premier Sports, the subscription channel available on the Sky platform.

For non-Sky subscribers, Premier Sports is also available to watch online at a cost of £9.99 per month. More details can be found HERE.

Setanta Sports, which is also accessible via subscription on the Sky platform, will have exclusive television rights to the action in Ireland, with events airing live on Setanta Sports 1, followed by delayed coverage on Setanta Ireland.

Cage Warriors fans in Ireland can also continue to stream events via our online partners JOE.ie.
Prelims will continue to stream worldwide and free of charge on Facebook, while event replays will be available for the world to watch on the Monday after each event on MMAjunkie.com.

The agreement with Premier Sports and Setanta Sports launches a week on Saturday, July 6, when Cage Warriors 56 will be broadcast from The Forum in London.

Richard Webb, COO of Premier Sports, said: “We’re delighted to welcome back Cage Warriors to the channel. The mixed martial arts promotion is widely regarded to have the best fighters and production values of any in Europe and we look forward to bringing viewers live action every month on Saturday evenings.”

In addition to broadcasting future events, both Premier Sports and Setanta Sports will have access to the Cage Warriors archives, allowing the broadcasters to screen replays of the best action from past events.

Cage Warriors has already confirmed a further six events for its 2013 schedule for the coming months, with more still to be announced.

“Cage Warriors Fighting Championship is the leading and most consistent MMA product in Europe, so I’m pleased that we’ll be back on TV screens in the UK and Ireland again,” Cage Warriors CEO Graham Boylan said.

“We have a high-quality product and networks should have to meet our valuation of that product if they wish to broadcast it. Premier Sports and Setanta Sports are committed to the growth of MMA so I’m glad that they’ve decided to do so.

“With the exception of the UFC, Cage Warriors hosts more international events than any other promotion, making us one of the busiest in the world. More than half of the best fighters in the UK and Ireland are also signed to Cage Warriors, so with the backing of Premier Sports and Setanta Sports we can continue to progress.”

Paul Redmond is in no Rush for the Future

Paul Redmond is in no Rush for the Future
by Tom Rooney - @oldmanrooney

Unbeaten in his Cage Warriors career to date, Irish lightweight Paul ‘Redser’ Redmond is rapidly distinguishing himself as one of Europe’s best, but as he tells Tom Rooney, he never thinks too far ahead.

At Cage Warriors 55 in front of a home town crowd in the Helix, Dublin, Paul Redmond (8-3) submitted Marc Allen via toe hold to win his fifth consecutive fight almost a year to the day since his promotional debut. The 26-year-old Team Ryano MMA export was at the epee-centre of what proved a banner night for Irish MMA, with Cathal Pendred taking out Che Mills in the main event and teammate Neil Seery submitting Mikael Silander to capture the inaugural fly-weight title in the penultimate bout.

Redmond was, of course, delighted to be part of such a momentous event, but it was the convenience of fighting in Ireland that made it all the more sweet. “It was a great night for everyone involved in Irish MMA, I like fighting in Dublin; get to sleep in my own bed, cut weight in my own house and there’s no dehydrating sitting on a plane for hours.”

This sort of lese fare attitude is one of the most striking aspects of the genial Dubliner’s personality. Hardly surprising for a guy that only got into MMA five years ago to shed some extra beer weight. The Team Ryano facility is only a stone’s throw from his home, and he has been under the tutelage of Head Coach/Founder Andy Ryan from day one ,a man for who he carries the upmost respect.

“Andy’s been in the sport all his life, over 30 years. Himself and John Kavanagh were the first MMA guys on the scene in Ireland. I don’t think Andy gets the credit he deserves in Irish MMA. You can ask him anything and if he can’t find it on the spot he’ll go and find out for you. The way he works is brilliant.”

Redmond is both refreshingly humble and admirably cerebral in his approach to fighting, as well as being cognisant of the detrimental effect ego can have on  one’s mind-set.

“I was chuffed when Chris Fields said to me on the MMA Review (Irish podcast) that I’m an intellectual fighter. Some people like to bite down on the gum shield and swing for the fences, why?
“ It’s not a fight in the street, it’s a sport. There’s ways of winning, if I’m better than a guy somewhere, I’m going to take advantage of it. I have no problems standing up with anybody, it’s just in some fights, like the Lewis Long fight last year, he’s a world champion in Muay Thai, so I’m not going to stand up with him because I’m not there yet.”

Redser was on a two-fight losing streak prior to signing with Cage Warriors, the second of which was at the hands of Tom Maguire back in March 2012, compelling him to go back to the drawing board and augment his training, particularly in strength and conditioning.

“I got beaten fair and square by Tom Maguire. Wasn’t my night, I got caught in a crucifix late in the first round and just got hammered. I hooked up with Dave McConkey from South Dublin Strength and Conditioning then, I had been doing horrible weight cuts. Since then I’ve been having easy cuts and I feel much stronger, my technique has got better ,too.  It’s just a combination of everything.”

Since then not only is he unbeaten, but yet to go the distance . Strikingly, all his Cage Warrior fights have ended in the second round, is there something he’s not telling us?

“I don’t know, things just come off in the second round. I try to put fellas away in the first, I seem to come to life in the second and third, I feel like my cardio is that bit higher. Sometimes in fights I need to be woken up with a punch or two. I’ll have to put money on myself in the next fight.”

With little white smoke emanating from Cage Warriors regarding how they plan to fill the lightweight title vacated by Connor McGregor, it’s difficult to know who is or isn’t in the mix, which doesn’t concern Redser in the slightest.

“I never read too much into it, to be honest. I fight because I enjoy it, obviously if belts come I’ll take them, but it’s not about anyone else.”

 As it stands Redmond has no date or opponent for his next fight, but having fought five times in the space of a year, he’d be forgiven for taking a step back from the cage. “I feel great. It’s not about racking up the numbers, if the call comes in and as long as I’m not injured I’ll take the fight, you’ve got to do it when you can. As soon as I hear something I’ll get cracking.”

Post Fight Interview: Neil Seery on Cage Warriors 55 Win

Post Fight Interview: Neil Seery on Cage Warriors 55 Win

On June 1st in front of a packed Helix Theatre in Dublin, Ireland, Irish Featherweight Neil Seery won the Cage Warriors featherweight title defeating Mikael Silander to become the promotions first 125lb champion.

Now 6-1 in his last 7 fights, and on a 4 fight win streak, we caught up with Seery to discuss the Silander fight, what its like to hold the Cage Warriors Featherweight title, and who he would like to face next.

Houten: First off, congratulations on the huge win on Saturday, has it finally sunk in yet?
Seery: Yes, I was confident I would win and enjoying being the first CWFC Flyweight Champion. No one can ever take that from me.

You mentioned in our last interview you were feeling a lot of pressure going into Saturdays fight, how did you feel though when you stepped out of the back to the amazing crowd on show?
I couldn’t believe the Irish support, it was unbelievable. It really got me fired up. When I was in the head and arm the amount of folks cheering for me helped pushed me through.

Was the crowed on Saturday the best you have ever fought in front of?
Yes by far the loudest and most supportive.

Did the fight pan out the way you expected it to on Saturday?
Yes, we knew he would try to submit me, we knew he would try to take me down. I trained for five rounds and knew I would catch him eventually.

Come the second round you looked like you had Silander beat in ever aspect of the game, what did you think of Silander?
Good warrior, very strong and always dangerous.

Do you think you neutralised his game plan during the fight, or do you think he simply just couldn’t handle what you had to offer?
A bit of both.

Did having your family in the audience bring out the best in Neil Seery?
It was great to have my two brothers there to support me.

Have you managed to watch your performance on Saturday back yet? If so how would you rate your performance?
Not yet, been resting this week and will get with my coach Andy Ryan (Team Ryano) and asses my performance in the next two weeks.

What do the next few months hold for Neil Seery?
Two weeks of rest and then back into the gym to help my teammates train for their upcoming fights on BattleZone @battlezone on July 6 at Neptune Stadium in Cork.

You have fought twice in 2 months, are you planning some time off now, or will you be straight back in the gym?
Completely up to CWFC, they call and I fight.

When can we expect you to defend your Flyweight Title?
As soon as CWFC gets me a match up.

I know, its early days but have you had any thought possible opponent for your first defence?
Doesn’t matter to me

What do you think about recently signed UCMMA bantamweight and CFC flyweight champion Spencer Hewitt? I think this would be an excellent fight.
CWFC has signed some new additions recently so any would be a good fight.

Since we last spoke, Conor has accepted a fight with Andy Ogle in Boston. Is this another easy win for Conor?
Are any MMA wins easy? Month of training so nothing is a walk in the park but knowing Conor and his preparation he should be good to go! 

You can follow Neil Seey on his newly created Twitter Account  - @neilseeyMMA

Video: The Rise of Conor McGregor (Full Release)

The Rise of Conor McGregor

The wait is finally over, The Rise of Conor McGregor is finally here

MTV Documentary ‘The Rise of Conor McGregor’, charting the success of the Cage Warriors featherweight and lightweight champion, launches on Tuesday, March 5, 2013.

McGregor (12-2) made history in his hometown of Dublin on New Year’s Eve by defeating Ivan Buchinger at Cage Warriors 51 with a stunning first-round KO, which saw him become the first fighter to simultaneously hold CWFC titles in two unified weight classes.

The 24-year-old Irishman was subsequently signed by the UFC and will make his debut in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 6 where he will take on Marcus Brimage (6-1, 3-0 UFC).

Produced by Demetrio Marquez for MTV UK and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, watch ‘The Rise of Conor McGregor’ below:

Video: The Rise of Conor McGregor (Trailer)

The Rise Of Conor McGregor (Trailer)

MTV Documentary ‘The Rise of Conor McGregor’, charting the success of the Cage Warriors featherweight and lightweight champion, launches on Tuesday, March 5, 2013.

McGregor (12-2) made history in his hometown of Dublin on New Year’s Eve by defeating Ivan Buchinger at Cage Warriors 51 with a stunning first-round KO, which saw him become the first fighter to simultaneously hold CWFC titles in two unified weight classes.

The 24-year-old Irishman was subsequently signed by the UFC and will make his debut in Stockholm, Sweden, on April 6 where he will take on Marcus Brimage (6-1, 3-0 UFC).

Produced by Demetrio Marquez for MTV UK and Cage Warriors Fighting Championship, watch ‘The Rise of Conor McGregor’ exclusively on MTV.co.uk from this coming Tuesday, March 5, 2013.