Cage Warriors 151: Unplugged Preview; Currie v Stanton

Cage Warriors return to the BT Studios in London this evening. Cage Warriors 151: Unplugged will go down in front of a small, exclusive audience. The action will be split into two shows, both hosting five fights, including one for promotional gold. All fighters are on weight and cleared by Safe MMA.

The vacant CW Middleweight title is on the line in the main event of the second show. Will Currie (9-2) is a serious prospect who has only come up short against former champion and current UFC fighter Christian Leroy Duncan. The GB Top Team man is a Jiu Jitsu whizz with an eclectic box of tricks. On the bottom or top, he’s got a submission for every occasion. The 24-year-old’s wrestling skills are very strong and he uses ground and pound nicely to open his opponents up. On the feet, he’s very competitive. Mick Stanton (10-7) is a man you write off at your peril. Harder than a coffin nail, the “Huyton Hammer” is as tough as they come and he has concrete in his hands. A true “records are for DJs” fighter, he never turns down a challenge. The 36-year-old is a strong wrestler in his own right and is a difficult man to roll with. Youth vs experience, which one shall prevail?

Steve Aimable (18-9) is the beating heart of Cage Warriors, a man who embodies all the fantastic qualities they stand for. Excitement is guaranteed when the tie-dye compression shorts are put on. “Diddy Kong” will get into wars on the feet and engage in fun scrambles on the ground. The 35-year-old is must see tv. Alberth Dias (5-3) makes his first appearance since a split decision win against Richie Smullen at Bellator 240. That was three years ago now, so the Brazilian has a lot of catching up to do. The 31-year-old can grapple and can strike, so it will be interesting to see how he looks after three years out.

Agy Sardari (15-4) is the former CW Lightweight champion. The Dutchman is a fanatic, technical kickboxer with an underrated submission game. The 29-year-old has lost his last two in the yellow gloves so will be keen to get back to the form that won him the belt. Samuel Blasco (10-9) is a well experienced grappler with a decent kickboxing game. The 27-year-old’s best weapon is his guillotine choke. He’s a streaky fighter and currently on a two-fight winning streak, so he’s riding high at the moment.

Stipe Brčić (11-3) comes into this after a solid win against Aaron Aby. The Croatian was training out of UFD Gym Düsseldorf and is now affiliated with Mangetsu in his native Croatia. The 30-year-old’s wrestling is strong and his striking is crisp. Jhonata Silva (7-1) is a veteran of the Shooto Brazil scene and won his European debut in Superior Challenge back in 2019. That’s the last time we saw him, so who knows what’s changed in his four-year absence. The Brazilian used to train out of the infamous Nova União gym in Rio, and now fights out of Rome. The 25-year-old still has time on his side and he has a little bit of magic in his stand-up game. Knees and punches, he changes fights quickly. He’s always got his BJJ to fall back on.

Michael Tchamou (3-2) opens up the second show and is one of the most athletic, devastating fighters you will see. The Newcastle native is a devastating puncher who ends fights violently, and doesn’t take long in doing so. Naglis Kanišauskas (5-2) is a Lithuanian submission expert. The 22-year-old is a great prospect who’s only losses were to Imamshafi Aliev and Will Currie.

Topping the first card is Matthew Byfield (5-1). The Team Renegade man has been finishing people on the feet since hitting the pro ranks. Punches, elbows, ground and pound, the man knows how to get it done. The 30-year-old comes from a gym with savage Jiu Jitsu coaching, so don’t sleep on his grappling. Prince McLean (9-9) takes the long flight over from the USA. The Ohioan is a 50/50 fighter who goes on streaks of wins or losses. His last fight was a defeat, so he’ll need to learn from his past to change his future.

Former champion Matthew Bonner (13-8-1) has moved back up to middleweight recently after dropping down. The Next-Gen Liverpool man is a very strong wrestler with a slick rear naked choke. The 32-year-old has solid ground and pound, as well as some deceiving knockout power on the feet. Guilherme Cadena (31-20) is a veteran of the European scene. The Spaniard shares many of the same strengths as Bonner, however is a bit more punishing on the feet. Defence is where the key to this fight lies.

Kiru Singh Sahota (9-1) comes in from the English regional scene. The Huddersfield man began his career with a string of rear naked choke wins, and then five wins with strikes. His only defeat was to CW veteran Scott Malone. Shawn Da Silva (4-0) is a student of ex-UFC fighter Peter Sobotta. The German has won half his fights by strikes, so he will be a dangerous man to get in there with.

Sam Kelly (4-1) is a real talent coming out of Manchester. The 28-year-old has won most of his fights by submission, with a single knockout on his record. Pav Sahota (4-1) is another newbie in the yellow gloves. The Huddersfield trained man has shown some nice mixed skills to date on the regional scene, winning a couple by TKO and another by submission.

Ryan Hewitt (1-0) won his first pro fight by KO. The Fearless MMA man will want to get off to a good start here. Ander Sanchez (1-1) has spent his pro career in Cage Warriors. The 27-year-old had a very good debut win over talent Connor Wilson, but then came up short versus Lone’er Kavanagh. The Spaniard is an IMMAF veteran who has nice striking and decent grappling.

Cage Warriors 151 is live and exclusive on UFC Fight Pass. The action kicks off from 18:30 this evening.