Josh Reed to put stamp on Welsh Invasion with title capture at Cage Warriors 86

Newport, Wales was the scene. The native Josh Reed (7-0) enters the Cage Warriors proving ground to a partisan ovation as the battle versus Gavin Kelly ensues. The halfway mark of the opening stanza comes to be as the ‘Crazy Horse’ takes a back step, throws a counter-right to front kick from Kelly in one heck of a scrappy counter.

The flurry on the rocked nemesis is beginning to prove too much to bear. Josh chases Kelly down. The flurry succeeds; Kelly falls and Newport erupts for Reed.

Since debuting as a professional, this has often been the result to Reed’s bouts. It’s been six years since his last loss at the amateur level; one defeat that reshaped the methods the bantamweight took to fighting.

“Losing was hard,” Josh stated. “But it made me want it more. Getting back in the gym after that, I just wanted to improve my game in every area so I’d never have to have that feeling again. So far it’s continued to go the right way for me.”

As aforementioned, the wild ferocious one-rounder versus Gavin Kelly brought Josh’s name further into the domestic spotlight and, with that performance, a title shot versus newly crowned Cage Warriors bantamweight champion Nathaniel Wood – however, admittedly, not one he was expecting when going into the bout and going from fighting in his own home to enemy territory is, as the contender feels, not a factor in the slightest.

“It was a good win for me against a tough guy,” Reed informed. “The fight went as planned really. I was looking to keep that fight standing as we knew Kelly had a good ground game. I knew a big showing would impress, but I didn’t really think about the title at that time. I fight one fight at a time, but it was another stoppage and after becoming 7-0, why not call for it?

“It’s a great match up if you ask me, it’s going to be a great watch. We both come forward and look for the finish, but I see me coming out on top. Being in his backyard means nothing. I have fought away before, none of that bothers me!”

Over the past eighteen months, there has been a massive surge in the talents breaking out of the Welsh scene, taking scalps on the European circuit and rising through both amateur and professional rankings. Following in the footsteps of fellow countryman Jack Marshman, and at only 7-0, Reed has the opportunity to silence the favourable crowd and Cage Warriors gold back to Wales once again, putting an effective stamp on the Welsh Invasion.

“Yes it would be great for me and Welsh MMA. We’ve come on leaps and bounds. As I said, wherever the fight takes place doesn’t matter. To bring another title back to Wales shows how far we’ve come and how far we’re going in this game.

“I like fighting for Cage Warriors, so I want get that belt and defend it like a real champion. You’ve only got look at the past champions to see where it takes you.”