Cage Warriors 148 takes to London’s indigo at The O2 on Saturday night for one final night of action in the renowned yellow gloves before the year ends.
Hughes versus Vucenic 2, Jimmy Wallhead crowned champion, and a slew of wild KOs, slick submissions and breakout performances have made 2022 a chaotic year even by Cage Warriors’ standards.
With three title fights and contests pitting Team Europe members against Team USA for trans-Atlantic supremacy, the stage is set for a thrilling night of MMA action!
Boasting an unblemished record, Duncan is regarded as the great hope of British MMA. He has the extensive amateur experience and so far no one has found a way to beat him in professional fights. He himself does not like referees’ decisions, because so far only one of his clashes ended with a verdict of the umpires. Will he make it on Saturday night?
How to watch Free Cage Warriors 148 Live:
Viewers around the world can watch the action live on the following channels and here for free:
Live Broadcast: Cage Warriors 148: CW 148 Live (it’s free)
Cage Warriors 148 Venue and Start Time:
- Venue: Indigo at the O2, London, England
- Main Card – 1:00 pm (PT) | 4:00 pm (ET) | 9:00 pm (GMT) | 10:00 pm (CEST)
- Prelims – 10:30 am (PT) | 1:30 pm (ET) | 6:30 pm (GMT) | 7:30 pm (CEST)
Cage Warriors 148 Preview:
Cage Warriors 148: Jesse Taylor vs Christian Leroy Duncan: A Long Road
There isn’t much of this sport that ‘JT$’ hasn’t seen, from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows and everywhere in between. The fire is still burning at 39 years old, and a chance to reclaim the title he never lost 10 years ago could be just what the doctor ordered.
Taylor will be able to join the ranks of Dan Hardy, Nicolas Dalby, Stevie Ray, and – maybe – Modestas Bukauskas as the only men to have several reigns with the same CW belt.
It’s an opportunity for the American to complete the circle from that fateful night in Dublin a decade ago, when he defeated local icon Chris Fields to win the first CW gold medal.
There’s also the possibility of adding another home-nations title to his resume; after defeating an Irishman in Ireland and a Welshman in Wales, he’ll now face an Englishman in England.
Speaking of lengthy paths, middleweight champion Christian Leroy Duncan appears to be just getting started on his.
The fact that he is only 27 years old and is only beginning his physical prime is a worrisome prospect for potential opponents.
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With seven wins and six finishes under his belt, as well as over 20 amateur bouts at the highest level, CLD may be the next evolution in European MMA fighters.
He’s Taylor’s polar opposite in many aspects, recognized almost entirely for his stoicism and what he does within the cage rather than his personality or antics outside of it.
If CLD gets another scalp, it will most likely be the battle that propels him over the apex of international recognition.
It’s an opportunity for Taylor to capitalize on the momentum of one of the sport’s fastest-rising stars and show the world that Jesse Taylor is more than simply ‘JT$’.
Modestas Bukauskas vs. Chuck Campbell: Who Will Win?
Nothing is definite in MMA, but unless something extraordinary or awful happens, we’ll have a new CW light heavyweight champion as the New Year arrives. There will be a new light heavyweight champion crowned.
Modestas Bukauskas has an added incentive to bring home the vast gold belt.
The Baltic Gladiator once claimed the title as his own, and he never lost it in battle.
He’ll now try to become the first man since Nic Dalby to hold the same CW championship twice, an exclusive group with only three members so far.
Last month at CW 146, American Chuck Campbell offered us a taste of Team Europe vs. Team USA.
With a victory already under his belt in San Diego, the American Kickboxing Academy project travelled to Manchester and stunned hometown favourite Andy Clamp with a spectacular first-round stoppage.
A victory against UFC veteran Bukauskas will put him squarely in the spotlight when the CW’s 2023 campaign gets underway in California.
Sam Creasey vs. Shaj Haque: Revenge or Repetition?
In the battle game, six years is a long time. On Saturday night, two of Europe’s top flyweights will square off.
Sam Creasey and Shaj Haque initially fought in the iconic yellow gloves what seems like a lifetime ago; when the pair meets for the second round on Saturday night, we’ll see two entirely different martial artists in action.
Creasey’s CW story is one of tenacity, as he won the coveted 125lb title on the third try.
In August, the ‘Sam-Urai’ made history by being the first man to defend the belt, defeating Stipe Brcic at CW 142.
Haque took a different road, competing across Europe and the UK regional circuit, gradually but steadily establishing himself as one of the finest 125lbers in the region.
The pair were supposed to meet last month at their rivalry’s headquarters, the BT Sport studio, but an illness sidelined the champion and required the bout to be rescheduled.
Creasey made a wise decision; he’d delayed much too long to try to repair the record against Haque in its current shape.
Haque, for one, has had an extra month to stew over his ambition to usurp Creasey’s throne.
Only five five-minute rounds separate one of them from proclaiming themselves not only Cage Warriors champion but also the greatest unsigned flyweight in Europe.
The main card begins with fan favourite Darren ‘The Dentist’ Stewart taking on Spanish submission artist Guilherme ‘Warrior’ Cadena in the middleweight division.
With 24 submission victories to his résumé, the ‘Warrior’ delivers a crowd-pleasing style that has seen him go the distance just four times in 49 fights, win or loss.
Stewart, a powerful striking specialist, has committed to letting his hands go in order to regain the form that catapulted him to a fifteen-fight run in the UFC.
Stewart, who turns 32 a day before his fight, has trademark wins over the likes of Deron Winn, Boubacar Balde, and Maki Pitolo and will be eager to add Cadena’s name to his list of patients.
Also on the main card, former UFC title challenger Wilson Reis (25-12) takes on the debuting Tuomas Gronvall (10-4-1), while fanning favourites Damon Wilson (5-0) and Tobias Harila (10-3) clash in a contest previously called ‘The People’s Main Event’.
A packed supporting bill precedes the main event, with super-prospects Nathan Fletcher and Alessandro Giordano facing battle in a key bantamweight contest, and KO of the Year 2021 nominee Justin Barry returning to face Dario Bellandi.
Chasen Blair, an adopted Scouser, competes in a welterweight bout against Helio Hernandez, while Emrah Sonmez seeks his second Cage Warriors 148 victory in a featherweight match against Adam Meskini.
Omiel Brown of Team Renegade returns to action as a late addition to the program, welcoming 25-fight veteran Junior Orgulho to the Cage Warriors 148 cage.
Thai boxing expert Samuel Bark hopes to continue his reign of terror against Dutch grappling ace Orlando Wilson Prins in the show’s opening featherweight event.
Cage Warriors 148 Fight Card:
CW Middleweight title bout: Jesse Taylor (185lbs) vs Christian Leroy Duncan (184.7lbs) (c)
CW Light Heavyweight title bout: Chuck Campbell (203.4lbs) vs Modestas Bukauskas (203.5lbs)
Bantamweight bout: Wilson Reis (133.7lbs) vs Tuomas Gronvall (135.7lbs)
Featherweight bout: Damon Wilson (144.7lbs) vs Tobias Harila (145.2lbs)
Catchweight (195 lbs) bout: Guilherme Cadena (193.9lbs) vs Darren Stewart (191.2lbs)
Prelims
CW Flyweight title bout: Shajidul Haque (124.6lbs) vs Sam Creasey (124.9lbs) (c)
Middleweight bout: Justin Barry (185.2lbs) vs Dario Bellandi (185.3lbs)
Welterweight bout: Chasen Blair (170.7lbs) vs Helio Hernandez (170lbs)
Featherweight bout: Adam Meskini (145.8lbs***) vs Emrah Sonmez (144.9lbs)
Bantamweight bout: Nathan Fletcher (135.2lbs) vs Alessandro Giordano (135.8lbs)
Catchweight (174 lbs) bout: Junior Orghulo (171lbs) vs Omiel Brown (173.8lbs)
Featherweight bout: Orlando Wilson Prins (146lbs*) vs Samuel Bark (145.8lbs**)
