On Saturday, Nov. 1, Cage Warriors Fighting Championship hosted its 73rd event from the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle, England.
Much like the promotion’s 69th event in June, the event featured two main cards, with each featuring a title fight.
In the night’s top-billing, lightweight champion Stevie Ray battled Curt Warburton for a third time. The pair engaged in a five-round war at the aforementioned CWFC 69 in June, with Ray eking out the split decision win. Warburton previously topped Ray under the BAMMA banner in 2013. Neither fighter had fought since their memorable title affair. The Scottish fighter Ray had won three of his last four inside the CWFC cage, while England’s Warburton loss to Ray was just his second since his release from the UFC in 2011.
The first main card of the evening saw the promotion crown a new featherweight champion as Alex Enlund took on Nad Narimani. The 27-year-old Enlund rode a three-fight winning streak and had won four of his five bouts with the promotion. Narimani dropped his promotional debut but had since bounced back with back-to-back submission wins.
The event kicked off Saturday with the first main card streaming live on MMAJunkie.com at 2 p.m. ET. The second main card streamed live on MMAJunkie.com at 5 p.m. ET.
Jim Wallhead def. Juan Manuel Suarez by knockout (punches). Round 1, 1:49
Shaj Haque def. Damien Rooney by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Lewis Long def. Matt Inman by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 1, 4:16
Brett Caswell def. Marcin Lasota by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
Paddy Pimblett def. Stephen Martin by TKO (doctor’s stoppage). Round 1, 5:00
Danny Suter def. Michael Abbott by TKO (punches). Round 2, 3:09
David Cunliffe def. Steven Briggs by submission (triangle choke). Round 1, 1:14
Irene Cabello def. Vanessa Reinsch by submission (rear-naked choke). Round 2, 0:53
Alex Enlund def. Nad Narimani by unanimous decision (48-47 x3) – for vacant featherweight title
Ronnie Mann def. Moktar Benkaci by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Kyle Redfearn def. Leeroy Barnes by TKO (punches). Round 1, 2:12
Liam James def. Dean Trueman by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
Lewis Monarch def. Ellis Hampson by submission (triangle choke). Round 1, 4:12
Ian Malone def. Mark Connor by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
George Hardwick def. Gary Worsfold by submission (arm-triangle choke). Round 2, 2:26 (a)
Craig Clarkson def. Wayne Rigg by disqualification (knee to head of a grounded fighter). Round 1, 0:34 (a)
James Ryder def. Chris Mcclarence by unanimous decision (a)
Davie Mcloughin def. Josh Abraham by unanimous decision (a)
(a) – denotes amateur bout