Cage Warriors flyweight champion Sam “Urai” Creasey cemented his status as the promotion’s top 125-pound fighter with a stunning first-round finish of Croatian challenger Stipe Brcic at Cage Warriors 142.
The bout, which formed the main event in Ebbw Vale, Wales, saw Creasey put his title on the line against the dangerous Germany-based Croatian, and, after telling staffers ahead of the fight that he expected the bout to go all five rounds, the Englishman finished the job in a matter of seconds to retain his title in spectacular fashion.
As the action got underway, Creasey connected clean with a short right hook that dropped Brcic. Then, with his opponent looking to scramble to safety, Creasey followed his man to the mat and locked up a high-elbow guillotine choke.
Despite Brcic’s best efforts to escape, Creasey had his technique locked in tight and the challenger was forced to tap after just 71 seconds.
In the co-main event, “The Welsh Gangster” Oban Elliott scored the biggest victory of his career as he defeated former Cage Warriors middleweight champion Matt Bonner to move into welterweight championship contention.
Elliott started well, showing off some fast, dangerous hands, before stuffing a Bonner takedown and taking advantage of top position to mind his mark with some solid ground and pound. He then made a takedown attempt of his own pay as he took the Liverpudlian to the mat and again connected with strikes from inside Bonner’s guard.
Bonner asserted himself more in the second round as the former middleweight champion’s gas tank started to give him the edge. It meant the fight was on a knife-edge heading into the third and final round, and the pair battled back and forth, with Elliott using his wrestling and clinch work, plus a huge takedown in the final seconds, to seal the victory after a wild three-round war.
Welsh flyweight contender Aaron Aby lost out in his quest to earn a title shot after the Wrexham man was outpointed over three rounds by Italian contender Michaelangelo Lupoli.
Aby looked to push the pace throughout the fight, but Lupoli expertly worked off the back foot and stuffed most of Aby’s takedown attempts as he picked off Aby throughout the fight to earn a significant unanimous decision victory on his Cage Warriors debut.
Elsewhere on the card, Italy prevailed over Wales in the battle of women’s lightweight debutants as Jasmine Favero got her professional career off to a winning start at the expense of Stephanie Evans.
And in the night’s opening main card bout, English featherweight prospect Luke Riley notched another impressive win as he defeated the Netherlands’ Cherif Larossi via second-round TKO.
Cage Warriors 142: Official Results
MAIN CARD
- Sam Creasey def. Stipe Brcic via submission (guillotine choke) – Round 1, 1:11 – for flyweight title
- Oban Elliott def. Matt Bonner via unanimous (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Michelangelo Lupoli def. Aaron Aby via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-26)
- Jasmine Favero def. Stephanie Evans via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 3:48
- Luke Riley def. Cherif Larossi via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:18
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Chris Bungard def. Erick da Silva via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Sean McCormac def. Owain Williams via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- George McManus def. Milton Afonso Cabral via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:52
- Matty Byfield def. Szymon Szynkiewicz via TKO (elbows) – Round 1, 1:08
