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The Figlak brothers return for “Double Trouble”
Both Michal and Mateusz Figlak will be in action at Cage Warriors’ upcoming Double Trouble events. The Polish brothers, who train out of Trojan Free Fighters in Gloucester, will fight on Saturday 11th December on CW 132, the second portion of the double header of events.
Michal Figlak will square off with Higher Level MMA’s Stevie McIntosh, while Mateusz Figlak will take on the experienced Kent Kauppinen at welterweight.
On the addition of the brothers to the card, Cage Warriors president, Graham Boylan said:
“It’s great to have the Figlak brothers fighting again, both of them are taking on a big challenge in their upcoming bouts and I look forward to seeing how they manage it.”
“Michal will be taking on Stevie McIntosh who is a dangerous striker and has some really good grappling skills too. Mateusz’s opponent, Kent Kauppinen, is a veteran of the sport, and he is likely to be bigger than Mateusz too, having previously fought at both light heavyweight and middleweight before this bout at welterweight. Both fights will be great to watch and I know the fans will love both match ups.”
Michal Figlak currently stands at 6-0 as a professional, with four knockout wins to his name. “Mad Dog” last competed at CW 129, where he beat Kieran Lister by decision in a fast-paced bout. Speaking on his upcoming fight, Michal Figlak said:
“It feels great to be apart of the show again. I’ll be looking to finish my opponent and cement myself as the number one contender.”
His, opponent, Stevie McIntosh, holds a 7-2 record, with four wins in his last five bouts.
Ahead of his return to the cage, McIntosh told Cage Warriors: “I’m looking forward to putting on a show and getting one step closer to that belt.”
Mateusz Figlak will enter the cage at Double Trouble with a 6-1 record. The bigger Figlak is currently on a streak of four wins, with his last three coming within the distance, and he told Cage Warriors: “I’m going to close out the year with a bang.”
Kent Kauppinen has a 13-6 record and has taken on a who’s who of mixed martial artists, including Alessio Sakara and Melvin Manhoef. The Team Kaobon fighter will drop to 170lbs for this bout, telling Cage Warriors:
“I am looking forward to the event because it’s been a long time out again for me, which isn’t ideal but I’m excited that I get to put on a show again.”
Kauppinen comes into this bout on the back of a win against Jamie Rischardson at CW 120 in March this year, and will be looking to build on that winning performance having moved to Team Kaobon since.
Former ONE Women’s Strawweight Muay Thai World Champion Smilla Sundell is on a quest to reclaim the crown she never lost in battle after her latest ONE Championship victory.
“The Hurricane” scored a second-round finish over Natalia Diachkova in the main event of ONE Fight Night 22 this past Saturday, 4th May, inside Bangkok, Thailand’s Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing en route to it.
In the early going, Diachkova made life difficult for Sundell, and she credited the Russian star for her showing after the fight.
“Yeah, it’s one of my biggest challenges. All my opponents are very tough and very different. So it’s hard to say which one’s the best of them,” she said.
“But yes, she got me good in the first round. So yeah, she’s definitely at the top.”
The win should have gone down as the Swede’s second successful defense of the women’s strawweight Muay Thai crown. But that wasn’t to be after she missed weight in the leadup and was stripped of the World Title.
There is little doubt that she’s still the top dog in the division after her performance against Diachkova, though, and Sundell only has eyes on reclaiming the gold from here.
“I’ve been very sad [to lose the belt]. But I’ve had many people online, on social media [who have] been supporting me. And it meant a lot to me. It kept me going today,” the 19-year-old sensation said.
“She got me good in the first round, so I knew I couldn’t stop there because I had my family around me, and I wanted to show them that I’m still the best.
“It doesn’t matter who I fight. I just love fighting. So yeah, anyone who steps into the ring with me. I really want my belt back.”
With the dust settled in Rio de Janeiro, it’s time to take a look at what’s next for the winners and losers of UFC 301.
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(c) Alexandre Pantoja (28-5) – UFC flyweight champion
In another hard-fought performance, flyweight kingpin Alexandre Pantoja retained his title in front of a home crowd in Brazil. With his second defense in the bag, he is already the second most accomplished champion in the history of the division. The scarce amount of deserving contenders makes it hard to pick out a deserving challenger, so I would advocate for ‘The Cannibal’ to take on the winner of an eliminator between Amir Albazi and Muhammad Mokaev.
(#10) Steve Erceg (12-2) – former UFC title challenger
Australia’s Steve Erceg gave a fantastic account of himself in his first UFC title bid, despite being less than a year into his run with the promotion. He will certainly remain in championship contention after this, and I think he should get another major fight after this. Brandon Royval won’t be getting another crack at the belt anytime soon, given his two losses to the champ, so I think this makes lots of sense.
Jose Aldo (32-8) – two-time UFC featherweight champion
What else is there to say about Jose Aldo? The Hall of Famer returned from retirement and put on one of his better performances ever against a top fifteen contender. If he decides to re-sign with the UFC and go on one final run at gold, I think Henry Cejudo is the ideal opponent. Dominick Cruz is obviously another great option, but Cejudo fought for the title a year ago and is closer to title contention. Either way, the King of Rio is back and that’s awesome.
(#12) Jonathan Martinez (19-5) – bantamweight contender
There is no shame for Jonathan Martinez in losing to Jose Aldo. I don’t think a loss to a former champion will harm his stock, though a fight outside of the rankings is likely in order for his next bout. Undefeated prospect Farid Basharat has been on the fringe of bantamweight contention for a while, and Martinez has made a name on beating hyped prospects. Book it for Manchester, if possible!
(#10) Anthony Smith (38-19) – former UFC title challenger
Every few years, Anthony Smith beats a surging contender, steals their hype and reignites his title hopes; that’s what we saw at UFC 301. If he doesn’t fight Bogdan Guskov next, it is a waited opportunity. I don’t even have to explain why this suggestion makes sense. Just search a photo of Smith and Guskov standing beside each other.
Vitor Petrino (11-1) – light heavyweight contender
Coming into this bout, it seemed like Vitor Petrino wouldn’t be stopped, but his inexperience at the highest level seemed to trip him up. Still, he is a solid prospect at 205lbs that has finishing ability. Ryan Spann has been on a small slide lately, but also has power in both hands, much like Petrino. I say that it makes sense.
Michel Pereira (31-11, 2 NC) – middleweight contender
Michel Pereira is bloody amazing inside the ring. His move to 185lbs has only made him a stronger force nature, as demonstrated by his sub-sixty stoppage on Saturday. A ranked middleweight has to be next. I would recommend Roman Dolidze as an opponent and, if it can be organised, it should be done in Brazil. ‘Demolidor’ has star potential in his home country.
Ihor Potieira (20-6) – middleweight contender
Given that he didn’t even get a chance to showcase his arsenal in this 54 second bout, it’s hard to pinpoint where Ihor Potieria should go next. I’m going to suggest Bruno Silva, because why not? It’d be fun, probably.
(#14) Caio Borralho – middleweight contender
The unbeaten run of Caio Borralho continued in Brazil, where he claimed a second round knockout. The showcase gave the impression that ‘The Natural’ is ready for a step up in competition, which I would agree with. He called for Jared Cannonier, but has been slated to take on Nassourdine Imavov later this year. Jack Hermansson, however, is available and riding the hype of crushing the surge of Joe Pyfer. I could see this matchup headlining a card at some point.
(#13) Paul Craig – middleweight contender
Back-to-back losses in three middleweight appearances are not ideal for Paul Craig. I think that questions for retirement will be floated for the 36 year old, but if he wants to continue fighting, a bout with former champion Chris Weidman would work well. The Scot is will be trying to defend his ranking, while the New Yorker will be attempting to re-enter the top fifteen.
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For more UFC content, stay tuned to Violent Money TV.
It’s fight day! Live from Rio de Janeiro, UFC 301 sees flyweight champion Alexandre Pantoja make a return to home soil in an attempt to pick up his second title defense. Standing in his way is Australian prospect Steve Erceg, looking to make history by dethroning the champion less than a year after his promotional debut.
In the co-main event, Hall of Famer and two-time featherweight champ Jose Aldo touches down in the Octagon once again. He will look to stall the momentum of contender Jonathan Martinez, who is riding a hot streak in the bantamweight division.
Note: any point deductions will be denoted by an asterisk and explained at the bottom of the page.
***
Main card (3am GMT+1 – TNT Sports)
(c) Alexandre Pantoja defeats (#10) Steve Erceg via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46) – defends UFC flyweight championship
Jose Aldo defeats (#12) Jonathan Martinez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – bantamweight bout
(#10) Anthony Smith defeats Vitor Petrino via submission (guillotine – 2:00 – R1) – light heavyweight bout
Michel Pereira defeats Ihor Potieria via submission (guillotine – 0:54 – R1) – middleweight bout
(#14) Caio Borralho defeats (#13) Paul Craig via knockout (punches – 2:10 – R2) middleweight bout
Prelims (1am GMT+1 – TNT Sports/UFC Fight Pass)
Joanderson Brito defeats Jack Shore via TKO (doctor stoppage – 3:35 – R2) – featherweight bout
Iasmin Lucindo defeats (#13) Karolina Kowalkiewicz via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – strawweight bout
Myktybek Orolbai defeats Elves Brener via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-27, 29-27)* – lightweight bout
Drakkar Klose defeats Joaquim Silva via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – lightweight bout
Early prelims (11pm GMT+1 – UFC Fight Pass)
Mauricio Ruffy defeats Jamie Mullarkey via TKO (punches – 4:42 – R1) – lightweight bout
Dione Barbosa defeats Ernesta Kareckaite via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28) – flyweight bout
Ismael Bonfim defeats Vinc Pichel via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) – lightweight bout
Alessandro Costa defeats Kevin Borjas via TKO (punches – 1:35 – R2) – flyweight bout
*Orolbai was deducted a point in the third round for a fence grab
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For more UFC 301 content, stay tuned to Violent Money TV.
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