Nathan Fletcher seeks a second shot at the Cage Warriors Bantamweight Title after a thrilling first-round dispatch of Holland’s Daan Duijs (8-2-0).
When a staph infection forced Scotland’s Reece McEwan to withdraw from competition, Southport submission specialist Fletcher stood in on five days’ notice to co-headline Cage Warriors 152 at Manchester’s BEC Arena.
Fighting out of Next Generation MMA - whose alumni included UFC superstar’s Paddy ‘The Baddy’ Pimblett and ‘Meatball’ Molly McCann - focused Fletcher wasted no time in implementing his gameplan.
Taking Duijs down halfway through the first round, he swiftly moved to full mount where a tight arm triangle looked to finish the 135lb Dutchman.
After initially refusing to nap or tap, the subsequent scramble forced Duijs into Fletcher’s signature triangle choke trap – resulting in a submission with less than a minute left of the opening session.
Speaking exclusively to the ECHO, the highly-touted prospect reflected on an emphatic win:
“I know that I’m cutting no corners, I’ve put my life and soul into this game,” said Fletcher.
“If someone has to be the best in the world, why can’t it be me?
“After beating Alessandro Giordano and ‘8 and 1’ (wins/losses) Daan Duijs in the first round, having beat everyone else that I’ve beat and dominating Dom Wooding for three rounds before getting caught - look at my resume.
“Who else deserves a title shot as much as me in this division? I don’t think anyone does.”
Despite Fletcher’s crowning victory, the night proved a chequered affair for other Merseyside combatants.
Earlier on the card, previously unbeaten Next Generation MMA teammate Adam Cullen’s string of first-round wins came to a climactic conclusion.
After contending well in the first two frames, the full-time oil refinery worker was knocked unconscious by Italian Dumitru Girlean in the starting seconds of the third.
“From what I’ve heard, he was going well when he got caught with a shot,” informed Fletcher.
“But this is fighting, this happens.
“Adam witnessed me cage side getting knocked out by Dom Wooding two years ago, and we shared a moment backstage crying for each other.
“I’m not invested in anybody else’s career more than Adam Cullen.
“We started together in a small gym in Southport, we moved to Next Gen together.
“We’ve been in fights together, cut weight together. We’ve been through the highs and lows of the sport.
“I’m obviously gonna sit down with Adam after this, console him, be a shoulder to cry on if he needs, and support him and lift him up like he did for me when I faced my defeat.”
Elsewhere, heavy favourite Luke Riley overcame three knockdowns to outwork late ‘stand-in’ Kallum Parker and claim a unanimous decision in a ‘Fight of the Night’.
Bloodied veteran Gavin ‘Big Tasty’ Hughes faltered in a hard-fought rematch with Chris Bungard, the two now tied with one win apiece.
