‘The Plank’ headlined the show with a masterclass in striking as he mixed up his shots from legs to head kicks on course to a 3rd round TKO via doctor’s stoppage.
Speaking on the performance, Dana White said he put on a ‘Absolute Masterclass’ with a ‘Surgical’ performance which gave him no option but to hand the rising prospect a spot in his welterweight division.
The UFC president then congratulated the Irishman on becoming the latest CW alumn to graduate from Europe’s Leading MMA promotion.
Darby had entered the bout at 7-1 with a 86% finish rate that saw him raise his reputation as a fan favourite among CW fans worldwide.
His most recent performance in the famous Yellow Gloves coming on our landmark 200th event in Dublin where he called out Sean Shelby for a UFC opportunity before earning himself a Performance of the Night bonus.
He now enters the UFC welterweight division alongside former CW interim 170lbs champion Sean Clancy Jr. who won a contract on the last week’s addition of the show.
Replay Dana White’s Contender Series in full exclusively on UFC Fight Pass
]]>The 23-year-old Scot delivered a statement performance at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Tuesday night, stopping Gary Balletto via second-round TKO to maintain his perfect professional record and earn a UFC contract.
Clancy Jr. entered the bout with an unbeaten 8-0 record, having finished every one of his professional opponents.
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From the opening bell, “The One” showcased the pressure, composure and finishing ability that have made him one of the most exciting prospects to emerge from the Cage Warriors ranks in recent years.
After establishing his striking and grappling throughout the opening round, Clancy Jr. took control in the second, eventually forcing the stoppage with a barrage of elbows to secure the biggest victory of his career.
The victory extended Clancy Jr.’s perfect professional record to 9-0, with all nine of his victories coming inside the distance.
From Cage Warriors To The UFC
Clancy Jr. joined Cage Warriors in 2023 and quickly established himself as one of the promotion’s most dangerous young talents.
After picking up a string of finishes under the famous Yellow Gloves, the Paisley native captured the Cage Warriors interim welterweight world championship in December 2025, stopping Melvin van Suijdam via second-round TKO at CW 199 in Newcastle.
He was subsequently scheduled to unify the welterweight titles against Justin Burlinson at CW 205 in Glasgow, before Burlinson was forced to withdraw from the contest on fight day.
With his UFC opportunity now secured, Clancy Jr. becomes the latest Cage Warriors champion to make the jump to the world’s premier MMA organisation.
His journey from promising prospect to undefeated world champion and now UFC athlete is another example of the pathway Cage Warriors provides for the next generation of MMA stars.
A New Chapter Begins
Clancy Jr.’s UFC contract was one of five handed out following Week 3 of Dana White’s Contender Series, with all five winners earning a place on the UFC roster.
Now, with his UFC contract secured, “The One” will turn his attention towards the next chapter of his career – and the biggest challenge yet.
Congratulations, Sean Clancy Jr. – from Cage Warriors interim welterweight champion to UFC athlete.
]]>The 29-year-old steps up on short notice to take on veteran Long Xiao live from the Shanghai Indoor Stadium at UFC Fight Night: Nurmagomedov vs. Song this weekend.
Opportunity knocks for the Italian having suffered a tormenting start to the year which saw his highly anticipated first main event in the Yellow Gloves end in a highly controversial and anticlimactic fashion with a no-contest called.
Fighting out of Aurora MMA, Nuzzi boasts an 11-2 professional record and a 72% finish rate. He now looks to make his mark on the biggest stage as he swaps the Yellow Gloves for the Black Gloves of the UFC.
Everyone at Cage Warriors wishes Francesco the very best ahead of Saturday night!
]]>Following multiple critically lauded events in The Toon since their acclaimed return in November 2024, the promotion will present CW Newcastle live on UFC Fight Pass come Saturday, December 5th.
Our last visit to the arena was in early July when George Hardwick took charge of his second main event in what has become his home show for the fighter hailing from Middlesbrough.
Newcastle has hosted some of the biggest names to strap on the famous Yellow Gloves including most notably Stevie Ray, Sean Clancy Jr., Chris Bungard and Justin Burlinson.
Tickets for the event are set to be released soon; in the meantime fans can sign up using the form below to be first in line!
With a host of elite and up-and-coming north east talent sent to test their mettle against opposition from the UK, Europe and beyond, fans can expect another thrilling night of action in the CW cage.
Fighters and bouts will be announced in due course via our social channels. Fans can catch all the action live on UFC Fight Pass!
]]>Darby will take on Patrick Rivera at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on September 1, with a coveted UFC contract on the line.
The 27-year-old enters the biggest fight of his career riding a six-fight winning streak and boasting a professional record of 7-1, with six of his seven victories coming inside the distance. Fighting out of Team Ryano MMA, Darby has established himself as one of Ireland’s most exciting welterweight prospects since making his professional debut with Cage Warriors in 2022.
His latest victory came at the landmark CW 200 Dublin in February, where Darby delivered a statement performance against Thiago Habib, securing a first-round Ninja Choke in just 1:22. The victory earned him a Cage Warriors Performance of the Night bonus and extended his winning streak to six.
Darby’s rise through the Cage Warriors ranks has seen him collect notable finishes over the likes of Robert Alexandru Constantin, Tato Primera, Thorsten Jakobs and Jack Tucker, alongside a unanimous decision victory over Tomasz Łangowski. His only professional defeat came in his third professional outing against Mush Aslani at CW 147.
Standing at 6’3”, the Dublin native will now make the trip to Las Vegas with an opportunity to join the growing list of Cage Warriors athletes who have used the promotion as a springboard to the UFC.
Standing opposite him will be Patrick Rivera, who brings a 13-4 professional record and a six-fight winning streak of his own into the contest. The American welterweight has won five of his last six fights by stoppage, setting the stage for a high-stakes clash between two of the division’s most dangerous finishers.
With a UFC contract up for grabs, Darby will headline Dana White’s Contender Series Week 4 on September 1, live from the UFC APEX in Las Vegas.
A victory would see “The Plank” take the next step in his remarkable journey and potentially become the latest Cage Warriors standout to earn a place on the UFC roster.
Dana White’s Contender Series Week 4 takes place on September 1, with Darby vs Rivera headlining the card. The event will be available to watch live on UFC Fight Pass.
]]>The Scotsman will feature in Week 3 of the summer series, where he will take on Gary Balleto with a UFC contract on the line, live from the UFC APEX.
A CW world champion, Clancy Jr. earned his interim title following a demolition job of challenger Melvin van Suijdam in December 2025, stopping him via second-round knockout.
He was then scheduled to face Justin Burlinson in a unification title fight on April 25 at CW 205 Glasgow, before the bout was pulled on the day after Burlinson was forced to withdraw.
Fighting out of Paisley, Scotland, the 23-year-old boasts a 100% finishing rate across his eight professional fights, with six of those bouts taking place under the famous Yellow Gloves.
You can watch Clancy Jr. live on UFC Fight Pass on August 25 at around midnight, where he is expected to feature in the co-main event.
]]>The 36-year-old announced earlier this week that he had come to the decision to step away from competition having achieved a long-term goal of becoming a two-weight world champion.
In a statement shared on Instagram, Webb reflected on his career, saying:
“Becoming a two weight Cage Warriors World Champion, winning the middleweight title in 2019 and the light heavyweight title in 2024 with a successful defence, is something I will always be proud of.
Alongside being the main event for the first Cage Warriors Colchester show in 2018.”
Webb first strapped on the famous Yellow Gloves in 2017 in only his second pro fight before going on a run that saw him collect four wins in a row followed by the middleweight strap in 2019.
He would then challenge for the 185lbs title for a second time in 2023, before moving up to light heavyweight in his quest for two-weight success and accomplishing it at CW 180 in 2024 against Andy Clamp.
A successful title defence would follow in what would turn out to be the final bout of his illustrious career going out on top against UFC veteran John Allan in the co-main event of CW 188 Dublin in April, 2025.
A two-weight world champion, multiple-time title challenger and one of the promotion’s most accomplished athletes, Webb leaves behind a lasting legacy in Cage Warriors.
Everyone at Cage Warriors would like to thank James Webb for his incredible contributions to the promotion and the sport.
We wish him every success in the next chapter of his career and look forward to welcoming him back to future events as both a fan and a CW legend.
]]>Following another hugely successful year of events across the UK and Europe, Cage Warriors will once again make its way to the 0161, returning to one of its most established and recognisable venues for another night of world-class mixed martial arts action.
The November event will mark Cage Warriors’ third visit to Manchester in 2026, further cementing the city’s position as a key destination on the organisation’s event calendar. The BEC Arena has played host to some of the biggest and most memorable moments in Cage Warriors history, with the organisation continuing to showcase the very best emerging talent from the UK, Ireland and across Europe.
Fans can expect another action-packed evening, with a host of highly talented fighters set to compete inside the world-famous Cage Warriors cage. With athletes continuing to use the promotion as a platform to establish themselves on the international stage, the Manchester event will once again provide an opportunity to witness the next generation of MMA stars in action.
Further details surrounding the fight card, including the fighters set to compete on November 28th, will be announced.
With Cage Warriors’ previous visits to Manchester consistently attracting passionate crowds, anticipation is already building ahead of the organisation’s latest return to the city. Fans are encouraged to secure their tickets early to avoid missing out on what promises to be another memorable night of MMA action.
Cage Warriors returns to the BEC Arena, Manchester, on Saturday, November 28th.
]]>The programme returns on Sunday, November 29th, live from the BEC Arena in Manchester, completing a triple-header of Cage Warriors events, alongside CW Unplugged and CW Manchester.
It will serve as the ultimate development platform for amateur fighters, offering a truly elite competitive experience. By competing at the event, athletes will:
- Receive the official Cage Warriors Amateur Yellow Gloves
- Step into the famous Cage Warriors Octagon
- Make the walk in front of a passionate Cage Warriors crowd
- Gain access to exclusive, limited-edition event merchandise
- Compete for a comprehensive range of prizes awarded to main card winners
Amateur fighters can now register their interest by completing the official registration form here.
Be sure to follow Cage Warriors’ Amateur Academy on social media for the latest updates and announcements.
Middleweight champion Paddy McCorry will defend his world title for the first time against Brazilian veteran Julio Spadaccini live from the RDS Arena on September 26.
Tickets for CW 210 Dublin are available here!
McCorry (8-1) captured gold on our landmark 200th event in our previous visit to ‘Baile Átha Cliath‘ via a first-round finish in what was a monumental moment in CW history.
The Fight Academy Ireland prospect, who fights out of Belfast, has amassed plenty of high-level experience, having previously competed on both Dana White’s Contender Series and The Ultimate Fighter.
Julio Spadaccini (10-4) boasts a 90% finish rate and enters the bout on a two-fight winning streak, with both victories coming by first-round finish.
Fighting out of Team Lucas Mineiro in São Paulo, Brazil, Spadaccini has trained alongside Kevin Vallejos, as well as fellow UFC athletes Andre Lima and Tallison Teixeira.
“CW 200 Dublin was one of the biggest events in European MMA history, and we’re only just getting started,” said CW President Graham Boylan.
“We’re excited to return to Dublin with one of Irish MMA’s biggest stars, Paddy McCorry, as he looks to deliver another statement performance and strengthen his case for a UFC call-up at The RDS.”
“Our draft continues to showcase the next generation of Irish talent, with rising stars including Conor McCarthy, Keith Keogh and Maximus Lally all set to compete on September 26th.”
Tickets for Cage Warriors Dublin are available now, with the entire event airing live on UFC Fight Pass. Further bouts will be announced in due course.