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In a way, it was a bittersweet experience for the crowd that eagerly awaited Nathaniel Wood’s turn in the cage at The O2 in London.
Sure, they got to cheer as the local product violently confirmed his 135-pound reign. But they didn’t even get a full minute of action out of the champion, courtesy of a thunderous left hand.
Wood (13-3) met Lucas Iovine (12-2) in the final bout of Cage Warriors’ 12-fight “Super Saturday” event, which featured two separate main cards and three title fights. Both cards streamed live on UFC Fight Pass, following preliminary fights on Facebook.
The defending champ and the challenger, who was making his promotional debut, wasted no time getting down to business as soon as the buzzer signaled the start of the fight. Out of a brief exchange in the pocket, though, came a hand that landed flush on Iovine’s jaw.
Iovine immediately stiffened up, falling face-first on the floor and rendering any follow-up blows unnecessary.
WOW! Nathaniel Wood with an absolute peach of a left hook and the man with the most out of date nickname in MMA @TheProspectMMA gets a huge KO win. #SuperSaturday #CW92 @CageWarriors pic.twitter.com/etbFnF4IPx
— Simon Head (@simonhead) March 24, 2018
This was 24-year-old Wood’s second title defense and third straight fight to end in a knockout win. Wood hasn’t been to a third round since July 2016, when he finished Chase Morton with a submission choke. Asked what’s next, Wood kept it concise.
“I have no idea,” Wood said with a smile. “Whomever you want me to knock out next.”
In the co-main event, Craig White (14-7) had to eat some mean knees but managed to assert his dominance on the ground en route to a second-round submission win over Alex Montagnani (10-3). He remains unbeaten in four Cage Warriors outings – all of which were finishes. In the fight before, Jack Shore (8-0) bested a game Vaughan Lee (14-14) to stay unbeaten in his pro MMA career.
In the first fight of the night’s second portion, Dean Trueman (8-4) and promotional newcomer Corrin Eaton (9-3) brought the heat with an exciting, eventful, three-round featherweight clash. Trueman walked away victorious, bouncing back from a loss and snapping Eaton’s three-fight streak in the process.
What a fight to kick off the second main card of the night here at #CW92 on #UFCFIGHTPASS! pic.twitter.com/jtrTW3vC8z
— UFC Fight Pass (@UFCFightPass) March 24, 2018
Karl Moore’s hopes of becoming Cage Warriors’ first two-division champion since Conor McGregor were short-lived. More specifically, they lived for all of 15 seconds
After landing some early shots against defending heavyweight champion Mauro Cerilli (12-2) in the first main card of today’s Cage Warriors 92, Moore (8-2) soon found himself on the more unfortunate end of the offense. It was a big right hand to the temple by Cerilli against the cage, followed by two knees and yet another precise right hand, that sealed the deal in the heavyweight encounter.
Champ Cerilli, who’d captured the promotion’s heavyweight title last November, has improved his streak to five straight wins. Moore had a three-fight streak snapped and failed to stake his claim in promotional history – but if it’s any consolation, at least he’s still got his light-heavyweight title to admire when he gets home.
@MauroCerilli is not messing around! The @CageWarriors heavyweight champ takes down the light heavyweight champ QUICKLY at #CW92! pic.twitter.com/1kQR1ezYcG
— UFC Fight Pass (@UFCFightPass) March 24, 2018
For a while there, it seemed Sam Creasey’s (9-2) takedown game and top control would be too much for Nathan Greyson (6-2) to handle. Little did Creasey know, one of the takedown attempts would prove to be his undoing late in the third round
Greyson had spent the majority of Round 1 struggling under fellow vacant flyweight title hopeful Creasey, who clearly wanted to take no chances on the feet. In a battle that had the referee constantly asking for more action, things started changing a little by the end of Round 2.
In Round 3, Greyson pounced: After finishing a scramble on top, his patience paved the way for the flurry of elbows that sealed the win in the co-main event of Cage Warriors 92’s first main card. The ref stepped in at the 4:23 mark to crown a new flyweight champion.
.@NathanGreyson1 finds his opening and gets it done in the final minute of the third round! He is your @CageWarriors flyweight champion! #CW92 pic.twitter.com/8VR7AKfsBf
— UFC Fight Pass (@UFCFightPass) March 24, 2018
While that’s quite an impressive achievement for a promotional newcomer, Greyson said it was nothing more than what he already expected.
“We never came here to take part, we came here to (expletive) (expletive) up,” Greyson said.
A level change, followed by a successful takedown by Creasey early in Round 1 would serve as a fitting introduction for what would come next. After a body lock got Greyson right where he wanted, Creasey stayed heavy on top. After a few attempts to muscle his way out, Greyson finally managed to get up. That was short-lived, though, as Creasey landed yet another takedown – this time, flattening Greyson to the mat. Creasey created some distance to return with blows, which allowed Greyson to get back up, but it was a clear Creasey round as the two ended the round pressed against the fence.
Greyson had a better start to Round 2, managing to press Creasey against the cage, but soon a reversal led to a scenario similar than that of the initial round. Creasey got the takedown and stayed heavy on top, but the lack of offense had the ref calling for action. Greyson once more managed to get back to his feet, with brief control against the cage, but was once more muscled to the ground. Again, Creasey had side control, but Greyson finally manage to free himself and land on top for the first time. Creasey attempted a kneebar late in the round, but Greyson escaped and stayed on top until the bell rang.
By the time Round 3 rolled in, it was clear Creasey wanted no business on the feet. He was quick to muscle Greyson to the ground and establish side control again. When the ref asked for more action, though, Greyson was more than willing to give it: He reversed and landed on top. Creasey’s guard, however, made that a hard task and the two were eventually back up. Greyson even trie a takedown of his own, but a threat to his neck made him reconsider. The ref once more asked for more action, before the two were back at the center of the cage. Greyson landed a solid spinning kick, which Creasy ate and pressed forward. But it was a takedown by Creasey that created the opportunity Greuyson was looking for: After coming out of a scramble on top, he managed to find the elbows that prompted the ref to step in and stop the bout.
Full “Cage Warriors 92: Super Saturday” results include:
For additional coverage of Cage Warriors 92, check out the MMA Events section of the site.
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