Cage Warriors 96 Results: Soren Bak defeats Paddy Pimblett for the vacant lightweight title
Cage Warriors crowned two new world champions at Cage Warriors 96 on Saturday night at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. Soren Bak defeated Paddy Pimblett to capture the vacant Cage Warriors lightweight title in the main event. Jonas Billstein defeated late replacement Mick Stanton to win the recently vacated middleweight title.
Soren Bak beats Paddy Pimblett to win vacant Cage Warriors lightweight title
Soren “The True Viking” Bak invaded Liverpool’s shores and left with the biggest prize in European MMA after defeating local hero Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett. The fighters battled back and forth in a thrilling five-round war. Bak found himself in a dangerous position early in the first round when Paddy threatened with an extremely tight rear-naked choke. The Dane survived the submission attempt and some strikes on the ground to make it out of the first round.
The True Viking appeared to be moments away from a TKO stoppage in the final seconds of the fifth round. Bak rained down hammer fists and punches from the mount, while referee Marc Goddard moved in to have a closer look at Pimblett.
The judges scored the fight 48-44, 48-45, 48-46 for the new Cage Warriors Lightweight Champion Soren Bak.
(Photo by Francis Mormah – UK Fight Site.com)
Cage Warriors 96 Highlights
- Jonas Billstein defeated Mick Stanton for the vacant Cage Warriors middleweight title after Lee Chadwick failed to make championship weight. Stanton was originally scheduled to face Mush Aslani on the undercard but the fight was scrapped due to medical issues. Billstein took Stanton down and submitted him with a rear-naked choke in the first round.
- Jack Grant (15-4) absolutely tore the house down and put himself into lightweight title contention with a stunning TKO against Aleksi Mantykivi. The 26 year was on the receiving end of an eye poke and right hand on the affected eye, which seemed to stop him in his tracks. Grant recovered and brutalised Mantykivi with nasty elbows and a left hand that forced the referee to stop the fight. The AVT representative is now on a 6 fight winning streak with 5 wins coming within the distance.
- Former Cage Warriors welterweight champion Nicolas Dalby (15-3-1) returned to the promotion looking to rebound from his first 3-fight losing streak in his career. Dalby caught Roberto Allegretti with a highlight reel head kick and finished with a rear naked choke.
- Former BAMMA lightweight champion Tim Barnett (5-1-1) made his Cage Warriors debut against Matthew Bonner. Barnett looked impressive throughout the fight with crisp body shots which forced Bonner to look for takedowns. The pair battled to a majority draw after Barnett had a point deducted in the third round for repeatedly grabbing the cage.
- Sam Creasey (9-2) got back in the win column with an impressive first-round TKO stoppage against Conor Hignett. Creasey took Hignett down early and methodically punished his opponent until the referee stepped in.
- Liam Gittens looked like a total wrecking machine in the cage on Saturday night.
(Photo by Francis Mormah – UK Fight Site.com)
Cage Warriors 96 Main Card Results
Lightweight: Soren Bak defeated Paddy Pimblett via unanimous decision (48-44, 48-45, 48-46)
Middleweight: Jonas Billstein defeated Mick Stanton via submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 1 at 3:23
Lightweight: Jack Grant defeated Aleksi Mantykivi via TKO (elbows and punch) in Round 1 at 4:03
Welterweight: Nicolas Dalby defeated Roberto Allegretti via submission (rear-naked choke) in Round 2 at 0:50
Welterweight: Tim Barnett vs Matt Bonner – Majority draw (28-27 Barnett, 28-28, 28-28)
Cage Warriors 96 Preliminary Card Results
Lightweight: Mahmod Faour defeated Elliot Jenkins via TKO (punches) in Round 2 at 2:49
Flyweight: Sam Creasey defeated Conor Hignett via TKO (punches) in Round 1 at 4:03
Lightweight: Mehdi Ben Lakhdhar defeated Anthony O’Connor via TKO (punches) in Round 1 at 3:21
Flyweight: Liam Gittins defeated Kevin Cordero Lopez via TKO (punches) in Round 1 at 4:36
Cage Warriors 96 – one-minute highlight
