Nik Bagley Smothers Solomon Simon To Win Featherweight Title at Cage Warriors 200
Headlining Cage Warriors 200 is a fight that would not be out of place on a UFC card. Solomon Simon against Nik Bagley is arguably not just for the featherweight title but for a UFC opportunity simultaneously.
Bagley started the bout quickly landing a good leg kick and a takedown in the first 30 seconds. The Englishman climbed onto the back but Simon manoeuvred out to a clinch against the cage. Bagley pushed the pace continuously clinching searching for takedowns with a clear game plan of keeping his opponent on his chest. Simon just missed with a couple of uppercuts in the round as Bagley enters.
Early in the second a cut on the right eye of Bagley appeared as potential target for Simon to aim for. However, Bagley secured the takedown in the centre of the cage very early in Round 2. Holding dominant position for most of the round, the boos rung around the arena as their fighter appeared stuck on bottom position. In the final minute of the round Bagley pushed for a submission but did not get it.
The challenger again shot for a takedown almost immediately out the corner and the champion found himself once again under drowning pressure from Bagley. Wearing the challenger like a backpack the life in the arena was slowly fading as Bagley was exhausting the champion with a wrestling masterclass. At the end of the third round the champion has only had flashes in a fight that many thought would be razor close.
Both men were entering the championship rounds for the first time in their careers. The fear of the takedown was clear to see as Simon struggled to hold his ground as Bagley continued to press him against the cage. Marc Goddard was keeping a close eye throughout the round separating the fighters on multiple occasions as the stalling continued.
In Round 5 chaos ensued as it was Bagley who caught Simon flush with a check hook putting the Irishman on skates. No finish came from it but a dominant grappling position unsurprisingly did. Taking the back of the champion after dominating the first four rounds the confidence was following through the Englishman as he searched for a choke. Miraculously Simon swivelled into mount and rained down blows with moments left in the title fight but it was never going to be enough.
Nik Bagley drowned champion Solomon Simon for five rounds and won a unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46)
