Cage Warriors The Trilogy 4 recap and results: Three new champions crowned in three events

Cage Warriors 125: Ian Garry bags welterweight title after unanimous decision win over Jack Grant

Undefeated Irish prospect Ian Garry secured one of the most coveted belts in European MMA on Saturday when he earned a unanimous decision win over Jack Grant in the main event of Cage Warriors 125.

Widely considered one of Ireland’s best budding MMA talents since Conor McGregor, Garry was able to win each round against Cage Warriors mainstay Grant in the mind of the judges.

Having never competed in a five-round contest before, “The Future” passed that condition test with ease and appeared comfortable in all areas against the more experienced Grant.

On the feet, it was evident Garry had a distinct advantage in the striking stakes against his English opponent, while he was able to fend off the submission attempts thrown his way on the ground.

What’s more impressive is that he put on this performance following a turbulent week leading into the biggest fight of his career so far.

Rumours swirled that Garry had split with his team, Team KF, and he had to scramble to find cornermen. For the fight, he was coached along by Cage Warriors competitor Paul Hughes.

Despite that setback, Garry looked composed en route to lifting Cage Warriors welterweight gold – a belt previously lifted by countryman Cathal Pendred and future UFC title challenger Dan Hardy.

Cage Warriors 124: Joe McColgan submits Agy Sardari to become new lightweight champion

Belfast’s Joe McColgan became a Cage Warriors lightweight champion on Friday night with a submission win over titleholder Agy Sardari at London’s York Hall.

It was second time lucky for McColgan, who lost his first title challenge to Mason Jones on short notice in March 2020 against Mason Jones, who has since signed with UFC.

McColgan looked in decent shape and was able to dictate where the fight went against Sardari, whose takedown attempts were rebuffed the 34-year-old.

Sardari was coming off worse in almost every striking exchange and it was another stuffed takedown that was Ardari’s undoing in the third round.

As McColgan expertly defended a single leg takedown, he snaked his left arm under Sardari’s neck for a guillotine choke that looked tight immediately. McColgan followed Ardari down to the mat with that choke still secured, forcing the tap.

With that, McColgan became the first Irishman to become Cage Warriors lightweight champion since Conor McGregor.

Cage Warriors 123: Matthew Bonner taps Nathias Frederick to life middleweight gold

Cage Warriors kicked off The Trilogy 4 on Thursday night with Cage Warriors 123 and a new middleweight champion was crowned in East London’s York Hall.

In the night’s main event, Nathias Frederick was looking to make the second defence of his title at 185 pounds, but Matthew Bonner had other ideas.

Bonner clearly had the grappling advantage and looked stronger than Frederick in the clinch and on the ground, while the champion looked the more confident in the striking stakes.

“The Beast” controlled much of the first round, landing a takedown and taking full mount to throw down some ground and pound in the opening five minutes’ most notable action.

Frederick seemed to be in a better rhythm in the second, but was deducted a point by the referee after driving an illegal knee into Bonner’s head while he was pinned against the cage and down on one knee.

With a point deducted and his future as a champion in doubt, Frederick started the third stanza strongly and was able to land punches on Bonner, but the challenger was once again able to rally and use his grappling advantage to nullify his opponent’s striking skills to end another round on top on the ground.

The fourth round saw the fight’s finish as Bonner’s ground game paid off in a big way.

With around a minute remaining of the fourth round, Frederick was happy to stay in Bonner’s guard to rain down punches and elbows with his opponent pinned against the fence.

Bonner was able to create some space to scramble out of that precarious position and wound up taking Frederick’s back. From there, Bonner quickly slipped his arm under Frederick’s chin for a rear-naked choke attempt and, using his hand-to-hand grip, he was able to force Frederick to tap.

With that win, Bonner extended his winning run to four in a row, snapped Frederick’s nine-fight unbeaten streak, and lifted Cage Warriors gold. Not a bad night’s work.

Cage Warriors 125 full results