George Hardwick set to defend lightweight title at Cage Warriors 152

Cage Warriors lightweight champion George Hardwick will put his title on the line in the main event of Cage Warriors 152 on April 15.

The event will see Cage Warriors head back to the BEC Arena, home to the promotion during the pandemic, with the venue forming part of a COVID-safe bubble in order to allow the organization to host five consecutive events in 2020.

Now, after a successful double-header in April last year, Cage Warriors returns to Manchester for Cage Warriors 152, with 155-pound champ Hardwick looking to defend his belt for the second time.

Middlesbrough’s Hardwick has lost just once in his career, and is riding a seven-fight win streak, with his last two outings producing body-shot stoppage victories as he finished Kyle Driscoll to capture the vacant lightweight strap at Cage Warriors 141, then Chris Bungard to defend the belt at Cage Warriors 147.

Hardwick will look to extend his winning run when he takes on Luxembourg’s Yann Liasse, who earned his shot at the lightweight title with a six-fight unbeaten run that stretches back to April 2021.

Liasse has a record of 9-1, and most recently competed for Polish promotion KSW, where he went undefeated, with victories over Oskar Szczepaniak, Hubert Szymajda and Adrian Gralak. Now he’s set to make his Cage Warriors debut against Hardwick as he goes for championship gold in his first appearance on UK soil.

“George Hardwick has proved himself against top lightweights from the USA and UK to win and defend his title,” said Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan, via press release.

“Now it’s time for him to test his mettle against one the best Europe has to offer in Yann Liasse.

“Both these guys are proven finishers wherever the action goes. The only prediction I’m going to make for this fight is that the fans in Manchester will be on their feet by the time it’s over!”