Andy Clamp completed a remarkable career renaissance to stop Matty Byfield and capture the vacant Cage Warriors light heavyweight title at Cage Warriors 168 in Manchester.
Struggles getting cleared to compete in MMA saw Clamp’s career hit a hiatus in 2018, despite a two-year, five-fight unbeaten streak. After a lot of work away from the cage to get himself cleared to compete in the cage again – something longtime Cage Warriors commentator Brad Wharton referred to in his post-fight commentary – Clamp made his return almost four years later and picked up a 28-second knockout on the regional scene for the Full Contact Contender promotion in June 2022.
After that victory, Clamp signed for Cage Warriors in a bid to make up for lost time, but any hopes of a flying start were shut down with a first-round stoppage defeat to American contender Chuck Campbell at Cage Warriors 146.
Undeterred, Clamp returned at Cage Warriors 156 in top form and finished the undefeated Ghassan Abdenabi via first-round submission to put himself right in the frame for a shot at the vacant 205-pound title.
His matchup with Byfield was originally booked for Cage Warriors 156 last November, but injury to Byfield forced the bout to be pushed back.
When the pair eventually did step into the cage, it was Clamp’s top game that proved the difference maker as he ground down Byfield, then finished his exhausted rival with ground strikes to complete a remarkable story and claim Cage Warriors championship gold in the 10th year of his professional career.
Riley impresses, again
In the co-main event, English featherweight contender Luke Riley produced yet another eye-catching performance as he defeated American veteran John De Jesus by unanimous decision in their 145-pound bout.
Riley took his time to assess his timing and range as De Jesus settled into his boxing a little quicker. But once he found his rhythm, the Widnes man let his strikes fly, and connected with relentless frequency.
Riley boxed up De Jesus throughout the three rounds, putting some beautiful combinations together along the way as he mixed things up from the head to the body to good effect.
Indeed, it looked like Riley had De Jesus hurt to the body early in the third round, but despite pushing hard for the finish, the wily veteran showed his toughness to stay in the fight, while still firing back with dangerous punches, knees and head kicks of his own.
Riley seemed in total control, but there was a moment of concern in the final minute of the fight, as a big knee to the body from De Jesus appeared to damage the Englishman, who was forced onto the back foot for the remaining seconds of the fight.
When the scorecards were read, all three judges gave all three rounds to Riley, who moved on to 9-0 after the latest high-quality performance of his career.
Cohen edges Cullen via split decision
The first of the night’s two featured lightweight bouts saw a razor-close decision go the way of Israel’s Harel Cohen, who edged out Liverpool’s Adam Cullen after three keenly-contested rounds.
Both men had their successes over the course of the 15-minute scrap and both fighters ended the bout exhausted after a gruelling encounter. When the scorecards were totalled, it was Cohen who got the split-decision nod with scores of 28-29, 29-28, 29-28 handing him a big-name victory on his Cage Warriors debut.
Giordano prevails after bloody war
The card also saw an all-out war between bantamweights Sam Kelly and Alessandro Giordano, with the Italian 135er claiming a big third-round stoppage to claim the seventh win of his pro career.
The pair traded leather through a breathless encounter that left both men, the canvas, and the commentary team covered in blood. But, by the mid-way point of the final round, Giordano’s heavier striking had started to take its toll.
The native of Naples, Italy poured on the pressure and, with referee Rich Mitchell warning Kelly he had to fight back, Giordano connected with a huge left hook to send the Englishman into the cage fence. Giordano closed in to land more punches, but Mitchell smartly dived between them to wave off the fight at the 4:17 mark of the final frame.
Gittins defends his title
The main card kicked off with a five-round war for the bantamweight title, as Liam Gittins wore down, then finished, Roberto Hernandez to retain the title in his first defence of the Cage Warriors 135-pound championship.
Hernandez took the fight to Gittins early, using some slick boxing and dangerous grappling to put the champion on the back foot. The most precarious moment of the matchup for Gittins came when BJJ black belt Hernandez attempted to lock up a heel hook on the Next Generation MMA man. In a dangerous spot and his title reign at risk, Gittins focused on clearing his knee in order to release the pressure, before working his way free.
Then, having snuffed out Hernandez’s best chance of victory, Gittins went to work on the feet as he methodically broke down his man with pressure striking. Gittins used his jab to snap back Hernandez’s head, went downstairs to punish him to the body, and utilised his calf kicks to destroy the American’s lead leg.
By the fifth round, Gittins was well on top, and it was just a question of whether he could earn a final-round finish, or whether Hernandez could survive to the scorecards. In the end, it was the former, as Gittins took the action to the mat, moved to Hernandez’s back and locked up a rear-naked choke to draw the tap at the 1:48 mark.
Preliminary card roundup
The prelims saw a pair of rising prospects claim impressive inside-the-distance wins, as flyweight Fran Breen and middleweight Tom Nicholls-Burton extended their undefeated records.
Next Generation MMA’s Breen moved to 2-0, with a relentless salvo of strikes eventually overwhelming Costin Buhna early in the third round of their 125-pound matchup, while Nicholls-Burton locked up a heel hook to force the tap from Craig Rawlins in the third round of their 185-pound bout.
The night’s other preliminary card finish came in the opening bout of the evening, as Mario Mingaj finished Qendrim Pallata with a second-round triangle choke.
Cage Warriors 168: Official results
MAIN CARD
- Andy Clamp def. Matty Byfield via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 3:06 – for vacant light heavyweight title
- Luke Riley def. John De Jesus via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- James Power def. Gianluca Rocca via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
- Harel Cohen def. Adam Cullen via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
- Alessandro Giordano def. Sam Kelly via TKO (punches) – Round 3. 4:17
- Liam Gittins def. Roberto Hernandez via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 5, 1:48 – for bantamweight title
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Tom Nicholls-Burton def. Craig Rawlins via submission (heel hook) – Round 3, 1:49
- Antonio Sheldon def. Tom Mearns via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Andy Yates def. Christian Tebbett via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Michelangelo Lupoli def. Sheldon Ryan via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
- Fran Breen def. Costin Buhna via TKO (punches) – Round 3, 1:21
- Mario Mingaj def. Qendrim Pallata via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 4:25
