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Moore
Karl Moore - Photo Credit: Dolle Clew / Cage Warriors

Cage Warriors made it’s long awaited return to Ireland with Cage Warriors 81 as Karl Moore would win the newly reintroduced Light-Heavyweight title in a five round battle with former TUF 19 competitor Josh Clark

Cage Warriors 81 took place on Saturday, March 4 at the 3 Arena in Dublin, Ireland. As well as the main event, the rest of the main card saw acclaimed amateur Wendy McKenna fall short in a close three round contest with the returning Catherine Costigan and Lightweight Joe McColgan would fall to his first defeat at the hands of experienced french fighter Arnold Quero.

Karl Moore claims vacant Light-Heavyweight title in bloody battle

Moore would control the earlier rounds of the fight and was dominating both the stand-up and the ground game. Twice he would have “Hillbilly Heartthrob” in trouble with rear-naked-choke attempts that Clark miraculously would escape through fighting Moore’s hands.

The Irishman got into trouble in the fourth round though as a resurgent Clark would break Moore’s nose and seemed to find a second wind. The American would march Moore down and ensured it would go to the final round.

Moore regained his composure and as both men tired out, he started to win the slow exchanges with Clark. Both men would empty the tanks with a flurry at the end but Moore had done more than enough to become the first Cage Warriors Light-Heavyweight champion since Micheal Bisping.

Returning from a long lay off, “Alpha Female” Costigan would show no sign of ring rust as she got through a three round battle with McKenny.

The two atomweights started at a fast and furious pace with the Limerick fighter getting the better of McKenna from the offset. Both women would land nice combinations and flurries throughout with Costigan having the upper hand on the ground.

McKenna would look the worse for wear as the fight progressed and the Irish fighter would get the split decision on home soil.

Joe McColgan would suffer his first professional defeat in a close split decision loss to French striker Arnold Quero.

The Belfast prospect struggled to get a read on the speed of Quero in the first round and ate a lot of shots as he found his timing.

Things improved in the second as McColgan would start landing counters to the head and body and would have success with his takedown attempts.

It was a return to the earlier action in the third though as Quero would again find a home for his counter shots as McColgan chased the victory in front of the Dublin crowd but it wasn’t enough as the judges award it to Quero.

Also on the card, Hakan Foss scored a rear-naked-choke submission win early in the first round over Martyn Harris.

Blaine O’Driscoll would put on an impressive performance on his way to winning by TKO in the second round over fellow countryman Darren O’Gorman. The SBG Bantamweight prospect was lively from the off and his aggressive style was just too much for O’Gorman to handle

Cage Warriors 81 Results

 

Main Card

Cage Warriors Light-Heavyweight Title Bout: Karl Moore (8-1) def. Josh Clark (10-4) via Unanimous Decision (49-45, 50-44, 50-42)

Atomweight Bout: Catherine Costigan (6-2) def. Wendy McKenna (1-1) via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Lightweight Bout: Arnold Quero (14-5, 1 NC) def. Joe McColgan (2-1) via Split Decision (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

Welterweight Bout: Håkon Foss (8-3) def. Martyn Harris (4-3) via Submission (Rear-naked-choke) (3:38 – Round 1)

Bantamweight Bout: Blaine O’Driscoll (4-1) def. Darren O’Gorman (4-2) via KO (3:22 – Round 2)

Prelim Card

Catchweight Bout: Eric Nolan def. Marcin Zemballa via unanimous decision

Welterweight Bout: Maciej Gierszewski def. Romain Bidet via TKO in 4:13 of Rnd 1

Amateur Prelim Card

Welterweight Bout: Ivan Blanita def. Gary Coffey via unanimous decision

Featherweight Bout: Pawel Politylo def. Alex Yankov via unanimous decision

Welterweight Bout: Mark Gallivan def. Makinde Adeyemi via submission (Triangle choke) in 1:46 of Rnd 2

Lightweight Bout: Stephen Treacy def. Francis Treacy via TKO in 2:50 of Rnd 1

Bantamweight Bout: Austin Lynch def. Alex Brophy via TKO in 1:04 of Rnd 1

Featherweight Bout: Mateusz Kopyto def. Colm O’Regan via unanimous decision

Lightweight Bout: Adam Darby def. Leon Hill via unanimous decision

Catchweight Bout: Barry Hanna v Matthew Whyte