The UFC returns to London this weekend with a Fight Night event in the O2 Arena on March 22.
With former Welterweight Champion Leon Edwards looking for a statement in the main event, the map is stacked with some of the best talent in the region.
In recent years, the capital has produced a few classic nights with a certain event in March 2022, making Dana White Voiceless.
A hunter who will compete this Saturday evening is certainly no stranger to taking the walk in his hometown.
Nathaniel Wood has experienced a number of difficult moments that White has credited with saving his career, but when it comes to the Octagon, 'The Prospect' fight has been tested.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
Nathaniel Wood stops Josh Reed at Cage Warriors 86 in an opening round of Barnburner
Nathaniel Wood in London has had a number of great fights during his time in the UFC, but nothing can compare with one of his title defenses in Cage Warriors.
Before he signed at the UFC in 2018, Wood ruled as a bantam weight champion of the European promotion after winning the empty title in June 2017.
The same title was also held by people like Brett Johns, Jack Shore and Caolan Loughran who all went to the Octagon after keeping the gold.
Only a few months after he became the champion, Wood was in training of Indigo on the O2 in his first defending defense, the same location that will organize Cage Warriors 186 on March 21.
The most important event of Cage Warriors 86 saw the champion under the unbeaten Welshman and teammate of Shore, Josh 'Crazy Horse', who fought his nickname in the opening minute of the fight.
A short feeling for the out process lasted less than a minute with the challenger who started to swarm his opponent by letting his hands go with fast combinations.
Several shots came through and just past the moment that Mark, the champion looked hurt when he stumbled backwards several times while trying to grab his opponent.
Referee Marc Goddard warned Wood to fight back and he did exactly that, a perfect left corner drove on while the Welshman continued to throw with reckless surrender.
The defensive title holder made a few more shots here and there, but this did not stop him from turning the tide with a large knee and punch combination to force the interruption with more than half the first round to go.
In his interview after the fight, Wood gave a casual reaction to one of the best fights that the promotion has ever seen.
“I am a Londoner, that's what we do.”
Wood also remained in his word when he spoke about what the next step was for him while he went to defend the title again with a knockout in the opening 50 seconds of the fight before he signed at the UFC.
“Whatever comes. People who say UFC, but if they don't come, Cage Warriors, put me next year, London, and I will hit someone else.”
Nathaniel Wood will be confronted with a colleague Cage Warriors -Alumnus on 22 March
After Nathaniel Wood was bounced back on UFC 304 last time in the win column, Nathaniel Wood wants to rebuild some momentum in the featherweight division.
March 22 will see him take another dangerous 145-ponder from Europe that also cuts his teeth in the iconic yellow gloves of Cage Warriors.
As a former champion CW Vederweight, Morgan Chariere shared the cage with people like Jordan Vucenic and Paul Hughes during his time in the promotion.
'The Last Pirate' has gone 2-1 in the Octagon since he signed in 2023 with a bonus in each of his trips, so that this battle is marked as a potential show stealer.
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