Cage Warriors 153 | Ireland’s finest are out in droves

The 3Arena will soon play host to the Irish return of Cage Warriors. Though the likes of Paul Hughes and Caolan Loughran will be omitted from the billing, there are still a slew of Ireland’s finest prospects that are set to make the walk on Saturday. Below, I will take a closer look at some of the best fighters born on or fighting out of the Emerald Isle at Cage Warriors 153.

***

(c) Rhys McKee (12-4-1) – Ballymena, County Antrim

The man around whom the card was built is Ballymena’s Rhys McKee. His end of his brief stint with the UFC led McKee to Cage Warriors, where he has picked up two straight wins. The latter, against Justin Burlinson, earned him the vacant welterweight championship in Belfast. He now has the opportunity to stamp his return ticket to the UFC by wowing the Dublin crowd, but will have to get through Jimmy Wallhead, a UK MMA veteran that currently holds the interim title. Win or lose, ‘Skeletor’ will have the love of the crowd.

James Sheehan (6-2) – Baldoyle, County Dublin

It’s a high-stakes affair for James Sheehan. The Baldoyle native is slated to fight in the co-main event of the card, with the ever-game Oban Elliott set to be stood across from him. Fans and pundits have agreed that the winner of this fight may be in line for a title opportunity at 170lbs, particularly if the victor should pick up an impressive finish. It feels, to me, like ‘Jimbo Slice’ could be destined for big things, so keep your eyes peeled.

Ryan Shelley (6-0) – Swords, County Dublin

Much attention in the Irish MMA community has been given to Ryan Shelley, and for good reason. The striking prodigy is riding a six-fight win-streak coming into his bout at the weekend, including five finishes in that time. This upcoming fight against Tobias Harila, a highly-respected and borderline maniacal Swede, will prove to be one of the most important of Shelley’s career. This is one of more hotly-anticipated bouts on the card, given the fact that the Dubliner could find himself in a title eliminator or title shot next.

Taka Mhandu (2-1) – Dublin City, County Dublin

Another Team KF fighter in Taka Mhandu will find himself in the spotlight, come Saturday night. The Zimbabwe-born prospect is delighted to finally make a return to the cage, especially now that he can debut in a proving ground like Cage Warriors. His opponent on the night will be France’s Benoit Blanc, a more experienced opponent with four finishes in five wins. Believe me when I say that ‘The Cat’ Mhandu will not disappoint, no matter what goes down.

Leon Hill (4-1) – Drogheda, County Louth

One Irishman flying under the radar on this card is Drogheda’s Leon Hill. A 6-5 run in the amateurs spurred him into a professional career that now sees him riding a four-fight win-streak. On that streak, Hill has finished each opponent before the bouts had reached the third round. I do feel like his second stint with Cage Warriors will bring better results than his lone defeat in the promotion, especially considering that he’ll have the advantage of a home crowd. I’m looking forward to seeing how ‘The Hitman’ does in his bout with Marcin Zambala, an adopted son of Newry, Co. Armagh.

***

Who else are you looking forward to? Which Irish fighter are you buzzing for the most? Let us know in the comments!