Cage Warriors’ first MMA card at Sycuan has local flavor
Cage Warriors is hosting its first mixed martial arts show of 2023 tonight at Sycuan Casino Resort and, as usual, the six-fight card will have plenty of local flavor.
CW 149 will feature a bantamweight bout between Wilson Reis, who trains and instructs at The Boxing Club in the East Village, against Johnny Campbell.
The Brazilian-born Reis (2612-0) is coming off consecutive wins, while Boston native Campbell (22-14) is coming off a victory over Aaron Lacey at Cage Titans FC last April following a loss to Levi Mowles at Fury FC 52 in 2021.
Reis has an interesting background. He has competed in the Ultimate Fight Championship, for the Bellator series and won gold in jiu jitsu at the 2004 World Championships.
He defeated Jeremiah Labiano at CW 133 in San Diego last March and most recently defeated Thomas Gronvall at CW 148 in London in December.
The card also will feature Jamey Lynch, who comes out of The Training Center with former UFC star Chris Leben and also trains and instructs at The Boxing Club in Solana Beach.
Lynch (5-3-0) is looking to bounce back from a loss to Erick Sanchez in CW 143 when he faces Georgii Eivas (7-5-0) in a featherweight bout.
Over the years, Cage Warriors has served as a springboard to the UFC for more than 100 fighters. The list includes stars Conor McGregor, Michael Bisping,
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett and Dan Hardy.
Tonight’s event will stream live to millions of homes via UFC Fight Pass. The CW brand has carved out a nice home in San Diego with regular fight cards, including several at the idyllic setting of Humphreys By The Bay at Shelter Island.
CW and Sycuan are kicking off a four-fight partnership.
Three good rounds
San Diego’s Jena Bishop earned a victory via decision over Elina Kallionidou at Bellator 291 last Saturday in Ireland. It was a big moment for Bishop, who improved to 5-0 in MMA after making the jump from a long successful career in jiu jitsu.
Bishop defeated the far more experienced Kallionidou via unanimous decision and nearly earned a submission in a fight she controlled the entire way.
• La Mesa’s Austin Brooks (9-0, 4 KOs) will be one of several local fighters in action at the Four Points Sheraton San Diego on Saturday night and will be looking to add to his résumé when he faces Duihl Olguin (15-29-5, 10 KOs) in a super featherweight bout. The 27-year old Brooks is ranked 32nd in the division, according to BoxRec.com.
Also appearing on the 10-bout card at the Sheraton will be San Diego’s Rashod Shahid (9-0, 6 KOs) as he faces Ysrael Bardoza (4-2-1, 3 KOs) in a super welterweight bout.
• Canelo Alvarez, who has called San Diego home for years and trains here while also indulging in his love of golf, is expected to put his undisputed super middleweight title on the line against John Ryder in his hometown of Jalisco, Mexico, on May 6. Alvarez (58-2-2, 3 KOs) is coming off a win over Gennadiy Golovkin in their highly anticipated third fight back in September.
Still looming is the fight many fans truly want to see: a rematch with current light heavyweight champ Dmitry Bivol, who shocked Alvarez with an upset victory that didn’t feel like much of an upset last May.