Europe's leading mixed martial arts organization, Cage Warriors, today announced a new major addition to the card for the upcoming CW 174: London.
The event has already been confirmed to host the first of four prizefighter tournaments with a total prize pool of $50,000, and officials now revealed that the event will feature a major flyweight championship bout.
Champion Shaji “Superman” Haqq will be making the second defense of his 125-pound title against top contender Nicholas LeBlond.
The pair are set to face off across five, five-minute rounds on Saturday, July 20th at Indigo at the O2 in London.
Haqq (16-5), one of Britain's most experienced flyweights, finally won CW gold in December 2022 when he knocked out current Octagon champion Sam Creasey to become MMA's first Bangladeshi world champion.
He followed that up with a perfect points win over former bantamweight champion Michele Martignoni in July 2023.
France's Le Blond (10-4) has established himself as one of the top finishers in the 125-pound division in recent years.
His only losses while wearing the famous yellow gloves have come at the hands of former champions Creasey and Luke Shanks, and the hard-hitting judoka is currently on a four-fight win streak which includes successive knockouts of Michelangelo Lupoli and Scott Malone.
“July 20th kicks off the biggest week of MMA in the UK with two Cage Warriors events and UFC 304…” CW president Graham Boylan said:
“We'll kick things off with a bang in London with the PrizeFighter tournament with a total prize pool of $50,000 and one of the most exciting title matches of the year.”
“Shaji Haq is a master of his craft. He's patient, skilled and has a lot of experience in big matches.”
“Le Blond has made a name for himself in the division – a devastating finisher with a ruthless killer instinct. This fight answers the question of who is the best flyweight in Europe!”
The Huck vs. LeBlond bout will be featured on the main card of CW 174, along with a 135-pound prizefighter tournament and former light heavyweight champion James Webb's bout against Yannick Bahati.
Tickets can be purchased below source:This event is UFC Fight Pass and international broadcast partners.
