Cage Titans 26 Fight Preview

Tateki Matsuda vs Johnny Campbell

125lb Professional

One of the grittiest fighters in New England, Matsuda has faced every stalwart competitor for the last seven years; punching his ticket to the UFC by virtue of outstanding performances. The learning curve being a violent one for the turbulent bantam and flyweight divisions, Matsuda saw his ascension come to a halt under the big show lights, yet the Sityodtong fighter is far from done in the sport. Now sharpening the ax once again on the local scene, he’ll look to hack the competition to bloody pieces and prove himself worthy of the world stage yet again.

A fighter who has battled towards that same stage but never quite made the transition when it counted the most, Campbell will seek to reach that platform off the broken back of his opponent. A stunningly unique fighter, Campbell is more poltergeist than man in the cage, hurling his weapons towards opponents as they stand impotently; unable to strike back at their tormentor. Fight-ending explosion veiled by capricious movement, Campbell makes for a true top-tier threat on the local scene, with potential to be much more.

A rematch of yesteryear, both men have changed considerably; bleeding and battling along their own pathways to greatness. It is in this coming together that we’ll see who is truly ready for that call up to the big leagues; sweat and blood on the mat in exchange for ink on that contract, with the winner at Cage Titans being cemented as the greatest Flyweight in New England.

Will Santiago vs Sean Lally

170lb Professional Title

A throwback fighter to the core, Will Santiago harkens to the days of the fearless power hitters of early MMA. No time to play a game of jabs and feints, Santiago uses fast feet and faster hands, closing the distance and dropping a megaton bomb on his opponent’s jawline. Compact and strong like a bulldog, Santiago will seek to shatter his opponent, physically and mentally, before walking away with the 170lb title.

While Santiago makes for an imposing character, he faces a unique threat on November 7th. All fear scoured away on battlefields of sand; screaming wind of Afghani deserts hardening the spirit like a million hammers on iron. Having trained for a very different kind of combat, Lally returned home and found his way back to the cage, ready to wage war across the canvas like no one else can. A brutal striker and supreme athlete, Lally brings championship qualities to the cage, with the final piece of his ascension to greatness up for the taking.

This fight is the quintessential nail-biter, with both men having utterly devastating force in their strikes and the accuracy to land them almost at will. Chins will be tested immediately as these two dynamite hitters go to war and trade with lethal intentions, with only the heartiest soul proving worthy of hoisting the belt when the dust settles.

Manny Bermudez vs Scott Gorgone

145lb Professional

A rising force within the New England MMA scene, Manny Bermudez has had more issues convincing opponents to face him in the cage than he has dispatching them. An otherworldly fighter, Bermudez brings a plethora of elite combat traits to the cage; natural balance, timing, silky movement and all-encompassing strength rounding out a lethal skill set, holding all the pieces to make it far in this sport.

Opposite Bermudez’s path of destruction, another fighter has been carving their own way through the division with equal efficiency. A stunning BJJ practitioner, Gorgone has made a name for himself as an undefeated fighter across both amateur and professional ranks, using fundamental jiu-jitsu skills to break opponent’s down piece by piece. A blend of power, precision and aggression, Gorgone is quicksand on the ground, with not a soul having escaped him yet.

With two rapidly growing young fighters, this battle could play out a thousand different ways, each man holding a burgeoning toolbox to test the other. For Bermudez, his game revolves around speed and timing, yet finding himself fighting perfect posture and a calm presence could see his often erratic attack pattern grow dormant against the larger fighter. For Gorgone, victory is a matter of believing in his solid form and ability to dissect the situation at hand, taking the fight away from his competitor and handing him his first loss. It’s a battle of two brightly burning stars on the local scene, with one looking to snuff out the other and walk away with all the accolades.

Sean Nichols vs Devin Carrier

155lb Professional

An old-style muay thai fighter, Nichols has been fine-tuning his explosive energy for years and will seek to put on a clinic at Cage Titans 26. Having spent his formative years with some of the best schools in the region, Nichols shows improvement day to day, year to year, and fight to fight, dominating opponents with veteran grit and technical prowess. Now facing a young lion in the cage, Nichols will plan on dishing out a harsh lesson in respect.

A martial artist who has held the Fight of the Night award in nearly every performance in Cage Titans, Devin Carrier will make the jump to the pro circuit and start collecting scalps. A meticulous kickboxer, Carrier strings together flowing combinations at will, rattling brains and sending the blood flowing as fists and feet crash home with regularity. A sharp counter wrestler and a guillotine like a garrote wire, Carrier makes for an exciting edition to the professional ranks.

It’s the classic tale of the grizzled fighter taking on a fresh face; welcoming the young man to the pros with elbows, knees and merciless minutes on the clock. While Nichols is a cutthroat competitor, he’ll find no easy night against the turbo-charged fisticuffs of Carrier, who will look to remind the older competitor just how many miles he has on the odometer with every leg kick and knifing jab. It’s any man’s game as these two go to war; reputation and relevance at stake in the turbulent waters of the lightweight division.

Jacob Weeks vs Joe Giannetti

155lb Amateur Title

A quiet killer in the 155lb division, Weeks has gone from serviceable technician to undeniable force within the sport, with his last win placing him one crushing choke away from title gold. A martial artist to the core, Weeks lives and breathes combat, with the fruits of his labor evident fight after fight. A masterful jiu-jitsu player with amazing top-pressure and deceptive strength in his limbs, minor mistakes on the mat become irreversible misfortune; no space in his game to regain what was lost.

An interesting counterpoint to the rock solid Weeks comes in the form of undefeated battler Joe Giannetti. A true sniper on the feet, Giannetti’s strengths lie in swift movement, pin-point accuracy, and a knack for whirlwind transitions. Seemingly inventing submissions on the fly, Giannetti finds offense where none should exist while dancing away from counters with a smile; inborn talent honed by mastercraft instruction on display.

This is a battle between a mountain and a river; Weeks being one of the most unforgiving martial artists to grace the cage with his horrifying pressure game, while Giannetti is a work of constant motion that erodes confidence and constitution by the second. It’s a matter of making the opponent play your own game, asking the question of Weeks burning out if pushed at breakneck speed, or Giannetti lost for thought when presented with an opponent that steals every micrometer of space. With championship gold waiting at the end, this is a fight that defines young careers and sets the stage for greater victories along the road.