With no UFC event to look forward to this weekend, you might think this is a dull Saturday in terms of combat sports. This would be wrong. Even with UFC CEO Dana White not putting on a card this week, there’s still plenty of action to be held across the pond.
This Saturday afternoon (US time), longtime UFC Fight Pass stablemate Cage Warriors returns for its second card in three weeks, Cage Warriors 171. Glasgow, Scotland is the host city for the event, originating from the Braehead Arena.
Live coverage is, as always, seen gavel-to-gavel on UFC Fight Pass throughout the world on Saturday, commencing with the undercard at 11:30 am ET/ 8:30 am PT, so it’ll go perfect with your morning coffee and pancakes, especially if you’re an early riser on the West Coast. Saturday’s prelims are also streamed on the UFC Fight Pass official YouTube channel. Main card action follows at 3:30 pm ET/ 12:30 pm PT on the UFC’s subscription-based streamer.
Bungard Takes on Girlean in Cage Warriors 171 Main Event
Highlighting the day’s activities is a nontitle affair at lightweight. Chris Bungard (19-8 MMA, 3-1 CWFC) gets the headlining spotlight when he faces off against Dumitru Girlean (7-2 MMA, 2-2 CWFC), a veteran of Italy’s The Golden Cage.
This main attraction will be an advertised three rounds at five minutes per round to close out the card.
Glasgow, It's Time to Boogie! 🏴🪩
It's Fight Week and we make our grand return to Scotland at #CW171 this Saturday…
Last Remaining Tickets 👉 https://t.co/4iqZk9MnSq pic.twitter.com/3DHbqosVSe
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) April 16, 2024
Cage Warriors 171 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the Cage Warriors 171 main event on Saturday afternoon, Chris Bungard stands as the taller man at 5-foot-11, compared to the 5-foot-9 frame of Dumitru Girlean. Bungard owns a 72 1/2-inch reach, with no such information for Girlean at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Dumitru Girlean installed as a -148 favorite on the money line, with Chris Bungard countering as a +124 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Chris Bungard Looks to Run Winning Streak to Three
Chris Bungard enters the Cage Warriors 171 main event on Saturday having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. Presently, he’s on a two-fight winning streak.
Back in November, over the United States Thanksgiving holiday weekend, he scored a first-round submission by way of triangle armbar versus Perry Goodwin (11-10 MMA, 4-5 CWFC) during Cage Warriors 164 in Newcastle. After the win, Bungard discussed the role that indecision plays in the final days of his fight camp.
“I just start to question a bit about my career and my skillset,” Bungard said. “I always go through every possible way the fight can finish. I could maybe lose. I could get knocked out, I could get submitted, I could get tired, stuff like that. So, all these come out in my mind. Then you start [to] question ‘Am I ready for this’?, and it just– it thrives me more. It’s like ‘I need to do this. I need to do that.’ It just makes me work harder and want it more. It’s just a weird thing to describe. I always feel doubt creeping in every time I fight. Every time I fight, the doubt creeps in and I’m all right with it. I’m good with it. It happens all the time. It’s just the norm. As I say, it’s my best friend.”
There’s no doubting this: Chris Bungard comes into this weekend’s action on a hot streak, so will he keep it going on Saturday? Tune into the Cage Warriors 171 main event and find out.
Girlean Returns After Successful Rematch
In the other corner, Dumitru Girlean has posted a record of 4-1 over the last five fights. Most recently, he scored a third-round submission by way of rear-naked choke versus Simone Patrizi (6-2 MMA, 1-1 CWFC) on Oct. 28 last year in a rematch of their 2021 Golden Cage fight during Cage Warriors 162’s main event in Rome, Italy.
After the win, Girlean talked to Cage Warriors’ Edith LaBelle about his business-like attitude when it comes to the fight game.
“No, I don’t have any names, no call-outs for anyone,” Girlean said, translated through onscreen subtitles. “I accept any fight that is given to me. I have no particular requests. So what I’m given, I always take and accept.”
Dumitru Girlean is a man who’s ready for anything and a man who will fight anybody. Will he parlay his October victory into a second straight win?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Expect a ground war in the Cage Warriors 171 main event on Saturday afternoon. Both of these men can get the job done when the fight goes to the mat.
Bungard Great With Submissions
Of Chris Bungard’s 15 career wins by stoppage, 10 have been submissions, including his November fight vs. Goodwin. Round one saw Bungard and Goodwin briefly get into a clinch, but upon separating, the two traded feints, with Goodwin delivering kicks to the leg.
Late in the round, Bungard knocked Goodwin down with a left hand before going to work on a (jettisoned) rear-naked choke, transitioning to the triangle armbar, forcing his opponent to tap and nap.
If Bungard lands a punch to knock Girlean down it’ll be his world in the Cage Warriors 171 main event. He’ll have momentum on his side of the ledger and he can lock up a submission.
Girlean Equally Impressive on the Mat
In the other corner, Dumitru Girlean sings “Anything you can do, I can do better.” He can take a guy down and make him pay, like he did against Gregorio La Torre in Venator FC 10 two years ago.
Girlean and La Torre traded strikes in the clinch, with the latter scoring with a spinning elbow before the former took him down. At that point, Girlean applied the torque to lock up a power guillotine in under four minutes.
Look for Dumitru Girlean to shoot for the first takedown of the match. If he gets Chris Bungard to the mat, his grappling will take over from there.
Final Thoughts
Even though there won’t be a championship at stake in this one on Saturday in Scotland, the Cage Warriors 171 main event will bring the fireworks. Don’t miss it.
Prediction: Chris Bungard by First-Round Submission.
