It’s a packed week of combat sports across the board this second full week of November, so packed that it has to start just a little earlier than normal. Friday afternoon, the MMA slate for the weekend gets kicking across the pond when Cage Warriors returns to action.
The first of two consecutive weeks of action from Graham Boylan’s promotion sees Cage Warriors head to Indigo at the O2 Arena in London for Cage Warriors 180. As usual, the event will be seen live gavel-to-gavel on UFC Fight Pass throughout the world.
Live coverage of Cage Warriors 180 will begin at 12:30 pm ET/ 9:30 am PT on Fight Pass with the undercard before moving onto main card action at 3:30 pm ET/ 12:30 pm PT. A full day’s worth of action is planned for the UK-based MMA promotion.
Light Heavyweight Championship Up for Grabs Friday in Intriguing Headliner
Highlighting the day’s activities is the battle for the Cage Warriors Light Heavyweight Championship in the Cage Warriors 180 main event. Incumbent 205-lb. titleholder Andy Clamp (13-2, 1 NC MMA, 2-1 CWFC) makes his initial defense of the strap when he meets challenger, former Cage Warriors Middleweight Champion James Webb (10-5-1 MMA, 8-5-1 CWFC).
This fight was supposed to have taken place on Sept. 21 in Cage Warriors 178. Prior to that show, however, Cage Warriors moved the title fight off of the September date to this coming Friday due to Clamp becoming sick in the final days leading up to the original fight night.
As with all title fights with most MMA promotions throughout the world, the Cage Warriors 180 main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
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Cage Warriors 180 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Heading into the Cage Warriors 180 main event on Friday afternoon, Andy Clamp, nicknamed “The Vice”, stands as the taller man at 6-foot-4, compared to the 6-foot-1 frame of James Webb. No reach information was available online at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Andy Clamp installed as a -365 favorite on the money line, while James Webb counters as a +290 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight in MMA and/or combat sports this weekend, please wager responsibly.
Clamp Seeks a Successful First Defense of Strap Friday
Andy Clamp enters the Cage Warriors 180 main event on Friday night having gone 4-1 in his last five fights. At present, he’s on a two-fight winning streak.
Last time out, he scored a third-round knockout by way of punches against Matty Byfield (6-3, 1 NC MMA, 3-1, 1 NC CWFC) during Cage Warriors 168 to claim the title. Byfield has since returned to the cage with an Oct. 27 loss to Lee Chadwick (31-19-1 MMA) during Levels Fight League 14.
After the fight, Clamp talked with Edith LaBelle about the long road to get to the title.
“So, five years ago, four or five years ago, I must have been in I don’t know how many MRI scanners, operations,” he said. “I literally had brain surgery, and in that time, all I had was my imagination of moments like this to think of. That pulled me through and lo and behold, I believed it that much, everybody in my life believed it that much that it happened today, so thanks to everyone that’s been along on the journey.”
Can he defend the strap on Friday? Tune in and find out.
Webb Comes In Off Five-Month Layoff
In the other corner, James Webb enters the Cage Warriors 180 main event this weekend having posted a mark of 2-3 in his last five fights. Back in July, he scored a unanimous decision victory over Adam Bieganski (9-7 MMA, 0-1 CWFC) during Cage Warriors 174.
Had it not been for the initial postponement of the light heavyweight championship fight with Andy Clamp in the last days leading up to Cage Warriors 178 back in September, Webb was due to have a quick turnaround ahead of him. With Clamp being forced out of action before the original date, he’s had a few more weeks to prepare for this contest.
Usually, a long layoff between contests is unwelcome for a competitor, but given the fact that Webb was supposed to have fought two months after the Bieganski contest could be helpful going into this fight. What has he been able to add to his training camp with the date of the fight having been pushed back?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Expect another classic strength versus strength affair in the Cage Warriors 180 main event. Who walks away as the champion?
Clamp Can Bring the Heat
Numerically speaking, Andy Clamp has won nine of his fights inside the distance, including six knockouts. Thus, it goes without saying that he’s got fists of fury.
Just look at the tape of his March fight against Matty Byfield. During the third round of an advertised five, Clamp dropped Byfield and looked to hunt for a submission before jettisoning the effort and taking back mount. While he tried to lock up an armbar submission, Byfield fought it off, only for Clamp to complete another takedown.
From there, Clamp poured it on with ground and pound shots until the referee intervened. If Andy Clamp can drop James Webb to the mat on Friday, he’ll walk out of the Indigo with the title still around his waist.
Webb Slick With Subs
In the other corner, James Webb is known to get the job done by making his adversary in the cage tap out, having won six fights by submission to his credit. During the opening round of his middleweight fight versus Craig White in 2020 during the pandemic, Webb landed decent ground and pound shots to soften White up, working quickly to finish an arm-triangle choke.
Look for James Webb to try to neutralize Andy Clamp in the early going of the Cage Warriors 180 main event. He just needs to beat Clamp to the takedown.
Final Thoughts
Daytime MMA is a rare treat, but it’s just what we’ll get with the Cage Warriors 180 main event on Friday. If you can, leave work as quickly as possible, because you won’t want to miss this fight.
Prediction: Andy Clamp by Third-Round TKO.
