Cage Warriors is set for a big return to its stateside home of San Diego, California tonight for Cage Warriors 173. The show will take place at the Sycuan Casino Resort and feature a main event contested between Brazilian featherweights Wilson Reis and Bruno Souza.
Fight fans can catch the main card of LFA 185 streaming live on UFC Fight Pass beginning at 9:30 p.m. ET/6 :30 p.m. PT for the prelims, with the main card set to get underway at 11:00 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT.
Main Event — Reis vs. Souza
Reis, a former UFC flyweight who once challenged Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight title, has become something of a drawing card for Cage Warriors on recent San Diego shows. Friday will mark his fourth consecutive time headlining the Cage Warriors San Diego show, and over that stretch he is 2-1 with his only defeat coming by way of split decision to former UFC bantamweight Trevin Jones. Now 39, Reis is as active as ever, and riding an impressive stretch since moving up in weight. Prior to the Jones defeat, his most recent loss came at bantamweight to highly touted Frenchman Taylor Lapilus at 135 pounds. At this stage of his career, Reis looks comfortable wherever the fight takes him, and will look to impose his will on a hungry countryman in Souza.
Souza, however, is no slouch whatsoever and had a stint in the UFC himself before taking six fights in Karate Combat. Now 11-3, Souza opened his career 9-1 before taking consecutive UFC defeats to Luis Saldana and Melsik Baghdasaryan. Friday will be his second time competing in MMA since his UFC release. He previously defeated fellow UFC veteran Teruto Ishihara on a Uriah Faber’s A-1 Combat card back in September 2023. Friday’s main event could be a case of striker vs. grappler — which is not to say both men can’t hold their own outside their disciplines, but it could come down to who is able to have more moments where they are most adept.
Rest of the Card
American featherweight prospect Roberto Hernandez is also scheduled for action against Javier Garcia in the featherweight co-main event. A pupil of former UFC fighter Joe Stevenson, Hernandez, unlike Reis, came away victorious against Trevin Jones to put a bow on a nine-fight winning streak. That came to an end his last time out against Liam Gittins in Manchester, England, but he will now look to get right against Garcia who once fought Bruno Souza on the other side of the main event.
Damon Wilson will take on Brandon Carillo in the feature fight, also at 145 pounds. Wilson, 31, has spent the near entirety of his MMA career competing on the San Diego Cage Warriors card and has amassed a record of 6-2 over that span. However, he is 1-2 in his last three, and can really use a win. He’ll have to get through 3-2 Carillo who will be making his second promotional appearance on Friday.
Friday’s show will also feature a four-fight preliminary card headlined by Sean Rose taking on Chadricc Kindle.
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Cage Warriors 173: Reis vs. Souza Results
Main Card
Bruno Souza def. Wilson Reis via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Javier Garcia def. Roberto Hernandez via Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Damon Wilson def. Brandon Carrillo via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Xavier Vines def. Diego Bigelow via Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Magomed Bayduev def. James Settle via Submission (RNC) at 3:52 Round 2
Preliminary Card
Sean Rose def. Chadricc Kindle via TKO (strikes) at 2:04 of Round 1
Anthony Desilva def. Joseph Perez via Knockout at 2:43 of Round 1
Ilias Faquiri vs Chris Owen Ends in a No Contest (Unintentional Foul) in Round 2
