On a Saturday without the UFC, just what is a fan of MMA to do? You’ve got some options at your disposal here. Try some of these on for size:
You can make a grocery store run and stock up on trick or treat candy for all the little ghosts and goblins you might encounter on the front porch for Halloween on Tuesday. If, however, your local community is one that offers trick or treat hours ahead of the Oct. 31 holiday, you can pass out candy to the young people this Saturday.
If this is the case, you’re going to need a soundtrack to get you through the afternoon. Should the cost of the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou boxing match on pay-per-view be too prohibitive for you, you will have a more affordable alternative.
Cage Warriors Heads Back to Rome for Cage Warriors 162 Main Event
There is some MMA to be viewed on the last Saturday before Halloween. UFC Fight Pass presents the second card of the month from Graham Boylan’s Cage Warriors this weekend.
Live coverage begins with the undercard at 12:45 pm ET/ 9:45 am PT, followed at 4 pm ET/ 1 pm PT with main card action. Barring any postponements between now and then, the final version of this card features a full 14-fight slate.
Highlighting the night’s itinerary is an Italian showdown in the Cage Warriors 162 main event. Rome’s Simone Patrizi (6-1 MMA, 1-0 CWFC) will have the hometown crowd on his side when he takes on Verona’s Dumitru Girlean (6-2 MMA, 1-1 CWFC) in a lightweight affair.
These two fighters have history with one another. Back in February of 2021, when both were in The Golden Cage, Girlean scored a first-round knockout with a head kick. With no championship at stake here, Saturday’s main event is an advertised maximum of three rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
This rematch is all about redemption for Simone Patrizi 😤
Don’t miss him in our #CW162 Rome Main Event this Saturday!! pic.twitter.com/Xdgp1t8ebu
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) October 25, 2023
Cage Warriors 162 Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the Cage Warriors 162 main event on Saturday night, Dumitru Girlean stands as the taller man at 5-foot-11, compared to the 5-foot-8 frame of Simone Patrizi. No reach information was accessible at press time.
“The White Shark” Motivated Ahead of Cage Warriors 162 Main Event
Simone Patrizi enters the Cage Warriors 162 main event on Saturday having posted a record of 4-1 in his last five fights. Since the original fight against Girlean, he’s been on a three-fight winning streak, one which was extended last time out vs. Ermil Xhaferi (4-1-1 MMA, 0-1 CWFC) with a third-round knockout on May 6.
Patrizi knows the importance of Saturday’s fight. In a recent video on X, he mentions that he’s gotten more fuel for the fire.
“This rematch is happening because I really wanted it,” Patrizi said, translated through onscreen subtitles. “I feel much more complete compared to before. A lot, with definitely a different mindset, I will enter inside that cage with mentality and strength. When there is pressure, I’m excited. Because pressure is a privilege. Being under pressure, I feel even better.”
Dumitru Girlean Looking to Bounce Back in Enemy Territory
In the other corner, Dumitru Girlean has posted a mark of 3-2 in his last five fights. Last time out, he saw a three-fight winning streak get snapped at the hands of Leon Hill (6-2 MMA, 1-1 CWFC) on July 29 with a first-round submission loss by rear-naked choke.
To a man, Girlean is looking to end the rivalry with Patrizi in victorious fashion in the Cage Warriors 162 main event. If he is to get back into the win column this Saturday, he’ll do so in hostile territory.
With the crowd backing their favorite son in Simone Patrizi over the weekend, Dumitru Girlean is to be showered with boos and taunts by the assembled throng inside Fiera Roma. Playing the role of the heel in MMA is always a daunting task, but this is what faces Girlean on Saturday.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Saturday’s Cage Warriors 162 main event looks to be another one of those toss-ups. Both of these men have been known to score the knockout in devastating fashion.
Patrizi Brutal With Strikes
Simone Patrizi is a particularly aggressive fighter. If he gets an opening to land the big punch, like he did in May against Xhaferi, expect him to take it.
During the third and final round, Patrizi and Xhaferi grappled with one another on the mat before returning to the clinch. Upon breaking free, the former connected on a right hook, right on the button, to knock the latter down. A flurry of ground and pound shots wrote the exclamation point on an emphatic knockout.
Don’t Look Away from the Screen When Girlean Is in the Cage
In the other corner, Dumitru Girlean has given MMA fans a textbook example of one-punch power. All you need to do is simply take a look at the footage of the third round of his April fight against Adam Cullen.
Right from the command to fight in round three, he scored with a right hook to knock Cullen out immediately. Official time of the knockout: Just four seconds into the final period.
Final Thoughts
With the calendar approaching Halloween, it’s only right that Cage Warriors gives us a treat with the main event. It’s a satisfying way to close out the spooky season.
Prediction: Simone Patrizi by Second-Round TKO.
