The Severe Spotlight: Mateusz Figlak

Cage Warriors 129 was a card built for prospects. Although you the bill was topped by household names like Sam Creasey, returning fighter Rhys Mckee and Luke Shanks. The rest of the card was all about up and comers. Both of the Figlak brothers, and both of the Hardwick brothers made appearances, and it was four for four on the night. Sandwiched in between the family affair, Jamie Richardson and Steve Aimable picked up guillotine wins.

Whilst there were five or six fighters that could have been picked for this article. We are going with Mateusz Figlak who picked up an impressive first round TKO over Joachim Tollefsen.

If there is one word to describe both of the Figlak brothers, it is relentless. From the opening bell Mateusz walked Joachim down, pressured him into the fence, and looked to land anything with bad intentions. There is a wry smile that etches across the face of Mateusz as he is fighting, an almost unbearable excitement that he has his man backing up, biting on feints and generally being in a position that he is about to land shots.

The shots did come, he has a nice jab, low kick and offers the traditional dishes a southpaw vs orthodox cooks up. The majority of this fight however was spent with Tollefsen on his back, and Figlak searching for damaging ground and pound. Tollefsen threw a right body kick around a minute into the fight. Figlak made the read and when the second kick came, he caught it and put the Nordic man on his back.

This is where the word relentless really comes to play. Figlak gave his man no inch whatsoever, he had no willingness to let his man up, at least without dealing significant damage should he try. His hip pressure, the addressing of the frames Tollefsen was placing with his shins and knees, were all a by-product of his unwavering intent to land shots and finish the fight. Tollefsen to his credit did well to tie up the arms of Figlak and delay what seemed to be inevitable.

The shots did amalgamate over the course of the next 3 minutes. With about a minute left in the round, Figlak could feel his man fading, blood dripping down his face from the elbows on top, the guard starting to wain, the obstructions infront of him starting to loosen, so Figlak kicked into a higher gear, damaging shot after damaging shot. 7 seconds left on the clock and Rich Mitchell had seen enough, stepping in to rescue Tollefsen.

A thoroughly dominant performance from Figlak. 170lbs in Cage Warriors is a very tasty division. Who would you like to see Figlak fight next?