Tag: rhys mckee

Rhys McKee suffers decision loss to Ange Loosa in Octagon return despite late rally – UFC Paris Highlights

Rhys McKee suffers decision loss to Ange Loosa late rally UFC Paris returnDespite a late rally through massive adversity in the third round, former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee has kicked off his second tenure in the Octagon with a unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) loss to Kill Cliff FC staple, Ange Loosa on the preliminary card of UFC Paris tonight in France. McKee, who suffered […]

Rhys McKee suffers decision loss to Ange Loosa late rally UFC Paris return

Despite a late rally through massive adversity in the third round, former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee has kicked off his second tenure in the Octagon with a unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) loss to Kill Cliff FC staple, Ange Loosa on the preliminary card of UFC Paris tonight in France.

McKee, who suffered losses to both the undefeated, Khamzat Chimaev, and veteran staple, Alex Morono during his first tenure with the UFC back in 2020, managed to scoop the undisputed Cage Warriors welterweight crown in his time away from the Octagon — making his return against Loosa tonight.

And despite starting well against the Kinshasa-born all-rounder, Rhys McKee struggled with the overall athleticism of the South Florida based contender.

Almost stopped in the second round, McKee experienced massive swelling around his right eye as well as a bloodied nose in the frame, with Dana White’s Contender Series alum, Loosa pinning him to the Octagon fence and laying down a slew of standing strikes.

Losing the majority of the third frame, McKee managed to turn up the pressure in the final minute of the frame, landing strike after strike on a brutally tired, Loosa, however, it proved to be in vein as the DR Congo native stormed away with a victory.

Below, catch the highlights from Rhys McKee’s loss to Ange Loosa at UFC Paris

Rhys McKee chases Khamzat Chimaev rematch ahead of UFC Paris: ‘People are going to want me to fight him again’

Rhys McKee calls for Khamzat Chimaev rematch after UFC ParisSeeing his initial Octagon tenure come to a close following a one-sided loss to Khamzat Chimaev and a close judging defeat to Alex Morono back in 2020, former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee has claimed fans will be chomping at the bit for him to rematch the undefeated Chimaev following his return at UFC […]

Rhys McKee calls for Khamzat Chimaev rematch after UFC Paris

Seeing his initial Octagon tenure come to a close following a one-sided loss to Khamzat Chimaev and a close judging defeat to Alex Morono back in 2020, former Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee has claimed fans will be chomping at the bit for him to rematch the undefeated Chimaev following his return at UFC Paris today.

Ballymena native, McKee, a former undisputed Cage Warriors welterweight champion, makes his Octagon return today on the preliminary card of UFC Fight Night Paris at the Accor Arena, attempting to right wrongs set prior in 2020, taking on Ange Loosa in a welterweight pairing as he kicks off his second stint under the Dana White-led banner.

Featuring against the above-mentioned Chechen finisher, Chimaev on short-notice on ‘Fight Island’ back in 2020, McKee was stopped a slew of opening round ground strikes by the AllStars MMA staple, before returning later that year in a close decision loss to Morono. 

Landing three victories including a Cage Warriors title triumph in the time since, McKee, who turned in consecutive stoppages of Aleksi Mantykivi, Justin Burlinson, and UFC alum, Jim Wallhead since his UFC departure, claims fans will clamour for him to fight Chimaev in the future off the back of viewing his return to the Octagon in France.

Rhys McKee claims fans will clamour for him to rematch Khamzat Chimaev

“Obviously, when I fought Khamzat (Chimaev), I travelled half way across the world on six days’ notice, with no training, to fight a man,” Rhys McKee told TalkSPORT reporter, Jordan Ellis. “That alone shows I’ve got a big set of stones.”

“The next time, I fought (Alex) Morono who had over ten fights in the UFC,” Rhys McKee explained. “That was my last fight, that was over three years ago and he’s still in the UFC. This is a nice one back [against Ange Loosa], but don’t get me wrong, I’m going to come for these names again. I’m going to make enough noise – have enough clean performances here that people are going to be wanting me to fight Morono again and fight Khamzat again.” 

Can Rhys McKee kickstart his UFC Paris return with a win over Ange Loosa?

Report – Rhys McKee books return at UFC Paris three years after crushing debut loss to Khamzat Chimaev

Rhys McKee returns at UFC Paris against Ange Loosa following crushing loss to Khamzat ChimaevUndisputed Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee is reportedly in line for his second debut under the banner of the UFC, taking on Ange Loosa at an upcoming UFC Fight Night Paris event on September 2. from the Accor Arena in Paris, France. McKee, a prior two-fight veteran under the banner of the Dana White-led […]

Rhys McKee returns at UFC Paris against Ange Loosa following crushing loss to Khamzat Chimaev

Undisputed Cage Warriors welterweight champion, Rhys McKee is reportedly in line for his second debut under the banner of the UFC, taking on Ange Loosa at an upcoming UFC Fight Night Paris event on September 2. from the Accor Arena in Paris, France.

McKee, a prior two-fight veteran under the banner of the Dana White-led UFC, debuted on short-notice inside the Octagon back in the summer of 2020, suffering a stunning first round ground strikes TKO loss against the current number four ranked, Khamzat Chimaev. 

Returning in November of that year at the UFC Apex facility, Rhys McKee’s time under the banner of the organization came to a halt following a close decision defeat to grizzled veteran, Alex Morono also at the welterweight limit.

Returning to the Graham Boylan-led Cage Warriors off the back of his two-fight salvo with the UFC, Ballymena striker, McKee would enjoy a three-fight winning run over Aleksi Mantykivi, and Justin Burlinson with three round strikes win, before landing an April corner stoppage win over UFC veteran, Jim Wallhead at the 3Arena in Dublin.

Rhys McKee takes on Switzerland native, Ange Loosa in September

And according to a report overnight from Alex Behunin, McKee is now in line for a second Octagon stint, taking on the aforenoted, Loosa at UFC Fight Night Paris in the Octagon’s return to France in September.

“Breaking,” Behunin tweeted. “Ange Loosa vs. Rhys McKee is in the works for #UFCParis on September 2, per sources.” 

Himself boasting a 9-3 professional record, Swiss striker, Loosa – who suffered a defeat to incoming UFC Vegas 77 co-headliner, Jack Della Maddalena on Dana White’s Contender Series – has so far amassed a 1-1 promotional record, dropping a loss to Mounir Lazzez in his debut, before rebounding back in August of last year at UFC 278 with a unanimous decision win over A.J. Fletcher.

UFC Fight Night Paris takes place on September 2. from the Accor Arena in Paris, France – with former interim heavyweight champion, Ciryl Gane headlining against grappling talent, Sergei Spivak. 

Rhys McKee Targets a Finish in Next Fight, Proposes a Fight with Niko Price for UFC Return

Rhys McKee, Niko PriceCage Warriors Welterweight Champion, Rhys McKee, has named Niko Price as a desired opponent for his potential return to the UFC. Rhys McKee (12-4-1) is set for a Cage Warriors title unification bout with Jimmy Wallhead on April 29th at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Recently, McKee took the time to sit down with Alex […]

Rhys McKee, Niko Price

Cage Warriors Welterweight Champion, Rhys McKee, has named Niko Price as a desired opponent for his potential return to the UFC.

Rhys McKee (12-4-1) is set for a Cage Warriors title unification bout with Jimmy Wallhead on April 29th at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. Recently, McKee took the time to sit down with Alex Lerman of LowKick MMA to discuss the upcoming fight, name a potential opponent for his UFC return, and explain why he is such a threat to any opponent.

Rhys McKee on Title Fight vs. Jimmy Wallhead

McKee previously had an unfavorable two-fight stint in the UFC where he faced Khamzat Chimaev and Alex Morono, both ending in defeats. Rhys returned to Cage Warriors to hone his skills and immediately got back to winning ways.

Currently on a two-fight win streak in the promotion, McKee is slated for a title unification bout with Jimmy Wallhead coming up in April at Cage Warriors 153. When asked about his analysis for the upcoming fight, McKee had this to say:

“He’s someone that I expect a solid, prepared version of himself. He is a bit older but with that comes a huge threat and huge experience. How I see myself winning this fight is just overrunning everything he does… I’ll have answers to everything he poses. I just think I’m the new breed and the next generation of martial artists, I think I have too many skills in every area, and I think it’ll just be a real changing of the guard fight.”

McKee Names Niko Price as Desired Opponent for UFC Return

Having fought in the UFC before, McKee is no stranger to the octagon and bright lights.

 Upon a continuation of his win streak in Cage Warriors, Rhys believes that a return to the UFC is next in line. When asked about an opponent he would like to see for his first fight back in the promotion, McKee stated:

“I’d probably fight whoever they offered, but I would like maybe Niko Price someone like that would be a fun fight. Before I got released from the UFC, I saw he was looking for an opponent and I remember kind of wanting that fight. So, I feel like someone like Niko Price would be nice, but to be honest I want to go into the UFC and compete with the top 25 in the world. I don’t really want to spend much time fighting UFC debutants, not that they’re not worthy, but I’m gonna make up for lost time…”

Why Rhys is Such a Threat to Any Opponent

Over the course of the entire interview, McKee came across as supremely confident in his abilities and potential. Rhys was asked specifically what makes him a threat in that cage, to which he responded:

“I just know I can put someone’s lights out at any time in a fight. I’m one of these fighters, as we’ve seen in my last fight, that can be down two rounds, it can all be going bad, you know I can find that shot from anywhere any position. From bottom, from top, standing, on the back foot, on the front foot, I’m a threat everywhere. I know my power and my striking is too much for anyone…”

Rhys McKee takes on Jimmy Wallhead to retain his Cage Warriors Welterweight title at Cage Warriors 153 in Dublin on April 29th. A UFC future is on the horizon with a win in this fight, and McKee certainly looks to make up for lost time from his first stint in the promotion.

Watch the Full Interview with Rhys McKee below:

Report | Rhys McKee set for Cage Warriors 170lb title unification bout vs. Jimmy Wallhead

Rhys McKee Jimmy WallheadTwo former UFC fighters will throw down for the CW welterweight title, as current champion Rhys McKee faces off against interim title holder Jimmy Wallhead at Cage Warriors 153 in Dublin. Rhys McKee made his UFC debut in 2020, taking on Khamzat Chimaev of all people, on short notice. After a loss to ‘Borz,’ McKee […]

Rhys McKee Jimmy Wallhead

Two former UFC fighters will throw down for the CW welterweight title, as current champion Rhys McKee faces off against interim title holder Jimmy Wallhead at Cage Warriors 153 in Dublin.

Rhys McKee made his UFC debut in 2020, taking on Khamzat Chimaev of all people, on short notice. After a loss to ‘Borz,’ McKee would also come up short against UFC veteran welterweight Alex Morono. This led to what many believed was an unjustified cutting from the promotion.

However, McKee would not rest on his laurels. ‘Skeletor’ returned to his old stomping ground, taking on Aleksi Mäntykivi at Cage Warriors 129. The former champ put in a spirited performance, finishing Mäntykivi in the final round. It was later announced that McKee would next fight for the title, against surging Englishman Justin Burlinson.

The two elite European fighters faced off at Cage Warriors 140 in Dublin, Ireland. The clash lived up to all that it was billed, producing the Cage Warriors Fight of the Year in a sensational back-and-forth war. However, it was McKee that walked away with the title, finishing Burlinson in the second round after overcoming massive adversity.

Rhys McKee will now defend his belt against a true fan favorite who has burst back onto the scene in 2022. Judo’ Jimmy Wallhead, is a veteran and pioneer of the European MMA scene who has competed for the UFC, Bellator, BAMMA, and more.

In 2022, he returned to Cage Warriors, taking on Daniel Skibi?ski at Cage Warriors 141. Entering the fight a sizeable underdog, Wallhead threw back the years, lighting Skibi?ski up early, finishing the fight via right hook KO in the first round.

At Cage Warriors 146, ‘Judo’ Jimmy once again found himself underestimated by the bookies, priced as a heavy underdog against Matt Figlak in an interim title bout. Once again, he proved everyone wrong. Wallhead’s right hook flattened Figlak, provoking a huge response from the Manchester crowd.

Now, at Cage Warriors 153, Rhys McKee and Jimmy Wallhead will throw down in front of hoards of Irish fans, to determine who the true CW Undisputed welterweight champion really is.

The event takes place on April 29th and is set to feature a host of Irish talent competing against Europe’s premier mixed martial artists. Per a press release from Cage Warriors, the organization’s president, Graham Boylan, had the following to say:

“This is one of the biggest fights in the history of Cage Warriors.”

“Fans have been asking for us to return to Dublin; there’s no better place to do so than the 3Arena, with a massive welterweight title unification bout and a host of incredible Irish talent on the card!”

Who are you predicting to come out on top in the all-European welterweight clash? Rhys McKee or Jimmy Wallhead?

MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes Of The Week (6/19 – 6/25)

Welcome to this week’s edition of MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes of the week! Every week there’s highlight-reel finishes all across the MMA world, and we’ve found some of the absolute best ones to showcase. Two weeks ago, we had a couple of spinning back fists, last week was all about head kicks, and now…

Continue Reading MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes Of The Week (6/19 – 6/25) at MMA News.

Welcome to this week’s edition of MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes of the week! Every week there’s highlight-reel finishes all across the MMA world, and we’ve found some of the absolute best ones to showcase.

Two weeks ago, we had a couple of spinning back fists, last week was all about head kicks, and now this week there’s a pair of stoppages via flying knee. There were also multiple knockouts during the week from huge overhand punches, but there was only so much room left on the list in between some unorthodox submissions and a few brutal kicks.

PFL and Bellator kick things off, but two finishes from Cage Warriors and impressive showings from a number of regional MMA promotions account for the rest of this week’s Top 10.

#10: Stevie Ray’s Brutal Body Lock

Submitting Anthony Pettis is a feat in and of itself, but the way Stevie Ray forced a tap from the former UFC champion was unconventional to say the least.

“Braveheart” picked up his first PFL victory and earned a spot in the promotion’s playoffs when he tightened a body lock on “Showtime” and cranked his torso for the victory.

#9: Magomed Magomedov Jumps Into The Semifinals

UFC veteran Enrique Barzola started his Bellator career with two victories, and “El Fuerte” seemed in control of a bantamweight tournament bout with Magomed Magomedov up until the fourth round.

Barzola had largely been able to match the Russian’s grappling until Magomedov jumped for a guillotine that forced the Peruvian to tap for the first time in his career.

#8: Rhys McKee Claims Cage Warriors Gold

Rhys McKee’s UFC run ended after 2 fights, but the 26-year-old returned to Cage Warriors and quickly found himself fighting for a title in the main event of Cage Warriors 140.

“Skeletor” starched Justin Burlinson with a left hand early in the third round before jumping over the cage to celebrate as the new Cage Warriors welterweight champion.

#7: Luan Santana’s Shutdown Switch-Kick

A welterweight matchup between Luan Santana and Indio Quintella seemed bound for the scorecards with only a few seconds remaining at Iron Man MMA 24 in Brazil.

Santana landed a brutal body kick just after the 10-second warning that folded Quintella and left him curled up on the mat even after the ref stepped in.

#6: Michael Tchamou’s Thunderous Right Hand

Michael Tchamou only needed 30 seconds to close things out in his middleweight bout with Glenn Irvine at Cage Warriors 140.

“Jaguar” was swinging big from the opening bell before he finally landed a right hand that put Irvine on his back and sent his mouthpiece flying.

#5: Jojo Rajkumari Swings For The Fences

Heavier weight classes are known for hitting the hardest, but Indian strawweight Jojo Rajkumari showed that isn’t always the case at Matrix Fight Night 9.

“Cobra Queen” darted forward with a wide left hand that put Mary Jane Buna stiff on the canvas just over 30 seconds into their fight.

#4: Vitaliy Ten Stays Patient

Officially listed as a rear-naked choke, Vitaliy Ten’s record doesn’t do justice to the submission win he scored late in his flyweight fight for Octagon League in Kazakhstan.

Ten used his legs to lock up Tursynbek Boranbaev’s arm and held it through over a minute of scrambling before snatching a choke to secure the finish.

#3: Alexandre Castro Takes Flight In Brazil

Brazilian featherweights Alexandre Castro and Elifrank Cariolano had a frenetic few seconds of action at Jungle Fight 108 before Castro put an end to things in brutal fashion.

Cariolano pressed forward before eating a counter shot that staggered him, which allowed Castro to land a flying knee that put Cariolano down and a follow-up punch that appeared to wake him back up.

#2: Diego Robledo Steps Up In Argentina

Castro may have gotten things done quickly with his flying knee, but Diego Robledo made sure Cristian Dominguez stayed down at CAM 11.

With just seconds left in the first round, Robledo leapt forward and landed a knee that put Dominguez in a heap against the cage.

#1: Aerdake Apaer’s Perfect Timing

It takes a lot to beat out two flying knee knockouts for the week’s top finish, but Aerdake Apaer managed to lock up the top spot with his performance at JCK MMA.

The welterweight landed a perfectly-timed spinning back kick less than 30 seconds into his fight with Yan Guoxu that floored his Chinese countryman.

What do you think of this week’s list? Are there any finishes you think should have made the cut that didn’t? What about ones you think should have been ranked higher or lower?

Continue Reading MMA News’ Top 10 Finishes Of The Week (6/19 – 6/25) at MMA News.