Following disappointment in a close fight on Dana White’s Contender Series, Bolton’s Jack Cartwright looks to impress at OKTAGON 48.
Last time out Cartwright lost a close decision to Jose Johnson on DWCS where a win would have finally seen him reach his goal of a UFC contract.
Despite missing out on the win, the former Cage Warriors Bantamweight champion displayed elite-level grappling, landing several takedowns throughout the fight and attempting some submissions.
A year later, Cartwright has the opportunity to demonstrate his improvements as OKTAGON – described as ‘Europe’s best MMA show’ – makes its UK debut in Manchester’s AO arena.
Cartwright faces Júnior Assis on Saturday night, with the fight promising to excite with the winner earning the next shot at the Bantamweight title.
“I’m feeling really fit and strong and ready to compete…I’ve been doing a proper strength and conditioning routine over the past 4-6 months which I haven’t done previously,” Cartwright said.
The 29-year-old added: “I’m ready to make him miss with his punches and hit him with mine. Make him miss with his takedown attempts and land with mine and just give him a very hard night’s work”.
Elsewhere on the card reality TV star Jake Quickenden fights comedian Paul Smith as the finale to Channel 4’s ‘Stage to Cage’ series.
Quickenden vs Smith is just the latest in a series of ‘influencer’ fights that have been rapidly increasing in popularity within the world of combat sports.
Whilst this has been met with backlash from some fans, Cartwright believes that it is a positive for the sport.
He said: “With Paul Smith and Jake Quickenden, maybe 4,000 more people will come to the event and watch real fighters who are going to put on a good scrap.
“The more eyeballs you bring on the night the better because people who come to watch Quickenden and Smith might see other fighters they like on the night and then we gain more fans of the sport”.
OKTAGON 48 takes place in Manchester’s AO arena on Saturday night and is available to stream in the UK via DAZN.
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