NEWCASTLE, England – Cage Warriors delivered a thrilling year-ender at the Vertu Arena on Saturday, as CW 199 crowned a new interim welterweight champion in dramatic fashion and saw a major upset in the flyweight division.
Main Event: Clancy Jr. Breaks Through for Gold
The highly anticipated interim welterweight title fight saw Scotland’s rising star, Sean Clancy Jr., live up to the hype against Dutch veteran Melvin van Suijdam.
After a competitive first round, Clancy Jr. found his opening in the second. Pressuring forward, he unleashed a devastating combination—a right hook followed by a crushing left hook—that sent van Suijdam to the canvas. The referee stepped in at the 0:29 mark of Round 2, crowning Clancy Jr. the new interim champion.
The victory extends Clancy Jr.’s perfect professional record to a formidable 8-0 and marks the biggest win of his career. For van Suijdam, the defeat in his promotional debut is a tough setback, dropping his record to 15-8.
Co-Main Event: Leblond’s Late Drama Dethrones Haque
In the co-main event, Nicolas Leblond authored a stunning comeback to claim the Cage Warriors flyweight championship, dethroning hometown champion Shaj ‘Superman’ Haque.
In a tense, back-and-forth battle, Leblond seized his moment in the championship rounds. In the fifth and final round, he took Haque’s back, secured control, and locked in a fight-ending rear-naked choke. The tap came at 4:11 of Round 5, completing a dramatic victory and ending Haque’s reign.
The win marks a career pinnacle for Leblond, while Haque suffers a heartbreaking first title defence loss in front of his local fans.
Main Card Highlights: Upsets and Action
The main card was packed with significant results:
- Daniel Konrad scored a massive upset, submitting former lightweight champion George Hardwick with a spectacular flying armbar at 4:49 of Round 1.
- George Staines maintained his undefeated record (8-0) with a second-round TKO (punches) victory over Ioan Harris.
- Josh Abraham finished Nicolas Barna via a first-round triangle choke submission.
- Adam Cullen earned a unanimous decision win over Lucas Caio in a competitive lightweight scrap.
Preliminary Card Finishes
The prelims set a violent tone with a series of quick finishes:
- Norbert Pietrzak (2-0) impressed with a first-round KO (punches) of Charles Joyner.
- Teddy Stringer (6-1) secured a first-round TKO via ground and pound against Leandro Camargo.
- Jack Foote and Joe Fields both won via rear-naked choke and ground elbows, respectively.
- Ryan Campbell and Farshad Nazarnia added to the submission tally, while Charlie Boulton won a decision.
Looking Ahead to CW 200
With a new interim champion crowned and the flyweight title changing hands, Cage Warriors heads into 2026 with fresh momentum. All eyes now turn to the landmark Cage Warriors 200 event, where Sean Clancy Jr. will be a central figure as the promotion celebrates a major milestone.
Cage Warriors 199 aired live on UFC Fight Pass from the Vertu Arena in Newcastle, England.
