The Dragon is ready to swoop – and his target in Cardiff Bay today is a Finnish fighter with a big reputation.
Mason ‘The Dragon’ Jones, a former professional boxer, is aiming for glory when he takes on Aleksi Mantykivi in Cage Warriors 108 at the Viola Arena, home of ice hockey’s Cardiff Devils.
Jones is top of the card at the mixed martial arts event and says: “Alexsi is dangerous. He has a massive right-hand, dangerous kicks and he’s such a powerful person.
“It’s going to be an explosive fight and I believe I’m going to put him away in 2 rounds.
“The atmosphere at Viola Arena iOS going to be amazing. The feeling walking out in front of a Welsh crowd is indescribable. It’s perfect
“I’m super excited. I’ve fought in the main event before, but never a show as big as Cage Warriors. I fought co-main in my last fight and had a bit of a taste of it all.”
Abertillery’s Jack ‘Tank’ Shore has moved up to the Ultimate Fighting Championship – and won on his debut in Denmark – and a new wave of Welsh challengers are ready to carry on his tradition of electric main event performances.
Shore signed off from Cage Warriors when he won the bantamweight title in Cardiff Bay earlier this year and Jones says: “The crowd showed up to support Jack supported me as well, being a Welsh fighter, but having it completely in my name is another thing again.
“It’s not something I worried about. I just had my head down, blinkers on and focused on crushing everyone in my division.”
Tonight’s Jones v Mantykivi clash is the biggest fight of the Welshman’s. ‘The Dragon’ is a 24-year-old from Blaenavon who is unbeaten in the lightweight division with seven wins.
He has built a reputation as the most exciting Welsh prospect on the European scene, and predict for him a similar future to previous Cage Warriors champions turned UFC stars Shore, Brett Johns and Jack Marshman.
Mäntykivi, the only man to beat former lightweight champion Søren ‘True Viking’ Bak, has hit devastating form with back-to-back TKO wins in his last two fights.
“I’m a totally different fighter now compared to the last time I fought in Cage Warriors,” said Mantykivi.
“Now I go into each fight as though it will be my last. I’m not going to play it safe ever again. This is not the first time I will step into hostile territory, but I am prepared.
“I like the silence of home crowds when their guy loses.”
https://twitter.com/CageWarriors/status/1182612093767503872?s=20
Their clash is expected to be one of the most exciting and fast-paced lightweight contests of the year.
“I’m intent on showing I’m the greatest in this division and that I can defeat anyone,” says Jones.
“I’m always looking for those finishes and to end in a bang. I’m out to destroy everyone… I’m coming for my belt.”
Jones earned a win against Donovan Desmae in his last fight and is eyeing up a shot at the CW lightweight title.
“Everybody else seems to have fallen by the wayside or been defeated,” he says. “Most of the prospects that were coming through, Desmae had been wiping up and I made short work of him so who else is there?
“Every fight I’ve been offered I’ve accepted so it just depends on who accepts me. This was the second opponent I accepted and he’s man enough to take the fight and step-up.
“I’m excited to go in there and see what the both of us can do.
1 DAY TO GO.@MasonJones1995 vs @MantykiviAleksi #CW108 pic.twitter.com/f4JyzHPhKX
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) October 11, 2019
“I’m focused on beating Aleksi because he is a massive threat himself and I have to make sure I’m still there ready for when it’s my shot at the belt. When they decide to throw me that I’ll be ready and then I’ll clean up.”
Jones has been training Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California and is ready for the biggest test of his Cage Warriors career, saying: “This is the hardest test to date and it’s going to be one of my best fights and performances to date.
”I’ve already won this fight.”
An all-Welsh clash will take place for CW108’s co-main event, with the young, undefeated Oban Elliott (166.8lbs) taking on James ‘Lights Out’ Lilley (169.4lbs).
Other Welsh prospects on the card include Jordan Peake and former title challenger Josh Reed, with both successfully making weight.
The CW108 Pro Prelims begin at 7pm and will be broadcast free for all on UFC Fight Pass. The main card kicks off at 9pm for UFC Fight Pass subscribers only.
Tickets are on sale HERE, or on the door at the Viola Arena.
Cage Warriors 108 at the Viola Arena in Cardiff Bay
CW108 Full Weigh-In Results
Main Card
Mason Jones (155.9 lbs) vs Aleksi Mäntykivi (155.9 lbs)
James Lilley (169.4 lbs) vs Oban Elliott (166.8 lbs)
Shaun Luther (155.3 lbs) vs Martin McDonough (154 lbs)
Ivan Zidar (136 lbs) vs Josh Reed (135.5 lbs)
Dan Kneil (134.5 lbs) vs Chris Sterling (135.4 lbs)
Pro Prelims
Rafail Skouras (143.9 lbs) vs Ben Ellis (145.6 lbs)
George Giannakidis (143.8 lbs) vs Jordan Peake (144.1 lbs)
Brad Evans (133.8 lbs) vs Rory Evans (135.5 lbs)
Pro Card
Mason Jones vs Aleksi Mäntykivi – Lightweight
Aaron Khalid vs Madars Fleminas – Welterweight
Oban Elliott vs Steven Hooper – Lightweight
Josh Reed vs Ivan Zidar – Bantamweight
Rafail Skouras vs. Ben Ellis – Featherweight
Martin McDonough vs Shaun Luther – Lightweight
Jordan Peake vs Robyn Fischetti – Featherweight
Chris Sterling vs Dan Kneil – Bantamweight
Cage Warriors Academy Wales Amateur Card
Josh Hudson vs Liam Shotbolt – CWA Welterweight title fight
Tom Jones vs Logan Ostler – CWA Light-Heavyweight title fight
Ricky Wyatt vs Mitchell Goode – Middleweight
Kacper Zdunczyk vs Alex Gill – Welterweight
Danny Dixon vs Tom Carnell – Welterweight
Rafał Neuberg vs Will Davies – Middleweight
Scott Pearce vs Johnny Bryant – Bantamweight
Rhys Hughes vs Will Bladen – Middleweight
Jack Bryant vs Owain Davies – Flyweight
Harvey Hale vs Zach Holman – Lightweight
Ethan Silvey vs Michael Jones – Flyweight
Jordan Taylor vs Jack Allen-Smith – Lightweight