KARL MOORE’S BID to emulate Conor McGregor’s historic Cage Warriors achievement came to a violent end after just 15 seconds of his heavyweight title fight with Mauro Cerilli in London.
It’s over five years since McGregor became the first fighter to hold two titles with the organisation, but this evening at Cage Warriors 92 in London, former light-heavyweight champ Moore came up short against reigning heavyweight king Cerilli.
The 34-year-old Italian came into the octagon on a four-fight win streak and landed a couple of tidy one-two combinations before dropping two right-hand bombs on Moore’s whiskers to fell the Belfast native in the opening exchanges.
Referee Marc Goddard was quick to intervene before Cerilli could inflict more damage, and the Italian maniacally celebrated what was his first heavyweight title defence.
A phenomenal performance from @MauroCerilli , he retains his Heavyweight Title #AndStill #CW92 🥊 pic.twitter.com/7KXrjt5V0f
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) March 24, 2018
It wasn’t all bad news for the Irish contingent, however: earlier on the card, Cork’s Darren O’Gorman submitted Salih Kulucan via reverse triangle in the very last second of the first round.
O’Gorman moves to 6-3, with all six of his wins arriving via submission.
