Cage Warriors 93 results: Carlo Pedersoli Jr. takes split nod over ex-champ Nicolas Dalby in fun clash

Nicolas Dalby’s tale of redemption didn’t get a perfect ending in today’s Cage Warriors 93 headliner, but he made sure fellow welterweight Carlo Pedersoli Jr. had to work for his split-decision win.

It may have been Pedersoli Jr.’s (10-1) first time in the Cage Warriors cage, but it didn’t look like it. Faced with Dalby’s (14-3-1) nonstop aggression, the debutant kept his cool and left no blow unanswered, showing off a wide arsenal of tools on the feet – where he even scored a knockdown with a stealth head kick – and on the ground.

The battle of wills resulted in 29-27 and 29-28 scorecards on Pedersoli Jr’s favor, against a 29-28 score for Dalby. But you could see why the losing fighter, a former Cage Warriors champ and UFC vet who struggled with depression and alcoholism on his way back to the cage, didn’t seem too broken up about it.

Cage Warriors 93 took place at Lisebergshallen – a multi-purpose venue at the Liseberg amusement park – in Gothenburg, Sweden, and it streamed on UFC Fight Pass after prelims on Facebook (via Twitter):

Dalby made it clear right away that kicks were going to be a major part of his plan of attack. But Pedersoli Jr was also quick to show he wasn’t about to be bullied, and he threw a spinning kick early and landed hands of his own before driving Dalby against the cage. Pedersoli Jr. took to the center of the cage early while Dalby circled. A brief trip to the ground had Pedersoli Jr. trying to lock in a triangle, but the fighters were soon back up. Dalby kept relying heavily on kicks, but Pedersoli Jr., unfazed, responded each time. A question-mark kick by Dalby looked solid, but Pedersoli Jr. answered it with a spinning kick, and he then landed a nice knee late in the round, which he capped off with a nice little elbow.

Dalby wasted no time in Round 2 and came out aggressively with kicks. But Pedersoli Jr remained unfazed against his bulldozing style, defending kicks and throwing jabs before shooting for a takedown. Dalby managed to escape and tried his own takedown, but Pedersoli Jr. switched and got him to the ground. Once there Pedersoli Jr. was dominant on top, but Dalby stayed active and fought him off all the way, until the two were back to the feet. Both fighters were landing there, but a massive head kick by Pedersoli Jr. caused the first real damage, sending Dalby flying down to the mat (via Twitter):

Dalby looked in trouble there after the knockdown, but he was able to recover and get the fight back up. In another big moment, Pedersoli Jr. was able to grab hold of Dalby’s leg and dig for a rare calf slicer. But despite looking a little flustered, Dalby was able to gut it out and escape. Pedersoli Jr. was briefly on top on the ground, but the two were back up against the cage by the time Round 2 came to a close.

Dalby was a man on a mission coming out fo Round 3, and he stunned Pedersoli Jr. with a flurry of kicks and a knee. Pedersoli Jr, however, weathered it, and he finally got some breathing room after taking down Dalby. Dalby escaped, pressing Pedersoli Jr against the cage while tying for a takedown of his own. A bloodied-up Pedersoli Jr. defended, and the two went back to the center of the cage. Dalby, somehow, still had enough energy to attack. He finally managed to get Pedersoli Jr on the ground as the final two minutes approached. The two fought for positions, but nothing was locked in. Dalby scramble back on top and worked from Pedersoli Jr.’s guard for a while. He was able to get the mount in the final 30 seconds, even making a brief move to the back, but Pedersoli Jr. managed to restore the half guard with 15 seconds left on the fight.

Bak bloodies up Jacobsen, calls out Pimblett 

Soren Bak’s plan A, he said, was to take down Alexander Jacobsen. But his opponent was so strong that it didn’t work.

So he went to plan B, which involved knees to the face.

As Jacobsen’s (9-3) nose will tell you, it was effective. It wasn’t Bak’s big first-round knee that ended the lightweight bout, but it probably helped on the leadup to the arm-triangle choke that Bak (11-1) locked in during Round 2 to spell the end of Cage Warriors 93’s co-headliner.

After the bout, Bak politely invited Paddy Pimblett to a Sept. 1 date in the ex-lightweight-champ’s Liverpool grounds.

“I noticed Paddy isn’t here tonight,” Bak said after the fight. “He promised to come to my backyard. I guess I have to come to his backyard.”

It isn’t that surprising that Pimblett, who’d actually called Bak out in his previous fight, is down (via Twitter):

The first round was off to a good start for Bak, who seemed to have a Von Flue choke in place as a somewhat purple-looking Jacobsen held on to a guillotine attempt. But Jacobsen managed to get up, pressing Bak against the cage. Jacobsen landed a good right hand on the feet, but Bak ate it and, again, shot for the takedown. Bak managed to get it it briefly, after pressing Jacobsen against the cage, but Jacobsen got right back up. On the feet, Bak ducked under a lot of Jacobsen’s punches, diving low as he seemingly angled for the takedown. Bak landed some blows of his own in the final minute, but ended up being taken down by Jacobsen.

As the end of the round approached, Jacobsen landed an illegal kick to his grounded opponent, who needed a concussion test. Jacobsen was deducted a point, and the fight went on. As they returned, Bak landed a good right hand but there wasn’t time for much more in what looked like a 10-8 round for Bak (via Twitter):

Bak caught Jacobsen early in Round 2, but the two would go on to engage in mostly timid exchanges. Bak seemed to be more on the hunt there, until he eventually (and predictably) shot for the takedown. Jacobsen resisted, though, before attempting a takedown of his own. The two briefly scrambled to the ground, but got up quickly, going back to the tentative exchanges. Jacobsen started throwing seemingly heavy shots, but Bak seeme to defend them before returning to the center of the cage.

Jacobsen’s bloodied-up nose took a few more shots before Bak tried for the takedown once more. Jacobsen, again, held his neck – while Bak, again, seemed to look for the the Von Flue. As the final minute neared, Bak got the mount and eventually migrated to the back, returning to an arm-triangle choke. Blood gushed from Jacobsen’s face as he tapped.

Complete Cage Warriors 93 included:

MAIN CARD

• Carlo Pedersoli Jr. def. Nicolas Dalby via split decision (29-27, 28-29, 29-28)
• Soren Bak def. Alexander Jacobsen via submission (arm-triangle choke) – Round 2, 4:17
• Alan Carlos def. Norman Paraisy via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
• Jack Grant def. Mehdi Dakaev via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-27)
• Sofiane Boukichou def. Junior Karanta via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 1:17

PRELIMINARY CARD

• Hakon Foss def. Jack Mason via TKO (strikes) – Round 1, 1:56
• Malin Hermansson def. Cornelia Holm via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
• Rafael Macedo def. Perry Goodwin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Thomas Robertsen def. Saeed Yunesi via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 3:18
• Per Franklin def. Orlando D'Ambrosio via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Modestas Bukauskas def. Kristian Lapsley via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:39

For more on Cage Warriors 93, check out the MMA Events section of the site.