Rhys McKee vs. Justin Burlinson title fight set for Cage Warriors' return to Belfast
Welterweight warriors will do battle for championship gold when Cage Warriors returns to Northern Ireland on June 25.
Cage Warriors is headed to Northern Ireland on June 25, and they're bringing a main event title fight with them.
The promotion will crown a new welterweight champion at the event, which is set to take place at the SSE Arena in Belfast, as they look to fill the vacancy left by current UFC welterweight prospect Ian Garry, who relinquished the title to move to the big stage.
Contesting the vacant title are Northern Ireland's own Rhys McKee and England's Justin Burlinson, with McKee determined to complete his quest for a Cage Warriors championship belt.
McKee was all set to challenge for the Cage Warriors welterweight strap in 2020, but the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic halted his plans. Then he received a short-notice call to compete in the UFC, where he faced a then-unknown prospect by the name of Khamzat Chimaev.
After two bouts in the octagon, McKee returned to Cage Warriors and finished Aleksi Mantykivi to re-establish his championship credentials. Now he'll finally get the chance to fight for gold when Cage Warriors lands in his homeland on June 25.
"I have unfinished business with the Cage Warriors title and it will be nice to claim it on home soil," he said.
"It’s a huge fight for a huge card. This is a night that’s not to be missed."
Sunderland's Burlinson has other plans, however, and hopes to build on the momentum gained with his second-round submission finish of Daniel Skibinski at Cage Warriors 135 earlier this month.
"Winning the Cage Warriors belt has been my goal since the day I signed for the organisation," he said.
"This is the fight I wanted and I’m ready to make the most of the opportunity."
Photo credit: Dolly Clew/Cage Warriors