Fightstore Media’s Top 5 Fights of the Night – Cage Kings Dublin 2

No. 1 – Craig Coakley (Lionheart) vs Jeremy Noka Zoa (Nassar K France)

It was a standout performance by the defending 61kg champion as he completely outclassed his French opponent. Noka Zoa found himself on the receiving end of a Craig Coakley who was on top form. An early kick to the body hurt the French fighter and this was the beginning of the end. How he survived the first round only he will know.

Coakley dropped him in the second round after unleashing a number of shots which found a home on Noka Zoa’s body. Coakley walked forward and dropped him one final time putting the finishing touches to a superb all round performance. The champion retained his title in what Fightstore Media believed to be the fight of the night.

No 2 – James E O’Connell (Courage) vs Karl Hodgers (Louth Thai)

This result came as a shock to everyone with many expecting O’Connell to retain his 57 kg title. Hodgers silenced the crowd with awe inspiring victory over the former champion. His punching, combinations and shot selection were a class above O’Connell’s.

It began with a big left hook which dropped O’Connell, he recovered slightly but got rocked with another combo and looked dazed. He showed a strong defiant attitude but Hodgers went in for the kill and finished him off with another big left hand leaving the ref no choice but to call a stop to it. A first round TKO sealed the victory for the new 57 kg Caged Muay Thai Champion.

No 3 – Damien Darker (Elite) vs Dylan Meagher (Courage)

A split decision victory for Meagher caused uproar from many fans in attendance. It was a thrilling contest right from the first bell as Darker connected with a spinning kick knocking Meagher to the canvas. Darker used every kick in his artillery to pin Meagher against the cage. He seemed to be the aggressor for most of the fight.

Meagher had shown some signs of what he was capable off, taking a lot of punishment and countering Darker from the back foot. However the crowd felt that Darker landed the bigger shots and was robbed by the decision. It may not have been one of the stand out performances but it was definitely one of the most talked about fights on the night.

No 4 – Islam Bisayev (Bridgestone) vs Liam McGill (Limerick)

If you were looking for one of the best contests from the night then look no further. Bisayev and McGill traded back and forth inviting each other to attack. Islam started aggressively landing a vicious head kick and put pressure on his opponent in the opening round.

However things began to change when McGill found his momentum and walked forward attacking Bisayev. The two fighters began trading in the centre of the cage and the crowd’s excitement rose. Bisayev’s kicks connected a number of times but McGill never stopped attacking. In the end Bisayev took the victory via unanimous decision in a fight which received a standing ovation.

No 5 – Darren McFall (Warriors) vs Michael O’Donovan (Samson Martial Arts)

O’Donovan stepped in as a late replacement to compete at Cage Kings and that proved to be a very wise decision. The Samson man looked light on his feet and used the space to his advantage. He stalked McFall and landed some big  combinations but ‘The Tree Kicker’ was effect in his counter attacks. The fight seemed to be in the balance heading into round two.

O’Donovan rocked McFall early in the second round and seized his opportunity to attack. The Warriors fighter found himself trapped against the cage unable to defend himself as O’Donovan let his hands fly. The referee called a stop to the bout after 48 seconds giving the victory to O’Donovan via TKO. It was convincing victory for Michael O’Donovan who continues his good form in 2016.

Notable Mention: Jeanderson Castro (Coopers MMA) vs Waldek (Nina Warriors)

It was a very one-sided fight but immense credit must go to both fighters for even stepping inside the cage. Waldek stepped in at late notice while Castro showed a professional attitude in his willingness to fight anybody. The Coopers MMA fighter had three opponent changes to overcome but that didn’t stop him from making a statement in his professional MMA debut.

Jeanderson blitz his opponent in a first round TKO victory. He didn’t care who he was fighting; there would only be one outcome in his eyes. The vicious ground and pound cut Waldek badly and Castro emerged victorious in the face of many setbacks.

Fightstore Media would like to hear your thoughts on Saturday night’s fights! Who produced the standout performance in your eyes and what was the worst decision of the night? Comment below!