Top 5 fights to watch this weekend: Caged Madness, Warrior FC, WNFS, LFA

With a pretty busy weekend ahead in the Ohio Valley, check out the best fights offered in the area over the next two days.

Also be sure to check out the Events section of BluegrassMMA to stay up-to-date on all of the happenings in the Ohio Valley.

5 – Apineru Vele vs. Brad Orsbone (WNFS 46)

Vele (7-4) and Orsbone (6-3) will serve as the co-main event at WNFS 46 in Columbus on Saturday, and when they do the organization’s amateur light heavyweight title will be on the line. Both of these fighters are very aggressive and will go forward the entire time, throwing bombs and looking to put their opponent to sleep. Vele has been impressive of late, winning three of his last four. Most recently, he took out formerly unbeaten prospect Justin Burgun at Hardrock MMA 89 in the first round last month. The Samoan is a very durable fighter, with eight of his eleven bouts having gone the distance. The Vision product meets Ronin’s Orsbone, who made his debut way back in 2010. After not fighting in 2016, he returned in March, topping the red hot Mitch Dotto via decision. This fight could steal the show at Stars Indoor Sports on Saturday.

Check out more about this event here.

4 – Nick Baker vs. Chachi Tabor (Warrior FC: Middlesboro Mayhem)

Warrior FC is set to stream live on FloCombat for the first time, and it’s perfect timing because this is a very interesting fight. After an up and down amateur career, Baker (3-1) had a surprising start to his pro career, winning three in a row. The most impressive of those wins was a knockout of veteran Brian Kerr in less than a minute at Warrior FC: Bad Blood in December. But then he ran into Ken Beverly in his first fight this year, and tasted defeat for the first time as a pro. He’s always a wild card and is dangerous anywhere the fight goes.

Tabor (1-2) has taken a tough road three fights into his pro career, facing Jared Scoggins and James London in his last two fights. He came up short in those two, but he has a chance to get back on track here against Baker.

Check out more about this event here.

3 – Marcus Kuechler vs. Cameron McIntosh (Caged Madness 49)

In just three fights, I’ve become a big fan of Victory MMA’s McIntosh (3-0). He’s just 19 years old, but he fights like he’s been doing it for years. Under the tutelage of Terry Blackwell and training alongside the likes of Dru Schottenheimer, he’s gotten a quick introduction into the sport. Now, we’ll see how he handles being in the final fight of the night, as he’ll main event a card for the first time. He has a tough opponent across from him, as Kuechler (2-1) has picked up both of his wins via submission and will be looking for the upset here.

Check out more about this event here.

2 – Rocky Edwards vs. PJ Cajigas (WNFS 46)

The main event at WNFS 46 features Central Ohio native Edwards (9-7-1) in action for the first time in more than a year against Chicago area native Cajigas (4-5). Edwards has always been well-rounded and durable, but it’s no secret that he usually wants to get the fight to the ground. How will he handle a fighter with power like Cajigas? After getting a rough start to his pro career with five straight losses, Cajigas has stormed back with four straight wins via stoppage. Now, he looks to even his record by upsetting the hometown favorite. He’s also got pro boxing experience and is known for his power.

1 – Brendan Allen vs. Eryk Anders (LFA 14)

While technically not in the Ohio Valley, this bout features a pair of Valor Fights veterans vying for the first ever LFA middleweight title. The bout is the main event at LFA 14 in Houston and airs live on AXS TV. Allen is the submission specialist, and he showed off his grappling skills in snatching the Valor middleweight title from Sid Wheeler in December. He also went on to pick up a TKO win over Jon Kirk in his LFA debut in February. The former Alabama linebacker Anders (7-0) has more of a wrestling background, and much of his game is built on power and athleticism. He’s known for finishing fights quick, as he’s produced three wins in less than a minute’s worth of work. This fight could turn into an explosive one fast.