The Resorts World Arena plays host to the second show of Bellator’s European series on Saturday 4th May 2019 in an event that is headlined by former lightweight champion, Brent Primus, taking on the UK’s own, Tim Wilde. The card is full to the brim with homegrown talent who are looking to make their name on the global stage. The evening’s preliminary card includes many names familiar to UK MMA fans including Saul Rogers, Aiden Lee, Brian Moore, Kane Mousah, Jim Wallhead and also includes a standout fight in the light heavyweight division as former Cage Warriors middleweight champion, Lee Chadwick (24-14-1), moves up a weight class to take on James Mulheron (11-3).
Lee Chadwick made his Bellator debut in Newcastle a few months ago when he lost a unanimous decision in a highly anticipated clash against hot prospect, Fabian Edwards. In the first round, Edwards landed a huge head kick that would have taken out a lesser man but that was a moment that Chadwick never really came back from. After that point, Edwards kept a steady pace and stifled him for the rest of the fight. Chadwick was brutally honest when it came to giving his thoughts on how he performed during that contest.
“S**t. I wasn’t happy with myself at all to be honest with you,” said Chadwick. “I didn’t turn up. I cut far too much weight, felt gassy, overhydrated and I’d put a lot of weight on after the weigh in. I just didn’t feel right in the cage so I wasn’t happy at all. If I was to change anything looking back I would have cut weight easier. I wouldn’t have overloaded as much post weigh in as I got carried away and I’d have upped the pace by working takedowns against the cage. If I’d have got top position on Fabian I’d have ended him.”
The man known as ‘The Butcher’ usually stays away from pre-fight trash talk but even he managed to get drawn into one or two verbal exchanges with the brash, undefeated middleweight leading up to that fight. Edwards threw out the accusation that Chadwick was using steroids after speaking to people in Liverpool. However, Chadwick didn’t let this get to him and says this his physical appearance is down to many years of hard work.
“It doesn’t bother me at all as I’ve had people saying that my whole career. It’s the way I look as I train hard every day,” explained Chadwick. “When I’m in camp, I train three times a day and I used to do a lot of weights when I was younger so I built a base from an early age. I’ve done weights since I was 17 years old and even earlier I had a multi gym in my garden when I was 15 so the shape I’m in is mainly a base from all those years ago. I build on it with kettle-bells and a few compound movements but strength work and wrestling also keeps my shape up.”
In an announcement that came as a surprise to many back in December, it was revealed that the 39 fight veteran would be moving across from Cage Warriors to Bellator. There has been some recent back and forth in the media between senior figures in both companies as both have ambitions to be the major show in this part of the world. Observing fighter movement between these promotions will be intriguing to monitor but Chadwick is very pleased with where he has ended up.
“Bellator is by far the best promotion I have ever worked for,” stated Chadwick. “They are brilliant. I love it here and I love the people who are so professional. Everything is scheduled and there are no lackadaisical employees working for them. They are such a good promotion to work for so I’m really happy and I don’t plan on going anywhere else. I intend on making my name in Bellator and building up my career here.”
The 34 year old is moving up to light heavyweight after contending with some brutal weight cuts over the last year or so. He was supposed to co-headline Cage Warriors 96 in Liverpool last September where he was scheduled to defend his middleweight title but was stripped of it on the scales after coming in overweight. Chadwick then missed weight again for his Bellator debut in Newcastle which is when he decided that enough was enough. He couldn’t deplete himself that badly and then expect to perform to his maximum ability one day later.
“I made the decision to move up because the last few weight cuts have been really hard,” claimed Chadwick. “I’ve been fighting at middleweight since I was twenty two so the change in me from then to now is phenomenal. As you get older, your bones get harder and you get a bit heavier. Obviously your metabolism slows down so that plays a factor too. I walk around at 225 lbs and I have done for a couple of years now so for me to be comfortable enough to fight to my potential, I need to be at a higher weight. I feel like I am going to be a completely different animal going in without a major weight cut. I’ve got a bit of weight to drop but it’s not even half as much as I was cutting to middleweight so I’m going to be more explosive. I’ll have more energy and more cardio. Furthermore, I’m going to physically and mentally feel better for every fight so I don’t care how big these guys are. I will keep coming and I’m as strong as any of them.”
Chadwick’s opponent in his new weight class is James Mulheron who himself is also coming off of a loss on the previous Newcastle card. Both men will be looking to rebound from their recent setbacks and begin to build up a resume at 205 lbs. Mulheron is only recently dropping down from heavyweight so both will still be adjusting to their new home after being two weight classes apart not that long ago.
“He likes to have a slug it out war and mostly use his boxing,” discussed Chadwick. “Mulheron might pull a few tricks out and try to take me down but I don’t know. He may come in with something new but I can’t see it. If he does though, I’m prepared for it. My prediction is either a stoppage in the second from cutting him open with elbows or an early finish in the first with a knockout or submission. I’m bringing everything to the table in this fight and I’ll take him wherever I need to. I’m going to feel him out quickly and then I’m going to execute.”
“Yes, Mulheron is coming down from heavyweight but let’s be honest, he shouldn’t have been a heavyweight should he?” questioned Chadwick. “I think he’s my height if not shorter. It was all fat wasn’t it? He did well in the heavyweight division because he was fast and nimble at that weight considering the way he looked so he outpaced all of them. They don’t like to fight fast. They like to fight slow and that’s why he’s done well. Light heavyweights are a lot leaner and a bit more athletic. I feel like I’m going to be one of the more athletic fighters in this division. I’m not worried about Mulheron’s size as we will both weigh in at the same weight at the end of the day. He’s got to make weight and I’ve got to make weight except my body mass will be made up of a lot more explosive muscle and I’ll be better conditioned.”
Despite being in the MMA game for many more years than most of his counterparts, Chadwick feels that this move to a new division will be like a fresh start for him. He is looking forward to seeing how he fits into the weight class and how he may match up against some of the longer tenured light heavyweights. This new move could give Chadwick more hunger to achieve great things now that he isn’t training just to hit a certain mark on the scales.
“A win over Mulheron will put me in the top 10 light heavyweights in the UK straight away which is brilliant,” stated Chadwick. “That will be a great start in a new weight category for me. I feel good, I’m training hard and I’m able to fuel my workouts. The light heavyweight division is the future for me, one hundred percent. I feel better so this is me now. I’m aiming to rack up a few good wins this year and show that I’m a contender for the top light heavyweights in the world.”
Bellator Birmingham: Primus v Wilde can be seen live on Channel 5 at 10pm on Saturday night. The evening’s preliminary action can be streamed on the Bellator App from 6pm.