It’s the end of an era for the kings of European MMA and a new chapter for debuting UFC featherweight Morgan Charriere.
Cage Warriors waved goodbye to one of the biggest stars in promotional history when the UFC came calling ahead of the return to Paris, France on September 2. Through all the ups and downs of his run, Charriere had the loudest pops, the biggest social media presence and some of the most memorable performances in promotional history.
UFC Paris Fight By Fight Preview
Whether it was third-round finishes, the CW featherweight title or his 2021 Fight of the Year performance with Paul Hughes, Charriere gave thousands of fans something to scream about for over four years. There’s no doubt that taking the extra step into the UFC is always the dream for a fighter as talented as “The Last Pirate,” but it was still tough leaving the yellow gloves behind.
“It was a small pinch in the heart as I have done some years there and have a lot of memories, but I’ve done my time there, so I was ready for the next step,” Charriere said.
With nine trips to the Cage Warriors cage, Charriere has endless amounts of moments to reflect on, but unsurprisingly cherishes bringing the featherweight belt back to his home country most. Whether wins or losses, Charriere explains that every moment was made better by being under the Cage Warriors banner.
Watch Morgan's Cage Warriors Career on UFC FIGHT PASS
Any promotion would have fought for the star featherweight, but none of them quite had the feel that Cage Warriors had when they packed an arena for a Charriere bout.
“The [Cage Warriors] staff was incredible and the atmosphere in the arena was something different than these big shows,” Charriere explained. “You feel like it’s where the future of the sport is made.”
Now with the CW team in the rear-view mirror, Charriere can hardly believe the opportunity is here but promises that he’s there to steal the show. Casual fans may not know who he is walking into the arena, but they’ll walk out with a new favorite fighter.
The energy of the Charriere fanbase is possibly as infectious as the excitement going on inside the cage.
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UFC Fight Night: Gane vs Spivac took place live from the Accor Arena in Paris, France on September 2, 2023. See the Final Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!