Cage Warriors 183 is set to deliver another action-packed event featuring some of Europe’s top MMA prospects. As of February 27, the card is still taking shape, but several intriguing matchups have already been announced. Here’s a breakdown of the key fights on the card and my predictions for each.
Kevin Caperna vs. Jordan Molinari (Lightweight Bout)
Kevin Caperna remains a bit of an enigma in the lightweight division. The Italian fighter has had a rough stretch, losing four of his last five fights dating back to his amateur career. While he does have a knockout victory on his record, his recent split-decision loss to a seemingly overmatched opponent raises concerns about his consistency and ability to compete at this level.
Jordan Molinari, on the other hand, is part of the well-regarded Next Generation Liverpool camp, training alongside the likes of Liam Gittins. That affiliation alone suggests that he’ll enter this fight with solid preparation and a well-rounded skill set. Given Caperna’s struggles and Molinari’s potential, I see this fight ending with a knockout victory for Molinari.
Prediction: Jordan Molinari via KO, Round 2.
Giuseppe Mastrogiacomo vs. Aiden Lee (Featherweight Bout)
Giuseppe Mastrogiacomo is an undefeated 6-0 prospect who recently secured a victory over Itay Trator. While he is a promising young fighter, he is still in the learning phase of his career. This fight against Aiden Lee represents a significant step up in competition.
Aiden Lee may have a less-than-stellar 12-9 record, but a closer look at his losses reveals that he has faced high-level opposition. His experience could be a key factor in this fight. Lee is a solid grappler, and in order to win, he’ll need to lean on his ground game. While Mastrogiacomo is talented, experienced veterans have a knack for spoiling the rise of young prospects. I see Lee pulling off the upset and grinding out a victory.
Prediction: Aiden Lee via Decision.
Orlando Prins vs. Giuseppe Ruggeri (Featherweight Bout)
The Italian Giuseppe Ruggeri is coming off a disappointing loss, suffering a TKO defeat against Amaury Junior. It was a fight he likely wants back, as it was clear he was the more talented fighter in the cage. However, a few mistakes and his inexperience cost him dearly. He’ll be looking to bounce back against former Cage Warriors title challenger Orlando Prins.
Prins lost to Harry Hardwick in his last fight by KO, but that result was no real surprise given the level of competition. Prins, despite his modest 5-3 record, has faced tough opposition throughout his career, similar to Aiden Lee. He is a solid fighter who will certainly test Ruggeri.
That said, I like Ruggeri to edge out Prins in what should be a competitive bout. A hometown push from the crowd could give Ruggeri the extra spark he needs to get the win.
Prediction: Giuseppe Ruggeri via Decision.
Mario Mingaj vs. Robin Roos (Middleweight Bout)
Mario Mingaj is a perfect 7-0 prospect with a lethal triangle choke. His guard is something to be avoided at all costs, as he uses his length effectively and stays active off his back. These two were originally supposed to fight previously, but Robin Roos pulled out, and Zura Zarnadze stepped in on short notice. Surprisingly, Zarnadze attempted to take Mingaj down and paid the price, falling victim to the triangle choke like most of Mingaj’s opponents.
This time, Mingaj faces Swedish brawler Robin Roos, who is short and stocky for the middleweight division but possesses serious knockout power. Roos will not make the same mistakes as Zarnadze—if they end up in the clinch, he’ll look to disengage rather than play into Mingaj’s ground game. I expect Roos to test Mingaj on the feet early and often.
Give me the former title challenger in Roos to spark Mingaj and pull off the upset.
Prediction: Robin Roos via KO, Round 1.
Konstantinos Ntelis vs. Michael Pagani (Lightweight Bout)
A battle between two high-level prospects, Konstantinos Ntelis is a promising Greek fighter who, despite being only 23 years old, has already shown impressive skills inside the cage. His opponent, Michael Pagani, is coming off a loss to Mason Jones, who recently re-signed with the UFC. However, prior to that setback, Pagani secured a victory over James Power, a highly respected opponent.
While I like Ntelis and his potential, Pagani’s experience against top-tier competition could be the difference-maker in this fight. I see the Italian fighter using his well-rounded game to edge out a decision victory.
Prediction: Michael Pagani via Decision.
Dylan Hazan vs. Michelangelo Lupoli (Flyweight Bout)
An Italian civil war of sorts in this matchup as Dylan Hazan and Michelangelo Lupoli square off. Lupoli is on a two-fight winning streak, though his last victory came against a low-level opponent who stepped in on short notice. While Lupoli was clearly the more talented fighter, I would have liked to see more dominance from him. My main criticism of Lupoli is that he can be too patient at times, spending too much time on the outside, which can be detrimental in close fights where optics matter to the judges.
Hazan, on the other hand, recently snapped a two-fight skid by finishing a 5-6 journeyman fighter, Elves Oliveira, with a flying knee knockout. While it was a spectacular highlight, it was also part of a calculated effort to rebuild Hazan’s confidence and momentum.
I think Lupoli will be competitive for a round, but I expect Hazan to pull away as the bout progresses and outpoint Lupoli to get the win on the scorecards.
Prediction: Dylan Hazan via Decision.
Dario Bellandi vs. Naglis Kanisauskas (Middleweight Title Fight)
These two will fight again after Bellandi won their first encounter by decision back in 2023. Kanisauskas is an exciting striker, but he has struggled with wrestlers and grapplers, previously losing to both Bellandi and Will Currie.
Kanisauskas has an X-factor about him that makes him always dangerous, but I’m going with Bellandi to grind this one out. Kanisauskas has yet to prove he can handle a high-level grappler, and I must fade him until he can show otherwise. Expect Bellandi to get this fight to the ground and secure another decision victory.
Prediction: Dario Bellandi via Decision.
Liam Gittins vs. Alessandro Giordano (Bantamweight Title Fight)
Alessandro Giordano has been impressive as of late. He was active in 2024, snapping a two-bout losing streak and starting a winning streak of his own, including a finish over Sam Kelly and a submission win over Michele Martignoni. In his last bout at Cage Warriors 170, he edged out a split decision against Emanuele Zaccaria, though I thought he was the clear winner.
Gittins, undefeated since Cage Warriors 131, has transformed from a journeyman into one of Europe’s top bantamweight prospects. His dominant title defense over Roberto Hernandez at Cage Warriors 168 showcased his well-rounded skills. Gittins’ finishing rate is dangerous, and I see him ending this fight by KO in Round 3.
Prediction: Liam Gittins via KO, Round 3.
