Next step - title shot.
There were many prodigious performances from fighters on the Cage Warriors 82 card last Saturday night but Nathaniel Wood's second round demolition of Vaughan Lee must stand alone as the most impressive of all.
Londoner Wood, with mixed martial arts legend Brad Pickett shouting on from his corner, weathered an early storm to outstrike Lee, an eight-fight UFC veteran with just thirty seconds remaining on the clock in the middle round.
While Lee displayed the more creative stand-up, Wood definitely enjoyed a significant edge in the damaging output stakes as he rocked his opponent at the start of the round and continued to storm forward for the remainder.
And once he smelled blood in the water, Wood took a deep breath and released a tireless onslaught before one right straight snuck through and folded Lee up like an accordion.
https://twitter.com/CageWarriors/status/848286454627303431?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Fmmajunkie.com%2F2017%2F04%2Fcage-warriors-82-results-nad-narimani-upsets-paddy-pimblett-to-take-featherweight-title
Referee Rich Mitchell jumped in, saved Lee from any further damage and Wood's hand was raised before Cage Warriors president Graham Boylan could be seen whispering in his ear.
“Best believe I’ll be world champion soon,” Wood said as he revealed that he had just been offered a bantamweight title shot in his hometown at Cage Warriors 84 on June 2.
And there was only one name on fight fans' lips as the curtain closed on an incredible event in Liverpool.
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