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Christian Leroy Duncan, the undefeated Cage Warriors middleweight champion, has signed with the UFC and is set to make his promotional debut when the octagon doors open in London later this year.
At just 27 years of age, the Brit is one of the most promising talents out of Europe. He is hellbent on getting off to a good start and cementing his name in the division throughout 2023. Many athletes made the jump over to the UFC from Cage Warriors and the 185er will be the latest.
As announced on social media, Christian Leroy Duncan has agreed to a deal with the UFC and will waste no time in getting familiar with his new company, as he will make his debut at UFC 286 in The O2 Arena on March 18.
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"At this time, I think we've made a decision. I'll be handing the belt back to Cage Warriors and then next year, 2023, London, March, we're looking to make my UFC debut."
The rangy striker was set to make the second defense of the middleweight title in the headliner at Cage Warriors 148 on New Year's Eve. Unfortunately, he was forced off the card when his opponent, UFC alumni Jesse Taylor, was injured during a hit-and-run.
Despite the disappointment at missing out on fighting, the prospect will find a silver lining following the event after being announced as the latest fighter to join the UFC ranks.
It remains unclear as to who will be next in line to fight for the now-vacant Cage Warriors middleweight strap, but Jesse Taylor could potentially be one of the men battling for gold.
Christian Leroy Duncan's path to the UFC
Beginning his venture in the sport with an incredible 23 amateur bouts, Duncan decided it was time to turn professional near the end of 2020 and has been a sensation in the martial arts world ever since.
Having only ever fought for Cage Warriors, the 27-year-old got his pro career off to a lightning start, earning knockouts from his first three opponents. A decision win followed against a man he had already beaten in Will Currie—which are the competitor's only two losses in MMA.
A rear-naked choke submission victory earned Christian Leroy Duncan his first title shot and he took full advantage of the situation, scoring a flying knee TKO over the then-undefeated champion Djati Melan. A spinning elbow finish in his next outing ultimately granted him a chance in the UFC.
