Jake Hadley on Cage Warriors flyweight champion Luke Shanks: “I have to build him up more than he actually is”
Jake Hadley is already the Cage Warriors flyweight champion as far as he is concerned.
He has thought this for a long time. After knocking out Shajidul Haque during the Cage Warriors 14 co-main event in September, Hadley is a firm believer he is the best 125-pound fighter in Europe.
On the same night, Luke Shanks earned the flyweight title in the headliner by defeating Samir Faiddine via unanimous decision. Hadley is not impressed by what he’s seen from the champion.
“To be honest, I feel like I am going to totally dominate and smash Shanks to the point where I have to build him up more than he actually is in my head for me to not [expletive] put him down too much,” Hadley said.
“In every aspect of the game whether it’s striking, wrestling, jiu-jitsu, cage wrestling, anything he wants to do, I’m 10 times better than him in every aspect of the game.”
Jake Hadley sees holes in Luke Shanks’ game
The time Hadley meets Shanks may come sooner rather than later. Just one bout into his five-fight contract with Cage Warriors, Hadley only expects a potential UFC call up to be the reason he does not meet Shanks.
There is talk the two will meet at Cage Warriors London on Nov. 27 according to Hadley.
The 24-year-old recalls seeing Shanks throughout his amateur career, stating not much has changed in the champions’ game. Shanks is 7-1 as a professional and is currently riding a four-fight win streak.
Hadley has already earned gold by defeating Nkazimulo Zulu by unanimous decision for the EFC flyweight title in April 2019. Now with Cage Warriors, “White Kong” is seeking another strap.
With five finishes in his six victories, Hadley is confident he can earn his sixth finish against Shanks.
“He’s got severe bad holes in his game, very very bad holes in his game,” Hadley said. “He’s been making the same in his amateur days back in 2013, he makes those same mistakes as he does today.”
Being Champion
Hadley made a strong case for the next title shot. He is already in camp, preparing to dethrone Shanks in late November. Hadley already considers himself a champion, but will look to earn some hardware as proof.
It’s something he already knows, but is eager to show everyone else another time.
“I feel like I’ve been the champion for a long time, anyway I’m the best guy in Europe when you talk about flyweights,” Hadley said. “Shanks and Samir, the champion and the challenger, no one thought of them as the champion anyway. I always felt I was the top guy in Europe.”
