The Maltese Conqueror Matthew Camilleri Set for Another Dominant Performance
With the Cage Warriors organization set for another show with Cage Warriors 175 on July 25, 2024, one fighter from the island of Malta, will look to put his stamp on the lightweight division. Maltese striker Matthew Camilleri will face off with Emanuele Sabatino on the main card of action. Camilleri is coming off of an impressive finish last time in the Cage Warriors cage and with another finish here could find himself shooting up the organization’s ranks.
Beginning Days of MMA
Many times, fighters and fans see a particular bout or fighter that draws them closer to the sport. For Camilleri, it was Brock Lesnar. “I got into MMA because of Brock Lesnar and was a huge fan of WWE and seeing his highlights. I really liked it and searched a lot about it. This first match that I saw was Lesnar vs Frank Mir 1 and 2; I saw how wrestling is so dominant. A few days later a friend of mine in school was training in MMA and I asked if I could come and started to get training with Team Smasher in Malta,” Camilleri told MYMMANEWS.
While fighting on the Malta and UK regional scenes as an amateur, Camilleri found a man who would become more than just a coach. “My first ever coach Ed the Smasher Smith, and I have always had a connection. He was not only my coach, but a mentor and a friend. He came to see my last fight in Manchester from London,” said Camilleri. The distance between these two large English cities is over 200 miles.
Representing one of the smallest nations in the world in Malta, in many ways, Camilleri is single-handedly carrying the nation on his back into the MMA world. “Well, I never thought about it like that, but at the same I want to put Malta on the map, which I think I already did in some ways but of course I want to achieve more and prove that we Maltese might be the smallest island in the world and don’t achieve like others in sports but we are more hungry to achieve and from the conquered I and eventually WE will become the conquerors,” said Camilleri.
Professional Ranks and Looking to Shine
After two successful first-round finishes in his professional debut in November 2017 and September 2018 respectively, Camilleri would get his first taste of Cage Warriors. His next matchup would see him compete on the Cage Warriors Academy North West 4 card where he would earn another victory, this time by unanimous decision. Since this appearance, Camilleri has gone 4-2 with those loses coming to tough competition. His last contest would display complete dominance against a worthy Cage Warriors foe.
One step closer to his goal, another dominant win can place him in the hunt for goal #1. “My aim has always been the UFC, but first I want to get the Cage Warriors belt, either featherweight or lightweight. Then after, get the call for the UFC and get that belt too!” stated Camilleri.
With fight night just around the corner, what can fans expect from the future world champion? “Fans can expect a great fight like all my fights. If you are a grappling and wrestling fan, you’ll see nonstop pressure and grind to a finish. I respect my opponent as I think that he is good, but I know that I can win in a dominant fashion,” said Camilleri.
