Nathan Fletcher Confident of UFC Return Ahead of Cage Warriors 207 Clash with Rony Henrique

Former UFC bantamweight Nathan Fletcher returns to action at Cage Warriors 207 when he faces Brazil's Rony Henrique in Manchester. After a turbulent run that included a broken leg on The Ultimate Fighter and a three-fight UFC stint, Fletcher believes a return to the world's biggest MMA promotion is firmly within reach.

You might expect Liverpool's own Nathan Fletcher to sound slightly more uncertain after a turbulent couple of years in MMA.

Breaking his leg on The Ultimate Fighter. Three appearances in the UFC. One win, two defeats, and eventually being released from the sport's biggest promotion.

But the bantamweight insists the belief hasn't changed.

“Honestly, I still believe I'm one of the best fighters in the world at 135 pounds."

That confidence is being reinforced on a daily basis at Next Generation MMA, where Fletcher trains alongside UFC star Paddy Pimblett and rising talents like Luke Riley, Adam Cullen and George Staines.

It's a standard he believes keeps him operating at the level he's targeting.

That belief is now also being rebuilt where it was first forged, with yellow gloves strapped to his hands at Cage Warriors.

Back Where It Started at Cage Warriors

In March, Fletcher returned to Cage Warriors at Cage Warriors 202 and immediately made a statement, finishing Thyago Silva in the first round after overwhelming him on the ground and forcing a stoppage from back control.

It was a reminder of the version of Fletcher that once went 8-1 in the promotion, picking up notable victories over submission specialist Daan Duijs and the previously undefeated Michele Martignoni, earning himself a route to the UFC through The Ultimate Fighter.

With all that in the past, attention now shifts to Saturday, June 20, when Fletcher takes on Brazil's Rony Henrique at Cage Warriors 207 in Manchester's BEC Arena, a familiar venue for the Liverpool native.

A win over Henrique would further strengthen his case for a UFC return.

Reflecting on His UFC Run

Fletcher's UFC run lasted three fights, ending with a 1-2 record. However, his own assessment of that period goes far beyond the numbers and is based more on the opportunities he feels he missed.

One of those was a split-decision defeat against Caolan Loughran at UFC London that still leaves a sense of what might have been.

“I felt I got unlucky against Loughran,” he said. “A lot of people think I won that one.”

But Fletcher is also honest in his self-criticism.

“Ultimately I'm harsh on myself, so I was not satisfied at all,” he said. “I never got to show my best self in the UFC.”

Referring to his third and final outing under Dana White's promotional umbrella against Rinya Nakamura, which saw the Japanese bantamweight secure a first-round finish after landing a front kick, Fletcher remains philosophical about the result.

“Fair play to him (Rinya Nakamura), unbelievable shot. You know, he chose to throw that shot, caught me with it, was a perfect shot, so I can't fault him.

"But for me, nine times out of ten, that shot doesn't land and I get to play that fight out.”

Despite everything, Fletcher's frustrations have never turned into self-doubt about his place in the sport.

“I know where I am capable of being... The plan is just keep working, focus on what's in front of me.”

For Fletcher, what's in front of him now is Henrique and another opportunity to prove that his time at MMA's top table isn't finished, just paused.

Event Information

Cage Warriors 207 takes place on June 20 at the BEC Arena in Manchester.

Fans wishing to support Nathan Fletcher can purchase tickets through his personal ticket link.