Tariq Pell sees Catacoli as “footstep into the UFC”

Cage Warriors lightweight Tariq Pell believes his next fight will launch him into the bright lights of the UFC.

He said: “Anyone that comes to watch me fight knows I’m going to come for the finish. I’m coming to blow his head off his shoulders or shut the oxygen off from his brain – one of the two.

"That’s what people pay to see so that’s what I’m going to do.”

“The Tsunami” is coming into the fight riding a wave of wins dating back to November 2024.

Three out of four of these wins have come via way of stoppage in the first round.

Tariq has been openly critical of his last performance against Brazilian Bruno Guimaraes Santos, which he won by decision for the first time in his career.

With time it appears that he has forgiven himself for not securing the finish.

“There’s only so much criticism you can give yourself. Eight days' notice and no footage whatsoever, I was just happy to have a fight. I’m not a decision fighter. It isn’t going to ever happen again.”

Going into Cage Warriors 203, the prospect hailing from Milton Keynes will take on his opponent with a full camp and time to formulate strategy, a luxury he has been denied as of late.

“It feels good to do what everyone else is doing. Putting a little gameplan together, look at what they do, having something to work towards and having a face there.”

With a gameplan in tow, he believes that a finish in March will be his last fight with cage warriors and consequently his ticket to the big leagues. As with most professional mixed martial artists, Pell has his eyes set on the UFC.

“I’m going to blow his head off and get into the UFC. Paris, Abu Dhabi or Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS). Any are good but after this finish, I’m getting into the UFC.”

He then noted that DWCS starts up again in August, which aligns perfectly with his birthday.

An opportunity that most fighters would consider a dream birthday present.

When asked what comes to mind when we say the name Catacoli? The BST alumni doubled down.

“My footstep into the UFC.”

Pell vs. Catacoli will be taking place at Cage Warriors 203 in London on March 20th.