Rhys McKee lands shot at vacant welterweight title at Cage Warriors 115

It’s all change at the top of the Cage Warriors welterweight division as another champion says goodbye to the organization and an in-form contender steps up to fight for the vacant belt.

Hot on the heels of lightweight champion Jai Herbert’s departure to join the UFC, it was announced that welterweight champ Ross Houston also fought his last fight for the promotion.

But Cage Warriors is wasting no time in its quest to ensure the 170-pound title isn’t left on the shelf, however, and one half of the promotion’s next welterweight title fight already has been booked.

The promotion confirmed to MMA Junkie that two-time former BAMMA lightweight champion Rhys McKee will form one half of the battle for the newly vacated belt at Cage Warriors 115 on May 16 from the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

McKee (10-2-1) twice held lightweight gold for rival British promotion BAMMA before signing with Cage Warriors in late 2018. Since joining the organization, “Skeletor” has won three straight, with the third win seeing him move up from lightweight to his more natural weight of welterweight.

His 63-second TKO of Norway’s Hakon Foss immediately put him within range of a shot at the 170-pound title, and following Houston’s departure, the Northern Irishman will get his shot at the gold against an opponent still to be determined.