John Phillips calls for late-notice middleweight rematch with Jack Marshman at Cage Warriors 113

John Phillips might not have a dance partner, but he still wants to fight on Friday night.

Phillips was originally set to face Dusko Todorovic at UFC on ESPN+ 29 in London on Saturday, but when the UFC was forced to postpone the event due to the escalating coronavirus crisis, it looked like his chance to compete had gone.

Then there was a plot twist, with Cage Warriors stepping in and agreeing to host the matchup as part of Friday night’s Cage Warriors 113 card, also set for London. But the event’s subsequent move to Manchester was followed by news that Todorovic could not travel to fulfill the fight booking.

It leaves Phillips without a fight once again, but that hasn’t dimmed the desire to fight for “The Welsh Wrecking Machine,” and he has a new matchup in mind, a rematch with fellow countryman – and former Cage Warriors champion – Jack Marshman.

Marshman (23-9 MMA, 3-4 UFC) edged out a split decision against Phillips (22-9 MMA, 1-3 UFC) in London at UFC on ESPN+ 5 in March 2019, and Phillips says a rematch between the pair would be the perfect solution to both men’s canceled UFC London bouts.

Speaking to WHOA TV’s Mike Morgan, Phillips explained the situation, and his rematch proposal (via Twitter).

“So I’ve been informed that my opponent can’t make my fight and my fight’s off. He couldn’t get on a plane for some reason, I should imagine due to this virus scare and not knowing if he could fly home etc. I don’t really know. I don’t hold it personally against him, but my fight’s off. So I’m looking at the card and to salvage my fight and maybe another fight, the only fight that possibly can make sense on this card is me and Jack Marshman. He’s a middleweight, I’m a middleweight. His opponent hasn’t made it, my opponent hasn’t made it. Me and Jack are both based in Wales and we can drive to Manchester and put this show on.

“I think me and Jack, well, obviously we want to get paid, but we can show the public what two Welsh men can do and hopefully try to raise a bit of positiveness around it in this (expletive) situation. That’s the only fight that can make sense, it’s he only fight that can be salvaged. Jack needs paying, I need paying. Let’s re-run it, mate. Let’s get it on.”