The team at Art of Cage Warfare close out their 2025 with a loaded battle card that includes a bit of everything. There are a lot of twists and turns in these matchups and I’m excited to team up with a world-class coach and a professional fighter to put on another great event. “Korean Thunder” Ryan Kim-Cafaro and the Big homie Justin Haskell. Let’s get right into it, starting with the main event and working our way from there….
Main Event: AOW Bantamweight Championship “Remarkable” Billy Markle vs. Aaron Kennedy
I called Aaron Kennedy‘s last three fights and there is no doubt that this young man is fighting at a very high level. The defending AOW 155-pound champion is now 6-2 with six straight wins and five straight finishes. We’ve seen him fight through adversity with a broken eye socket. Kennedy has proven that he is not just a wrestler. It may be his bread and butter, but the rest of his skills have picked up as well, and he’s coming into the main event on December 6 looking to further put his name in the mix for the UFC, just like several other AOW veterans. Joe “Bodybagz” Pyfer, Andre PetroskyAnd Matt SemelsbergeR.
Kennedy is also a great student of the game because I always see him thinking and visualizing. In this case it will try to find a path to the back Billy Markle. Markle has won his last two fights and is always ready for opportunities as he sharpens Nick Catone MMA. He has won his last two under the guidance of our commentary partner, Ryan Kim-Cafaro. Cafaro calls him the fastest person he has ever trained with. We’ll see if that speed, along with a good game plan and execution, is enough to wrestle the title away from the champions.
Co-Main Event: AOW Welterweight Championship Rogelio “Crispy Hands” Melgoza vs. Manny Morales
Manny Morales won the welterweight title in April AOW 41 in one of the most memorable moments in the promotion’s history. Morales needed just eight seconds for a highlight reel head kick and a walkaway KO. Many fans believe he is the next regional fighter from Philly to earn his contract with the UFC and join many of his teammates Marquez MMA that are already there. Melgoza has fifteen career fights under his belt and wants to crash the party for Manny. He has no problem coming in as the guy everyone is rooting against.
The rematch: unfinished business Federico Vento vs. Ben Moser
Ben Moser is still not over the way he felt performing in 2022, when he lost his only professional fight against Federici Vento bee AOW 26. Vento is retiring to Hawaii because he says that’s what we do. Hawaiians never say no to a fight. Moser gets his chance at redemption. Vento will smile no matter the outcome.
We spoke with BMO…Ben Moser to see how he felt about his fight and he tells us…
“I’m not sure how much of this stuff I have left in me. I’m 37 years old now, so this means I get a lot of opportunity to perform like my best self, which I don’t think I brought into my first fight with Frederico. Just a quick shout out to my wife, Aubrey, who is handling everything and I can just focus on the training and the fight. The camp has been great. We’re ready to do this.”
Womens Pro Strawweight Bout Lateesha “the Honey Badger” Mohl vs Naomie “Queen Kong” Young
Mohl is an AOW veteran and has fought here twice as an amateur. She has gone from a 2-7 amateur to a promising 2-1 professional record and welcomes Naomie Young, who is 2-2 with both wins coming by submission. She has competed in the highly respected LFA. This is going to be fireworks. Fight of the Night candidate for sure.
Paul Somaru turns pro
“I have been very busy competing and training, and we felt it was time to move to the next level as a professional,” Paul Somaru told MyMMANews. “Earl Small. Eddie Hall, we push it every day. My wrestling, conditioning, everything is on point. I want to thank everyone who pushed me and helped me in any way they could.”
Paul struggled, fought and fought as much as possible. Now he’s getting set up for his first professional match. Somaru is a natural athlete, whether it was football, wrestling and now mixed martial arts. I look forward to his career. He starts against the 1-1 ruthless Christopher LaLone who has a loss to Kimura and a win via TKO.
AOW Amy Welterweight Championship Ken Cockerill vs. Nikoloz Kikvidze
Nikoloz told me during the last AOW meeting that he came for the belt. He has a lot of self-confidence, and I can understand it when I see the room he is in every day Marquez MMA. He is a very entertaining fighter and he will have to be at his best because Ken Cockerill is a man who has no problem going into deep waters. This is also another FOTN frontrunner.
The rest of the map is on the battle sheet below. Happy to see Cade Beradelli healthy and he can do what he loves most again. Wing Na And Justin EhredIt’s fire. And there are some young amateurs that I’m looking forward to seeing, getting to know and telling their stories. We also have a kickboxing fight like this Christian Oliveros fights C.J. Gabner. Always a good time! If you can’t make it to Valley Forge, you can receive the PPV on the Starfund app.
Doors open 6 p.m. First bell 7:00 PM
Art of War Cage Fighting 45 fight card
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