EXCLUSIVE: After drama and knockouts galore at Cage Legacy 22, commentators Alex Ritchings and Phil Campbell, fantasised over the awe-inspiring prospect of a brand new video game.
On Friday evening, the two titans of the sports broadcasting world sat down in their seats in Liverpool for a remarkable fight card.
The promotion’s UK debut set The Dome at Grand Central Hall alight with a plethora of breathtaking showings, including a sparkling knockout from Chris Stringer and a marvellous display of top-level grappling from ex-Cage Warriors champion Lee Chadwick. But which fighter produced a showing worthy of making the voice of UFC Esports want to play as him in ‘Cage Legacy The Game’?
Ritchings, or ‘Bayliun’, as his Twitch followers refer to him, told Sporf: “There were so many good performances. Chris Stringer was excellent, and Lee Chadwick was fantastic in the main event, too.”
Struggling to make the toughest of decisions, he passed the question over to his colleague, asking: “Who got the biggest pop? That’s how I’d decide it.”
Campbell replied: “For me, Keith Keogh got the biggest pop of the night. He was 15-1 as an amateur. His only loss was a contentious split decision. Now, he’s 1-0 as a professional. In commentary, I said that his style is better suited to the pro-ranks. He illustrated that tonight with a beautiful performance.”
Standing in unison with his Irish friend, Ritchings agreed: “With all those knees to the head, he’d be fun to play in a video game.”
‘Cage Legacy The Video Game’ could be coming to a store near you
Focus then switched to the limitless possibilities a Cage Legacy game could provide. With creative juices flowing, the duo felt the idea of taking on the role of CEO, Declan Kenna, and searching the globe for talented prospects in ‘Dollar Dec’s Promoter Mode’ would make for an unrivalled gaming experience.
Ritchings laughed: “I would definitely like to do that; I’m telling them these things. That would be great. Promoter mode would work.”
In a somewhat controversial move, the MMA on Point star decided to bring up a touchy subject. Turning to his partner in crime, he said: “I know you were addicted to Football Manager.”
Opening up on a difficult period in his life, Campbell confessed: “2005, jeez, that was a tough time.”
The commentary duo loved every second of Cage Legacy 22
Sitting side-by-side, the broadcasters broke down a terrific night of fights. And while the pair had never worked together before, they can’t wait to join forces in the future.
An ecstatic Campbell beamed: “Cage Legacy is doing great things, not just in Irish MMA, but in European MMA. Long may it continue.
“This was our first time working together, and I genuinely hope it’s not the last. We had a ball up there. It was like watching fights and having a conversation with your buddy. I’d love to do that again.”
A touched Ritchings responded: “What a compliment that is. I’ll take that to bed.”
Unsurprisingly, the gaming commentator felt the same way, with the raucous atmosphere and unforgettable fights grasping hold of his heart, with it unlikely to let go anytime soon.
Ritchings exclaimed: “Hopefully, it’s not my last Cage Legacy; I’ll have to take a flight to Ireland.”
The Irish promotion returns on July 27 at The Red Cow in Dublin.
Featured Image Credit: Cage Legacy/ Getty/ Phil Campbell