5 active UFC fighters who competed in Cage Warriors

Paddy Pimblett was a champion in his Cage Warriors' days

Over 100 fighters have joined the UFC after first competing in the Cage Warriors promotion. The promotion is based in the United Kingdom and regularly features top European fighters. In fact, nine fighters competing this weekend at UFC London have previously fought under the Cage Warriors banner.

🤩Nine Cage Warriors alumni will be fighting at #UFCLondon on Saturday night!

👊 That includes Paddy "The Baddy" Pimblett who has an entrance that is not to be missed! https://t.co/OJb0UzwDUL

Cage Warriors has become a respected proving ground for fighters looking to compete at the highest level in MMA. There are multiple UFC champions who have competed for the promotion in the past including former middleweight title-holder Michael Bisping.

While Bisping might now be retired, there is no shortage of Cage Warriors alumni trying to achieve similar glory on the roster today. From up-and-comers to established stars, there are a host of fighters who earned their stripes with the promotion before moving on to the big leagues.

Here are five active UFC fighters who competed in Cage Warriors.

#5. Paddy Pimblett - UFC lightweight contender

Paddy Pimblett may only be one fight into his UFC career, but he already has plenty of people talking about him. He produced a highlight-reel first-round KO in his promotional debut, which along with his popularity outside the cage could mean he is a star in the making.

While Pimblett has not been in the octagon for long, he spent years perfecting his craft in Cage Warriors. 'The Baddy' fought 14 times for the promotion, earning a 11-3 record with the organization. During his time there, he won the Cage Warriors featherweight title and also fought for the lightweight belt.

Sep10.2016

Paddy Pimblett finishes Johnny Frachey by TKO,

to become the Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion https://t.co/AacXpfCvsw

Having enjoyed huge success thus far in his career, it will be interesting to see just how far Pimblett can go. His next fight takes place this Saturday when he takes on Rodrigo Vargas in London. A second straight octagon win in front of his home fans would really get people talking.