Cage promotion announced today that the main event for the Cage 22 show will be Tom “Stoneface” Niinimäki (18-5) versus Chase “the Rage” Beebe (24-9). Cage 22 takes place in Vantaa, Finland on the 11th of May.
Earlier this year Niinimäki signed an exclusive contract with Cage. As a part of the deal the promotion promised high quality opponents for the Finn who is looking to make it to the UFC.
“As promised we signed the toughest guy we could for Tom. We went through all the candidates and took the biggest name we could with our budget. This is a big investment to us so we hope that Finnish MMA fans will fill the arena. We want to offer Niinimäki fights that will give him a chance to move forward on his career” commented promoter Pekka Rantala to FightSport.fi
Niinimäki has won eight consecutive fights since he returned to MMA in 2010. During this win streak the Finn has beaten highly regarded fighters like Sergej Grecicho (13-5), Ben Boekee (13-1) and TUF veteran Brian Pearman (7-2) who Niinimäki submitted in his US debut in June 2012. Niinimäki is the #1 ranked Nordic featherweight and Europe’s #2 featherweight.
American Chase Beebe is a veteran of the sport who has fought in WEC, Dream and also in Bellator that currently has a non-exclusive deal with him. Beebe is 6-1 in his last seven with a notable win over TUF-competitor Chris Tickle. The lone loss come last night when Beebe dropped a decision to Travis Marx at Bellator 90.
According to matchmaker Olli Hartikainen Cage 22 fight card will include such names as Marcus Vänttinen, Timo-Juhani Hirvikangas, Juho Valamaa, Kai Puolakka, Mika Hämäläinen, Jani Salmi, Jere Varila and Kennet Mattson.
Light heavyweight Marcus “Caveman” Vänttinen is making a strong comeback after knee surgery. The Finn has been training lately also at Stockholm’s Allstars gym with UFC star Alexander Gustafsson and other high quality Swedish fighters. Before Cage 22 in May Vänttinen will make his long-awaited return to action on 9th March at the World Kickboxing Network‘s show in Århus, Denmark where he will participate to a eight man tournament where all the fights will take place in one night. Weight limit for the tournament is 100 kilos (222 lbs) and the fights will consists of two five minute rounds.
