VALENTIN vs DUTILL – A FAN FAVORITE (Will there be a part 2?)

Posted on July 25, 2024 by vmetromultimedia Leave a comment

QUEEN MMA Media
Combat Sports – Editorial
VALENTIN vs DUTILL – A FAN FAVORITE (Will there be a part 2?)

VALENTIN VS DUTILL – A TITLE FIGHT THE FANS WILL REMEMBER AND WANT TO SEE AGAIN
One thing I have learned over the many years of covering combat sports, fighters fight but when you get two fighters that put on a spectacular fight the fans do not forget it. It is what the sport is all about.

On July 19, 2024 in front of a full crowd and under the bright lights of Rivers Casino & Resort in Schenectady, New York CAGE WARS 66 delivered what many fans are describing as the promotion’s most exciting women’s MMA bout to date. I had fight fans pull me aside after the title bout and explain to me how it was the best female fight they have seen among all the regional MMA promotions in a very long time. The fight I am referring to was for the Cage Wars strawweight title. The defending strawweight champion Alaina Dutill put her title on the line against one of the northeast’s finest, Erica Valentin at Cage Wars 66. The defending champion and the hungry top contender collided in epic fashion evoking pure electric from the packed crowd. Many regional fight fans described it as the ‘fight of the night’ and perhaps the best women’s matchup Cage Wars have ever had. Over the last six days I have received numerous emails and facebook messages from fight fans asking me if there is going to be a rematch. It is not unusual for me to get a fair amount of email pertaining to fights and combat sports topics however this time it is surprisingly far more than normal. And honestly I agree with the fans, a part two would be an absolute outstanding fight.

**IT WAS A BACK AND FORTH BATTLE – DUTILL RAINING DOWN BLOWS FROM ABOVE**

**VALENTIN RETURNS THE FAVOR RAINING DOWN SHOTS OF HER OWN**

Valentin vs Dutill energized the crowd from start to finish. “Every second of every round was intense,” a fan told me afterwards. “I did not want to blink. I thought it was going to be all over in the first with that unbelievable arm-bar attempt from Alaina in the last seconds of the round,” Explained another animated fan after the fight.

As I have said in the past I am a big supporter of both the former champion Alaina Dutill and the new champion Erica Valentin. I have a soft spot for both fighters. Yet it is fair to say with much respect to the new Cage Wars champion Valentin, had there been five or ten more seconds remaining in the first round Dutill very well may have finished the fight with an incredible armbar from the bottom. With that said the new champ clearly showed the giant dog in her and pulled out a well deserved win. There is no doubt the Alaina Dutill vs Erica Valentin bout has gained a lot of attention.

“Erica Valentin and Alaina Dutill showed everyone what a fight is. WOW!” exclaimed six fight Cage Wars veteran Richard Cloudhammer. “I absolutely want to see a rematch!”

“I think they both ‘won’ in a way” explained Cage Wars super heavyweight champion Elshaddai Vanhoesen. “I thought it was a well matched fight and a clash of styles. I’d love to see a rematch”

“I absolutely believe there should be a second fight.” Replied Mike Falvo (longtime Cage Wars Ring Announcer) when asked about the fight. “It was an absolutely amazing fight. One of the best fights I have seen in awhile.”

It would seem a lot of fight fans are craving a rematch. And from where I stand it seems not because they are arguing the outcome but simply because they loved the fight so much they want to see a part two.

“If Cage Wars ever offered me a rematch, I would be more than willing to take it,” Stated the former champion Alaina Dutill a few days after the fight.

The Erica Valentin vs Alaina Dutill matchup was not just a fantastic fight and what seems to be fast becoming a fan favorite it also creates an interesting dynamic or matrix if you will. Valentin had come up short in an attempt to win the Cage Wars strawweight championship from Tatiana Cirilo-Santos back in July of 2023 at Cage Wars 59. Dutill defeated Tatiana Cirilo-Santos in November of 2023 at Cage Wars 62 to gain the prestigious strawweight title. And now Valentin has defeated Dutill at Cage Wars 66 to claim the title. I will take a moment to commend and show respect for both Tatiana Cirilo-Santos and Alaina Dutill for doing what champions do ‘Defend the belt”.

And in response to the many fight fans that have or are planning to send me an email or facebook message asking me if there will be a rematch. All I can say is it would seem many of you the regional fight fans want it. It would seem the former champion Dutill wants it. The question remains does Erica Valentin want it? And will Cage Wars put it on the menu? With or without a part two the bottom line is both the new champion Erica Valentin and Alaina Dutill put on a rock star of a fight at Cage Wars 66.