Once-beaten Irish standout Aisling “Ais The Bash” Daly will step back into the cage on April 24th. The Bellator veteran has agreed to face Germany’s Sheila “Bulldog” Gaff at Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 41 in North London, England in a featured matchup to be contested at 125 pounds.
MMARising.com confirmed plans for the fight with a source close to the negotiations on Monday. Daly will make her second appearance for Cage Warriors after defeating Molly Helsel at CWFC 39 in November. Gaff most recently scored an eight-second knockout victory on February 26th.
Daly (10-1-0) began her career with eight straight stoppage wins in and around Ireland before she was forced to the sidelines for a year after promotions in the area ceased operations. She returned to action on November 7, 2009 and picked up a Unanimous Decision victory over Strikeforce tournament veteran Maiju “Maki” Kujala. The win earned Daly a spot in last year’s Bellator 115-pound women’s tournament, but she suffered the first defeat of her career at the hands of submission specialist Lisa Ellis-Ward.
Currently the world’s number five-ranked Super Flyweight in the Unified Women’s MMA Rankings, Daly bounced back with an impressive performance against Helsel in her Cage Warriors debut. She will now look for her second straight win before a hopeful return to Bellator later this year. The talented striker will not have an easy opponent, however, as all of Gaff’s wins have come by knockout or submission.
Gaff (8-4-1) opened her career with a modest 1-1-1 record before putting together an impressive six-fight winning streak that included a submission victory over top German prospect Alexandra Sanchez; the lone defeat of Sanchez’s career. On March 27, 2010, Gaff took part in the one-night Upcoming Glory tournament for a chance at a Strikeforce contract, but lost in the finals to Romy Ruyssen. Gaff returned to action two months later and seemed to be well on her way to handing Cindy “Battlecat” Dandois her first career defeat before an illegal knee early in round three resulted in a disqualification loss for Gaff.
On December 17th, Gaff went the distance for the first time in her career, but came out on the losing end of a Unanimous Decision against Russia’s Milana Dudieva. The loss dropped Gaff’s 2010 record to a disappointing 1-3, but “The German Tank” began her 2011 campaign in emphatic fashion when she knocked out the previously unbeaten Hanna Sillén of Sweden in just eight seconds in February.
With both fighters known for their strength, striking power and submission skills, the matchup could prove to be a very even one or may end in similarly quick fashion to Gaff’s most recent bout. Gaff has previously campaigned at weights as high as 145 pounds, while Daly dropped to 115 for the Bellator tournament last year, and Gaff should bring a size advantage into the fight.
Cage Warriors Fighting Championship 41 takes place on April 24th at the HMV Forum in Kentish Town, North London, England.
(Photo Credit: Peter Waldron, Cage Warriors)