Norwegian UFC veteran Simeon Thoresen returns to Cage Warriors

After more than a year off from competition, Simeon Thoresen is set to return.

Thoresen (17-4-1), a Norwegian welterweight released by the UFC after a two-fight skid, has signed a five-fight exclusive deal with Cage Warriors Fighting Championship. The promotion announced the news early Friday.

“Cage Warriors is a great organization, very professionally run, and I’m excited to be a part of it,” Thoresen stated. “I’m really excited about fighting again in 2014.”

Thoresen already has one fight under the promotion’s banner. In 2008, he moved to 9-0 with a 51-second submission of Matt Thorpe in Nottingham, England. That gave him eight submission wins in his first nine fights – and the other win was a first-round TKO.

Thoresen would go on to win fights for BAMMA, including a win over UFC veteran John Maguire, and would win the welterweight title for England’s Ultimate Warrior Challenge. That got him noticed by the UFC.

He made his UFC debut at UFC on FUEL TV 2 and submitted Besam Yousef in the second round in Sweden in April 2012. But his next time out, at UFC 152 in September 2012, he was stopped by Seth Baczynski with a first round knockout. After a decision loss to David Mitchell at UFC on FOX 6 in January 2013, he was cut loose.

Still, the 6-foot-1 29-year-old remains a dangerous submission artist. Fifteen of his 17 career wins have come courtesy of tapouts. He has His five most recent wins are by rear-naked choke, and he has 10 choke finishes overall to go along with five armbars.

No first fight has been announced for Thoresen. Cage Warriors makes its 2014 debut next week with Cage Warriors 64 at The Forum in London. The main card will be streamed on MMAjunkie.

For the latest on Cage Warriors’ upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.