Promotional newcomer Brandon Lopez in search of redemption at CFFC 100

Brandon Lopez realizes the importance of his CFFC debut, and he's planning on making a statement at Thursday's historic card. But there's something else driving the man they call "Playboy," as well: redemption.

"We just came out with a video, a little teaser video, kind of like a promo trailer for this fight," Lopez said. "It's called 'Redemption,' and it kind of ties in that last fight, how that went, and then going into the camp for this one."

Lopez (3-2) takes on Charles Radtke (3-3) in a welterweight matchup at Thursday's CFFC 100 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. A Tampa-area resident, Lopez knew he absolutely had to book a spot on the card.

"I definitely want to soak up that energy," Lopez said. "I've had fights where I've had a big showing, hometown crowd, and you just feed off that leading into it. You feed off the fans. I mean, some people can take that negatively, you know, kind of like stage fright, but it kind of pumps me up."

But as he was preparing for the card, Lopez was offered an opportunity to compete one month earlier in Miami, as well, and Lopez decided to take the matchup, giving him an opportunity to fight twice in quick succession.

Unfortunately for him, Lopez suffered a split-decision loss in the contest. It's a result that didn't sit especially well with him.

"Don't leave it to the judges," Lopez said. "I lost that first round – I know that. The second and third, I feel like I did enough to win both rounds. I ended the fight on top."

Fortunately for Lopez, he came out unscathed and was able to keep his spot at CFFC 100. He said the setback also taught him a valuable lesson he'll utilize moving forward.

"What I took from it is to push the pace, even in the beginning," Lopez said. "Don't start too slow, you know? I've been known to have a good gas tank, so I get better as the fight goes on. I like to take people to that deep water, and as people fade out, I get better. But you know, if anything, that cost me in that fight because I lost that first round, and so this fight, it's really going to be, you know, try not to leave it to the judges.

"I'm not saying I'm going to go in there and just swing for the fences, but at the same time, I am going to look to finish, and if there isn't a finish, I'm going to make sure that I win every round."

Despite fighting for the second time in just a month, Lopez said he feels prepared for his opponent, and though he has respect for Radtke as a fighter, he believes victory is quite attainable.

"I know he's a black belt in jiu-jitsu," Lopez said. "I know he's a 155-pounder coming up to 170, and he's fought good opponents. I know he's coming off a loss, as well. He got a knockout loss, so I know his chin has been hit before. I haven't really seen his last fight, but we checked out some of his fights before that, so we've got a pretty good gameplan going in."

If things go as planned, it will be a memorable night for Smith, fighting in front of a friendly crowd in his backyard on the UFC FIGHT PASS-streamed broadcast of CFFC's historic 100th event.

All of that matters to Smith, who wants to deliver on the opportunity. But more than anything, he wants to rid himself of the frustration of his most previous result.

"I want to make a statement," Smith said. "I heard that there might be some VIPs in the crowd, and I definitely want to make a statement. My goal has always been to get to the highest level, which is UFC, so I feel like being on a promotion like this and having that UFC FIGHT PASS exposure, we're almost there.

"Having a loss is bad, but that was a battle, and everybody that saw that fight – I've had a lot of people reach out, and whoever watched, they kind of know who won. Of course I'd want to win, but I don't really look at that as a loss. It's just kind of moving forward, fix up any little minor mistakes and show it in this next fight and get a win, a convincing win and, you know, hopefully get to that big league that I'm trying to get to."