CFFC bantamweight champ Da'Mon Blackshear talks life in the entertainment business: 'There will be blood'
As the newly-minted CFFC bantamweight champion, Da'Mon Blackshear understands the opportunities that could soon come his way with continued success. That said, he isn't focused solely on victory. Blackshear knows the fight business entails more than that.
"Every fight, I want people to take notice," Blackshear said. "I'm in the entertainment business. Without a doubt, winning is first and foremost, but I'm here to entertain them – put on a show."
Blackshear's first trip to the CFFC didn't go his way, challenging current UFC featherweight Pat Sabatini for the CFFC crown back in 2018 but suffering a decision loss in the process. Since that setback, however, Blackshear has gone an impressive 5-1, with the lone loss in that stretch coming to Danny Sabatello, who is currently sitting at No. 9 in the latest Bellator bantamweight rankings.
"Things started to click," Blackshear said of his current run. "I'm on a mission to further my career and just looking at life differently, growing up a lot, and big changes – real big changes on my approach towards this game."
This past November, Blackshear challenged a then-undefeated DeAndre Anderson for the vacant CFFC bantamweight title, scoring a slick first-round submission to claim the title. "The Diamond" said he knew he was capable of such an impressive performance.
"I had a blast," Blackshear said. "I just went out there, and I did what I knew I could do."
Blackshear (11-4) returns to the cage at Saturday's CFFC 108 event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Parx Casino in Bensalem, Penn. There, he puts his title on the line against fellow veteran Joshua Smith (11-7).
While he's certainly not taking his opponent lightly, Blackshear said he's confident in the matchup.
"I know he's somewhat of a wrestler but from the film, the small little films that I watched, I feel like I'm just better everywhere," Blackshear said. "I feel like I'm a better wrestler. My cagework is better. My striking is better, and I just want to prove it on that night."
With his current form, Blackshear is hoping another win gets him noticed by one of the sport's top promotions, including perhaps the UFC or Dana White's Contender Series.
"Every fight is a step forward," Blackshear said. "Every fight is the most important thing I have, and so I'm going in with just as much ambition as I approached my last fight, and I'm determined to achieve my goal. He's not taking my dream away from me."
But Blackshear knows fans aren't buying tickets to the show or tuning in on UFC FIGHT PASS just to see whether he wins or loses the fight. They expect to be entertained by the show, and Blackshear promises to make it worth everyone's time.
"I'm going to keep grinding," Blackshear said. "I will not be denied. Whatever God holds in front of me is what God holds in front of me, but I'm going to keep grinding and make a statement. Hopefully I get that opportunity.
"Tune in. There will be blood."
