CFFC 118 Preview: Blockbuster Doubleheader Wraps Up with Two Fantastic Title Fights
Cage Fury Fighting Championships will cap off the promotion's two-night MMA doubleheader event this Saturday, April 1, with "CFFC 118: Forest vs. Radtke."
This card features two title fights at the top of the bill. The headliner sees welterweight champion Raheam Forest against hard-hitting challenger Charles Radtke, with Vilson Ndregjoni vs. Ashiek Ajim for the vacant bantamweight title in the co-main event. This event follows CFFC 117, which takes place the night before on Friday, March 31. Both events stream live on UFC Fight Pass from the legendary 2300 Arena in Philadelphia.
In the CFFC 118 main event, undefeated welterweight champ "Rambo" Forest (6-0) is putting his title and unbeaten record on the line against "Chuck Buffalo" Radtke (6-3).
Raheam Forest, who trains out of Memphis Judo & Jiu-Jitsu, looks to defend his belt for the first time since capturing the vacant title at CFFC 115 last November. The Memphis native won the welterweight title by split decision in a thrilling battle over Collin Lubberts. The man standing across from Forest on Saturday, Radtke, is coming into this fight in excellent form. "Chuck Buffalo" is coming in riding a three-fight winning streak, and don’t let his Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt fool you. The head jiu-jitsu coach at Evolution MMA in Naples, Florida has one-punch power in his hands, as well, which was apparent in his last win at CFFC 110, where he won by a walk-off KO in the first round. Both of these fighters are finishers and bring styles that are guaranteed to entertain in this main event.
In the featured co-main, we have two bantamweights looking to make the most of a massive opportunity. Former CFFC bantamweight champion Da'Mon Blackshear vacated his title last August when he signed a contract with the UFC. That left the belt up for grabs and set the table for this showdown at CFFC 118 between "The Strong Eagle" Ndregjoni (6-3) vs. Ashiek "TBD" Ajim (6-2).
Representing his native Albania and AMA Fight Club in Cedar Knolls, Ndregjoni is looking to kick off his 2023 with a win that would make it two straight victories in his career. Ndregjoni closed out his 2022 with a unanimous decision win over John Douma at CFFC 116 back in December. His opponent, Ajim, will look to stop that attempt at consecutive victories and start a streak of his own. Ajim is looking to get back to business coming off a small set back in his last fight on Dana White's Contender Series. The Long Island MMA product suffered just the second loss of his professional career that night but came into the fight riding a previous three-fight win streak. With the former champion of this division graduating to the biggest show in the sport, it goes without saying how massive a win could be for the immediate future of both of fighters.
Rounding out our CFFC 118 main card we have welterweight prospect Eric Nolan (3-1) facing late replacement Blayne Richards (5-2), a bantamweight matchup between two former amateur champs in Riley Palmer (0-0) and Donzeill Marshall (1-1), Serra-Longo prodigy Dylan Mantello (6-2) vs. Charles Alexander (9-3) of Nashville MMA, as well as a heavyweight matchup between former CFFC NextGen champ Ian Allston (2-1) and PFL Challenger Series veteran Daiqwon Buckley (3-1).
Additionally, there will be five preliminary bouts which also features an Next Gen Middleweight Title fight between reigning champion Nick Galanti (4-1) and undefeated challenger M, A, Yah (6-0).
Tickets for CFFC 118 are available online at CFFC.tv. The main card streams on UFC Fight Pass, with preliminary fights streaming for free on CFFC's YouTube and Twitter accounts. The commentary will feature a two-man desk consisting of wrestling superstar and UFC veteran CM Punk and MixedMartialArts.com editor-in-chief John Morgan.
ARTICLE BY NATHAN VENT