CFFC 137's Eric Nolan eyes Blayne Richards rematch before getting UFC call

"Night Time" looks to build big win streak starting at Friday's event, take out current champ.

Cage Fury Fighting Championships returns to Philadelphia on Friday, as CFFC 137 comes to the historic 2300 Arena. Filling out an absolutely stacked main card, Eric "Night Time" Nolan (5-3 MMA, CFFC) returns to the CFFC cage as he takes on promotional newcomer Aireon Tavarres (7-2) in a potential welterweight title eliminator fight. 

Nolan has developed a reputation of taking on the toughest tests available, and his track record proves that desire. Based on Tavarres' impressive career record to date, Nolan will certainly have his hands full once again, a challenge he confidently welcomes. 

"Strength of schedule if you match us up, I think I have a way tougher schedule than he had," Nolan said. "I think you're really going to understand that there's levels to this game. He hasn't fought anybody my level or fought the guys I've lost to. I'm pretty sure I'm going to finish him rather quickly."

Since Nolan's most recent victory in April, he has been very busy outside of the CFFC cage recovering from a knee injury, graduating from college, and training at Dante Rivera BJJ Academy. With fellow teammates and CFFC fighters Nick Galanti, Jerry Lleshi and Luke Fernandez all aiming to compete on CFFC's planned card in December, Nolan finds himself being the most experienced fighter out of the Dante Rivera camp at CFFC 137. He looks forward to leading the charge on the night as teammates Darwin Pena and Jose Rodriguez both make their professional debuts before Nolan fights on the main card. 

Although Atlantic City may be the usual fighting grounds for Dante Rivera BJJ athletes, Nolan has unfinished business in Philadelphia. Nolan last fought in Philly at CFFC 118 in 2023, losing to current CFFC welterweight champion Blayne Richards. Planning to right the CFFC 118 wrong, Nolan feels he has something to prove by getting both a win back in Philadelphia and over champion Blayne Richards.

"I think the Philly card is a lot of people with something to prove," Nolan explains. "Where it's like the AC card – there's a lot more tougher matchups and guys that have already proved themselves in some sort of way trying to make that jump."

Hoping to achieve redemption in Philadelphia on Friday, Nolan doesn't plan on getting comfortable on the sidelines after he gets the big win. With many of his teammates presumably fighting on CFFC's planned Atlantic City card in December, Nolan plans on joining them with a quick fighting turnaround.

"I'm going to do both," says Nolan. "That's the plan. I'm taking this fight first, not thinking too far ahead. The plan is win this fight, right on to the December card."

With a stacked CFFC welterweight division, Nolan has plenty of options for a post-fight callout on the microphone. However, the only name that interests Nolan at the moment is Richards. With nothing but respect for the current champion, Nolan believes that in a rematch things would go very differently.

"He stepped in on 12 days' notice, whatever the case may be, and won the belt," Nolan said. "I have a lot of respect for that man inside of the cage. I'd love to run it back with him. Once I win this fight, I'd love to run it back with him in December.

"Focusing on this one, but I'm definitely thinking about that rematch – especially since he has the belt in my division. I have to look at him a little differently now."

Depending on the outcome of Nolan vs. Tavarres at CFFC 137, the fans could be in for an intriguing rematch with Nolan and Richards fighting for the belt down the line. However it unfolds, with a rigorous schedule planned for Nolan, he doesn't plan on pumping the brakes towards his ultimate goal: joining the UFC. Turning 28 in less than a year, Nolan aims to be in the octagon before his next birthday. 

"I'm a man of my word," Nolan said. "I've done everything I set out to do, and I'm going to do it. Said I was going to join the Marines, did it. Said I was going to graduate college, did it. Said I was going to be in the UFC, one more thing I've got to prove people right about."

With a tremendous support team surrounding him, Nolan doesn't feel that he has any doubters to prove wrong. Oppositely, he only wants to show everybody what they know he is capable of doing. Nolan believes his road to a title fight and the UFC starts at CFFC 137.

Watch the action unfold on Friday at 2300 Arena in Philadelphia or streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS.