CFFC 132 preview: Champ Kyle Daukaus enters cage with something to prove against heavy-handed Keanan Patershuk
Additionally, undefeated Emily Martins and upset-minded Auttumn Norton square off for vacant women's bantamweight gold.
Cage Fury Fighting Championships returns to action this weekend for a back-to-back night of combat sports action from Philadelphia's 2300 Arena, kicking off on Friday night with "CFFC 132: Daukaus vs. Patershuk" and extending to Saturday's "CFFC Muay Thai 2: Ibrahim vs. Munoz."
Ahead of that busy weekend for the organization, take a closer look at what's on tap at Friday's CFFC 132 card, which features two championship matchups at the top of the bill, as well as a number of intriguing prospects in action throughout the night – including two more title fights in the NextGen division on the evening's preliminary card.
Limited tickets are available at CFFC.tv.
The CFFC 132 main card streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS, while prelims stream on OnlyFans. UFC flyweight contender Renato "Money" Moicano and veteran MMA broadcaster and journalist John Morgan call the action.
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS, 9 p.m. ET)
• Champ Kyle Daukaus vs. Keanan Patershuk (for middleweight title)
• Emily Martins vs. Auttumn Norton (for vacant women's bantamweight title)
• Shamel Findley vs. Bilal Hasan
• Ryan Burgos vs. David Music
• George Lo vs. Busurman Zhumagul
• Christian McAuley vs. Keron Reed
PRELIMINARY CARD (OnlyFans, 7 p.m. ET)
• Adam Amado vs. Tom Hinz
• Julian Birch vs. Tyree Sutton
• NextGen: Chase Moeller vs. Jose Rodriguez (for vacant lightweight title)
• NextGen: Taylor Samarco vs. Tatiana Santos
• NextGen: Darwin Pena vs. Connor Roberts (for vacant featherweight title)
Main event: Middleweight champ Kyle Daukaus vs. Keanan Patershsuk
Two-time middleweight champion Kyle Daukaus (14-4 MMA, 7-0 CFFC) is incredibly proud of his accomplishments in the CFFC cage and is always excited for an opportunity to compete in front of family and friends in his hometown of Philadelphia, but make no mistake about it – "The D'Arce Knight" has his eyes set firmly on the opportunity for a return visit to the UFC, where he notched seven appearances and faced the likes of Eryk Anders, Roman Dolidze, Phil Hawes and Kevin Holland.
To get back there, though, Daukaus knows wins simply aren't enough. He needs finishes to catch the UFC matchmakers' eyes again, so he wants to add style points to any victory he achieves while holding the CFFC belt.
Enter Keanan Patershuk (5-1 MMA, 2-0 CFFC).
Canada's "Porrada" is an absolute wrecking machine of a human being, notching first-round CFFC victories over Khadzhimurat Bestaev and Christian Echols – not to mention an 18-second finish of Kail Melton at Urijah Faber's A1 Combat in between those results – to claim this opportunity.
Patershuk's five professional victories have all come in the first round, and his lone defeat was actually a split-decision result in the only contest that didn't end in the opening five minutes, leaving him one scorecard away from an undefeated record. With a CFFC title win, he would certainly seem to be an ideal target for the upcoming season of Dana White's Contender Series, at a minimum.
There's a lot on the line in this main event for both athletes, where the opening five minutes will likely play out with extreme tension.
Co-main event: Emily Martins vs. Auttumn Norton
The night's co-main event sees the vacant women's bantamweight title up for grabs, with CFFC Vice President Miranda Granger's efforts to help build out the promotion's women's divisions moving along in impressive fashion.
The winner of the title will be the first to hold the CFFC women's bantamweight title since Katlyn Chookagian, who actually earned double-champ status before graduating to the UFC, where she has competed 17 times and established herself as a perennial fixture in the company's rankings.
Vying for that honor at CFFC 132 are Brazilian grappling sensation Emily Martins (2-0 MMA, 2-0 CFFC) and promotional newcomer Auttumn Norton (3-2 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).
Martins has been nothing short of sensational in her CFFC run, scoring rear-naked choke victories over Marissa Ellis and Micaela Rampage to vault herself to the top of the division. A four-time IBJJF world champion, "Galega" is incredibly just 20 years old but has spent her entire life on the mats alongside her sister, PFL veteran Evelyn Martins, and was recently awarded her brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu from longtime UFC flyweight contender Jussier Formiga.
The American Top Team fighter knows big opportunities await with a CFFC title win, though she certainly has time on her side given her young age.
Meanwhile, Norton is a four-time Invicta FC veteran who enters her CFFC debut with an upset on her mind. An MMA Gold product and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt, Norton believes she possesses the wrestling and grappling skills needed to keep her out of danger on the floor, as well as heavy hands capable of delivering damage when the two athletes are on the feet.
Can "The Natural" stop the meteoric rise of her opponent and claim that shine for her own?
Shamel Findley vs. Bilal Hasan
In a burgeoning flyweight division, Shamel Findley (6-2-1 MMA, 2-1 CFFC) and Bilal Hasan (3-0 MMA, 3-0 CFFC) clash in a featured matchup with a chance to make a major statement to their peers.
Findley returns to the cage 11 months after coming up short in a bid for a then-vacant title against the dangerous Badmatsyren Dorzhiev. Prior to that setback, the 27-year-old "Badman" had enjoyed a seven-fight unbeaten streak that included CFFC wins over Will Spann and former flyweight champ Santo Curatolo.
Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Hasan fought most recently in February, where he scored a highlight-reel finish of Jacob Romano via spinning wheel kick before immediately calling for a matchup with Findley.
The CFFC flyweight title currently sits vacant, after Israel Galvan missed weight ahead of his stunning March upset of then-champ Dorzhiev, so an impressive performance here could potentially find either man in a future matchup for the belt.
Ryan Burgos vs. David Music
Speaking of talented young flyweights, "Relentless" Ryan Burgos (1-0) and David "The Great Nuke" Music (Pro debut) will get the bright lights of UFC FIGHT PASS early in their careers.
The 22-year-old Burgos, younger brother of UFC and PFL veteran "Hurricane" Shane Burgos, made his professional debut in 2022 with a slick first-round submission win over Ivan Rios and appeared ready to make a rapid rise in the division before a torn meniscus slowed that ascent. Now, two years later, he's here to pick up where he left off.
Meanwhile, the 23-year-old Music has been honing his craft on the amateur scenes in Ohio and West Virginia, flashing finishing power along the way and even dabbling in some boxing, as well. Now in his professional debut, he's been given a chance to make his name known against a proven commodity on a big stage.
George Lo vs. Busurman Zhumagul
Two talented welterweight prospects who could make noise for years to come meet early in their careers when George Lo (1-0) takes on Busurman Zhumagul (Pro debut).
Promotional newcomer Lo went undefeated as an amateur, winning every fight via stoppage. He made a professional debut in Virginia in 2023, going the distance and picking up the win, but has since had several planned matchups fall through, slowing his progression, which seems to offer real potential.
Meanwhile, Zhumagul was also perfect as an amateur, wrapping up that run in March with a decision win over a then-undefeated Bill Lewis under the CFFC banner. The Webb Fitness & MMA product only scored a finish in one of his four amateur matchups, but the combined records of his opponents when they fought was an impressive 9-1.
It's a matchup that perhaps favors Lo early and Zhumagul down the stretch, but it's a contest that offers a look at two prospects who could be real factors at 170 pounds.
Christian McAuley vs. Keron Reed
Catchweight action kicks off the main card at CFFC 132, with the undefeated Christian McAuley (3-0) taking on the once-beaten Keron Reed (2-1).
McAuley had an impressive 2023 under the CFFC banner with a submission win over Chris Kwiatkowski and a knockout of Hector Iglesias, giving him three finishes in three trips to the cage as a professional thus far in his career.
Meanwhile Reed, a former Tuff-N-Uff amateur champion, made his professional debut in 2022 with a win over Kelvin Sterling, brother of former UFC champ and CFFC Hall of Famer Aljamain Sterling, at CFFC 112. Since then, Reed has struggled to stay busy with numerous cancellations for planned bouts across the country and returns to the CFFC cage looking to kick off the UFC FIGHT PASS broadcast with fireworks.
Adam Amado vs. Tom Hinz
The CFFC 132 preliminary card closes out with a familiar face in Adam Amado (1-2) taking on promotional newcomer Tom Hinz (Pro debut).
Amado has been a game competitor in three appearances under the CFFC banner but had his hand raised just once in those contests. Now training at Arizona's famed Fight Ready MMA, Amado is ready to deliver on the promise he showed in an impressive amateur career.
Meanwhile, Hinz finished up his amateur run in December with an impressive 7-2 record. The Nick Catone MMA & Fitness fighter readied for this pro debut while Islam Makhachev and Khabib Nurmagomedov were in the same facility prepping for UFC 302 and hopes on using some of the lessons taken from working alongside those all-time greats in this matchup.
Julian Birch vs. Tyree Sutton
The first professional contest of the night features a pair of promotional newcomers in light heavyweights Julian Birch (Pro debut) and Tyree Sutton (Pro debut) making the move to the pro ranks.
Birch was a bit of a belt collector in his amateur run, picking up titles in a few different regional promotions in his native Florida during an impressive 8-1 amateur career. The lone loss in that span came to Val Woodburn, who has gone on to compete twice under the UFC banner.
Meanwhile, Sutton had a few setbacks early in his amateur run but did finish that stretch with a belt around his waist, while also adding some kickboxing experience to his name along the way.
With the added time to work with in the professional ranks, a finish here might be inevitable.
Chase Moeller vs. Jose Rodriguez
A clash of styles could be on tap for the final amateur bout of the evening, as the undefeated Chase Moeller (4-0) takes on Jose Rodriguez (5-1) with the vacant CFFC NextGen lightweight title on the line.
Pennsylvania's Moeller owns a pair of submission victories in his MMA career and also scored a decision win over Max Livingston at December's FURY Professional Grappling 8 event. Now he'll look to claim CFFC NextGen gold when he takes on Minnesota's Rodriguez, who has registered three wins by knockout thus far in his career.
Taylor Samarco vs. Tatiana Santos
An intriguing catchweight bout at 110 pounds will see former CFFC NextGen strawweight champion Taylor "The Warrior of God" Samarco (3-3) take on New York's Tatiana "The Tiny Tyrant" Santos (4-3).
Both Samarco, a four-time CFFC veteran, and Santos, a CFFC newcomer, have found themselves outsized frequently in previous strawweight matchups and will look to impress at 110 pounds in perhaps a case for future atomweight opportunities.
Darwin Pena vs. Connor Roberts
The vacant CFFC NextGen featherweight title will be on the line in the opening bout of the night in a clash of undefeated prospects between the Dominican Republic's Darwin Pena (6-0) and Florida's Connor Roberts (5-0).
Pena has been making waves on the New York and New Jersey regional scenes and currently sits as the No. 6-ranked amateur bantamweight in the U.S. Northeast according to Tapology.com. Meanwhile, Roberts made his amateur debut shortly after his 17th birthday and has gone unbeaten in the two years since, leading to the biggest opportunity of his young career thus far.
Both athletes make their CFFC debuts.
