CFFC 136's Raheam Forest confident, not cocky, as he seeks UFC invite: 'I'm made for the main events'
"Rambo" looks to first regain the CFFC welterweight title in the headliner of Friday's event in North Dakota.
The stage is set for CFFC 136 as two title fights cap off an incredibly stacked card. After a pair of hungry flyweights throw down for gold in the co-main event, Raheam Forest (7-2 MMA, 4-1 CFFC) makes his highly anticipated Cage Fury Fighting Championships return against a surging Blayne Richards (8-2 MMA, 2-0 CFFC), as the two battle it out for the vacant welterweight title.
CFFC 136 takes place Friday, exactly a year and one day since Forest last fought. After claiming CFFC gold and amassing a 4-1 record in the promotion, Forest got the call for a shot at the UFC by competing on Dana White's Contender Series in September 2023. Unfortunately for Forest, he didn't get the result he needed to secure a UFC contract. Despite the stakes being so high and taking a loss on such an important stage, Forest remains as motivated as ever to earn a second chance at the UFC.
"It was messing with me," Forest explained. "I kept complaining about it sometimes. I just put it behind me, train, and fix my mistakes."
It was very important for Forest to get back into the gym immediately following the loss, he said. Focusing on recovering both physically and mentally really helped distract him from the negative emotions stemming from the loss. Dealing with ongoing nagging injuries, Forest used this past year as an opportunity to get completely healthy and fix mistakes in his game.
"Recovering day by day, building my mental, talking with God more," Forest explained. "Just working on self-awareness and stuff like that. Just building my mental and physical fortitude. That's all I've been doing."
Only days before he signed the contract for DWCS, Forest suffered two freak injuries to his back. Pulling out wasn't an option due to the magnitude of the fight, so he bit down on his mouthpiece and trained through the pain. Although not at 100 percent physical capability during the fight, Forest insists that his injury isn't an excuse for the loss and mistakes he made cost him the fight. Forest says that throwing wild hooks against someone who throws strikes straight down the middle was his downfall.
"He caught me across my equilibrium," Forest said while laughing. "I started doing the deer legs, started dancing. I don't know how, but he done got me."
Now with the loss behind him and feeling in prime fighting condition, Forest is ready to both reclaim CFFC gold and to get another shot at the UFC. The healthiest he has been in several fights, Forest feels that the fans will see the best version of him they have seen so far. Not fazed by returning to the regional scene, motivation is at an all-time high.
"I have faith in God, and I have faith in my work," Forest said. "I know I'm going to go in there and fight. Everybody knows I'm going to go in there and do my thing. That's just me, I'm going to go in there and do whatever I've got to do to win.
"It means a lot, it really does, to win two CFFC world titles. I go in there, I look good, I think I'll probably get that call to the UFC. I feel like I'll get that call."
Forest says that with a win on Friday, he plans on defending his belt as soon as possible. Barring injury or a call back to the UFC, Forest plans on being an active CFFC champion to prove he still belongs on the UFC's "short list."
Whether it's on "The Ultimate Fighter," Dana White's Contender Series, or a short-notice replacement fight doesn't matter to Forest. His only goal is to be in the UFC, and he's willing to take any avenue to get there, no matter how difficult.
"I want to be in the UFC," Forest said. "Everybody like Bellator and all them, they pay a lot, but I can make money. Money don't really mean that much to me. I'm all about generational wealth.
"I feel like UFC is where I need to be, and it's where I want to be. I'm made for the main events. I'm made for fight of the nights. I'm made for KO of the nights, KO of the year, fight of the year. That's me. I'm made for that, and that should be seen on the biggest stage. That's not cockiness, that's confidence."
Per usual, Forest is promising an exciting title fight on Friday. A recent switch in opponents hasn't fazed him, and his motivation remains at an all-time high. The plan is simple for Forest: Win the belt, make it to the UFC, and cement his legacy, and it all starts at CFFC 136.
"Let's just get ready to do it, man," Forest said with a big smile. "Throw these bombs, grapple, whatever you want to do, I'm ready for it. I'm ready to get in there and have fun. That's my therapy session. That's where I have my fun.
"I'm having fun. I'm free. I get to do violent stuff for legal and get paid for it."
Don't miss the battle for CFFC's welterweight belt on Friday at 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, North Dakota or streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS. Limited tickets remain at 4BearsCasino.com.
