Jesse Roberts ready to show off 'Louisiana backyard woods wrestling' in CFFC 140 title shot
With rumors of a UFC trip to New Orleans this summer, Roberts anxious to show his skills on UFC FIGHT PASS.
It's been a wild buildup to Friday's CFFC 140 for lightweight title challenger Jesse Roberts, but he was never in danger of bowing out of the biggest opportunity of his career.
Roberts initially stepped in as a replacement for Robert Varricchio in a planned matchup with Angel Alvarez for the belt that was vacated when former champ Robert Watley earned a return trip to the PFL. However, shortly after Roberts signed on, Alvarez was also forced to withdraw from the matchup, and a new opponent had to be found.
It was a whirlwind of changes ahead of the contest, but Roberts said there no real decision to be made.
"It's been wild, for sure," Roberts said. "I didn't know how to feel about fighting five rounds, possibly, but you know once I set my mind to it, I've just been working hard. I knew Angel was going to be the opponent, and he's a really tough guy, and then, you know, got here a little closer, all of a sudden we have another switch-up, so it just is what it is."
The new opponent? Undefeated Armenian prospect Omar Rzgoev (4-0), who now collides with Roberts (8-1) in the main event of Friday's CFFC 140, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Philadelphia's historic 2300 Arena.
Roberts said there was zero hesitation in accepting the new fight, but he admits he chuckled a bit when he was given the offer.
"We was wanting to fight," Roberts said flatly in his signature Louisiana drawl. "We're preparing, so we was like, 'We'll fight anybody,' but of course, it's just like, 'Ugh, really? Of course, it's going to be an undefeated Russian-Armenian guy,' but that was just more of like the joke."
Roberts, who has competed twice previously under the Bellator MMA banner earlier in his professional run, knew that the quality of his opponents was only going to continue to improve as his career progresses. Once he took a closer look at Rzgoev's work to date, Roberts also couldn't help but notice that he will serve – by far – as the most experienced opponent the 25-year-old prospect has faced to date.
"I had to kind of figure that was going to come, an opponent like him, because obviously, it's just we're at that level now where you've got to fight these guys," Roberts said. "I watched him, you know? He's young. Good kid, but I really think he just doesn't have the experience, and I think I'll show him he's got some learning to do."
The winner will walk away with CFFC lightweight gold, a title previously held by such MMA notables as Paul Felder, Jim Miller, Nikolas Motta and Charlie Brenneman, among others. With Roberts' experience and impressive career record, that CFFC title could be enough to earn him a shot on this year's Dana White's Contender Series run, an invitation he'd be happy to accept.
Of course, given the level of the matchup with Rzgoev and the UFC's reported plans later this year, Roberts has an alternative idea, as well.
"It feels like a Contender Series-type fight, really, is kind of feeling it has," Roberts said. "Like, hey, I get this belt, I'm right there at the door, you know? And I'm hearing rumors of this summer, UFC to New Orleans right here at my home state.
“Come on, get me in there, Dana."
Of course, all that can be sorted out later down the line. Right now, Roberts has work to do. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has shown dangerous grappling skills, the 29-year-old Roberts is looking to make a name for himself on Friday night, even if on paper, his pedigree might not be completely clear.
Just give him a chance, he said, and he promises you’re going to like what you see.
"I just want everybody to tune in, enjoy the fight," Roberts said. "I’ll show y'all what the Louisiana backyard woods wrestling can do.
"You know, I don't have any accomplishments in the wrestling field, but I'd put my wrestling against any of these guys – all the Russians, all the Armenians. I'm ready to see how it matches up."
