Luke Fernandez looking for another highlight-reel finish in march to UFC: 'Always expect fireworks'

Undefeated champ Fernandez puts title on line in CFFC 142 headliner, live on UFC FIGHT PASS.

While 2024 didn't go exactly as Luke Fernandez had planned, with the reigning CFFC light heavyweight champion appearing just once in that 12-month span, he's got entirely different ideas for 2025.

Fernandez made the most of that one appearance, defending his title for the first time with a vicious first-round finish of former CFFC middleweight champ Gregg Ellis. Now, just five months later, he's looking for a repeat performance.

"I think keeping the momentum going, especially with the issues in the past of fights falling through and injuries and stuff like that, it's just one of those things that I'm fortunate to get back in there," Fernandez said. "I'm excited to keep that momentum rolling and just staying on top of my training and stuff, not allowing any of that rust to happen and just being a sharper, cleaner version of myself."

Fernandez (4-0 MMA, 4-0 CFFC) returns to the cage this Saturday, where he puts his title on the line against eight-time Bellator MMA veteran Christian Edwards (7-3 MMA, 0-0 CFFC) in the main event of CFFC 142, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from New Jersey's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and serves as the conclusion of a back-to-back weekend of combat sports events at the property that also includes Friday's FURY Professional Grappling 13.

It's another home game for the New Jersey native, and he's excited about the prospect of fighting in front of a packed house.

"It's on a big weekend – great, stacked cards," Fernandez said. "So it's just finishing up this long, great camp and then getting the job done, executing the gameplan and continuing on the path that I'm on."

Standing on that path is Edwards, an athlete that saw his first eight fights take place at Bellator MMA. Since departing the organization, he's returned to the regional scene in style, scoring a pair of first-round finishes.

Fernandez knows he's being presented with a real challenge but wouldn't expect anything less at this point in his career.

"He's been fighting in the big show, and he's got all the experience in the world, so on that aspect, I think it looks great for me on my resume," Fernandez said. " I'm not going to be able to get easy matchups, and I'm not looking for easy matchups. It's one of those things that, you know, you’ve got to step into the plate and and take on all newcomers.

"So yeah, I think he's a talented fighter for sure. He's probably, I think, the tallest fighter I've fought, so that's – I wouldn't say that it's a new challenge or anything like that. It's just something that has to obviously go into the gameplan. But overall, I'm excited. It's going to force me to show the best version of myself."

With a win, Fernandez could potentially secure himself a spot on this summer's season of Dana White's Contender Series. After all, Fernandez remains undefeated as a professional after finishing his amateur run perfect, as well, and he held the CFFC NextGen belt prior to the pro title he carries now.

But Fernadnez insists he's not worried about that call for now. Take care of business, and it will eventually be undeniable, and he plans on making sure once he does make it to the UFC, he's there to stay.

"It's one of those things where I've been hearing this for a while now, in the sense of my career, but at the end of the day, I knew that being 4-0, it's still early, so I can't persist on the fact that I need a call or whatever. I get that there's other people on the regional scene that have these longer careers with just as many finishes and stuff like that, so I'm not dumb in that sense.

"I'm understanding that I might not get that call right away, but I'm going to just keep doing what I have to do until I do get that call,  and the most important thing is that when I get that call, I'm going to know that I'm ready, and I'm going to look back on the time I spent on the regional scene and say, ‘This is why I got these fights, and this is why I went the route I went,’ because I'm going to be prepared by the time I step into the bigger show."

For now, the only concern is delivering another highlight-reel finish and picking back up on the momentum that dropped slightly during a 2024 that was slower than expected.

Memorial Day Weekend. Packed house. UFC Fight Pass headliner. Fernandez is ready to command the spotlight once again.

"Always expect fireworks,” Fernandez said. “I'm not trying to be in there for a five-round fight. I don't think anyone is. If you are trying to let the judges do your job, maybe you should look into a career in judging. I'm a fighter. I'm not a judge, so I'm always looking to put the chips in my hands and prove my own outcome, so I'm excited to get that chance one more time."