Joe Solecki had to retire to finally get his crack at a CFFC title: 'That belt always eluded me'

With MMA run behind, Solecki now headlines FURY Professional Grappling 13, where he'll challenge for promotion's inaugural welterweight title.

Joe Solecki is comfortable saying his fighting days are behind him – but his days of competing, they're just getting started.

The nine-time UFC veteran and former Dana White's Contender Series contract winner announced his retirement from MMA in February and initially thought he'd focus primarily on his expanding role as a coach and gym owner, but it didn't take long for him to realize walking away from fighting freed up his time to focus more on his grappling roots.

"I kind of knew I would always compete in some capacity, but I think I romanticized it when I thought I would get done and be like, 'Yeah, I'll chill. I'll do some Masters tournaments,'" Solecki said. "As soon as I started to make that decision, I was like, 'All right, cool. I'm gonna go compete in IBJJF black belt competitions.' Then I was like, 'Man, I think I'm going to try to pick up where I left off.' When I started fighting, I stopped competing in jiu-jitsu at high level."

Just like that, Solecki was back in the game, and it didn't take long for a unique opportunity to present itself.

A six-time CFFC veteran who made his pro MMA debut with the promotion, Solecki was in discussions with FURY Professional Grappling matchmaker Jonavin Webb about potentially taking part in an upcoming tournament for the organization. As the talks continued, Webb offered an even bigger opportunity to headline FURY Professional Grappling 13 and compete for the promotion's inaugural welterweight title.

It was an assignment Solecki simply couldn't refuse after he narrowly missed opportunities to fight for a CFFC title in his rise to the UFC.

"I fought at CFFC a bunch, and that belt always eluded me," Solecki said. "One time was a No. 1 contenders fight and I lost, and then the next time I kind of worked my way back to it, but that was a good thing – I got signed to the UFC – but still, I'm like, 'Oh man, like, if I don't get a UFC belt, I'll never have a pro title,' so that kind of sucks."

Solecki will now get that opportunity on Friday, May 23, when he takes on Pat Sabatini in the headlining match of FURY Professional Grappling 13, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from New Jersey's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City and kicks off a blockbuster back-to-back weekend of events that also includes CFFC 142 the following night.

Like Solecki, Sabatini also made his way to the UFC through an impressive CFFC run, and while the two never crossed paths in MMA, they'll now collide with a FURY Professional Grappling belt on the line. Solecki believes Sabatini makes for a perfect opponent.

"Fantastic grappler," Solecki said of Sabatini. "I remember seeing him at Pan Ams and stuff years ago – I think was a couple belt ranks behind him – winning at a high level in jiu-jitsu. I think people forget that. So super talented, very dynamic, and very agile, like very much so has that kind of eject button available to him, being able to almost cartwheel out of things and flee and then re-attack very quickly.

"So what I think is good about that for me is when I was competing in jiu-jitsu, I had never really been exposed to high-level athleticism or high-level wrestlers, just jiu-jitsu guys, and then going through this path of fighting in the UFC, training with a guy like John Salter, like Chris Weidman, we have guys that do possess that, so I think I have the right partners for those looks, which is exciting because now that isn't something that's going to be foreign to me. That's more in my wheelhouse."

In addition to their successful CFFC runs, both Solecki and Sabatini are unbeaten on the FURY Professional Grappling mats, as well, so the contest between the two is certainly a high-level test. The two were each victorious in the top two matches of this past November's FURY Professional Grappling 11, and now they'll cross paths with a title on the line.

Solecki is anxious to finally claim the CFFC title that he always wanted and believes the contest is one that simply should not be missed.

"It's not going to be the typical hand-fight for 10 minute, two guys that don't want to get after it because they're more MMA guys than they are grapplers," Solecki said. "If it's not working on the feet, we'll pull guard, we'll get it going. It's not going to be someone laying back and other guy not trying to pass.

"Pat's super well-rounded. I'm super well-rounded. He can sweep, he can pass, he can play legs, so there's going to be grappling happening. There's going to be some kind of attacking and excitement. It's not going to be two guys that are scared to lose because I know that I'm not scared to lose, and I know Pat's not scared to lose, so what that usually makes is two offensive guys. I think it's going to be a great match, and I think we're both finishers, so I think it's going to be super exciting and worth tuning in for."