Buddy Wallace says short-notice assignment no worry at CFFC 143: 'It's going to be fireworks'
Wallace thrilled at interim championship opportunity and chance to visit familiar grounds in North Dakota at Friday's event on UFC FIGHT PASS.
For some fighters, stepping into a championship fight on just three weeks' notice might sounds like a harrowing challenge. Buddy "Braveheart" Wallace is not one of those fighters.
Wallace agreed to exactly such terms for Friday's CFFC 143, where he'll compete in the evening's co-main event with an interim middleweight title on the line.
"This is nothing new for me," Wallace said. "I take a lot of fights on short notice – two, three weeks, even six days before, you know, so it's something I'm used to, but I just got hit up about three weeks out. They were looking for a last-minute replacement, and I had a fight about a month ago, so I'm like, 'I'm in shape.' I jumped right back into training.
"I've been out helping 'Fluffy' get ready for his fight in the UFC – Anthony Hernandez – so been getting some good work in and excited to show all the hard work I've been putting in."
Wallace (23-10-1 MMA, 0-0 CFFC) faces fellow veteran Chris Brown (11-5 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) in a bout that streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from 4 Bears Casino & Lodge in New Town, North Dakota. The opportunity to compete for a CFFC title – not to mention in a familiar setting – provided a perfect opportunity.
"I'm always just trying to stay busy, man," Wallace said. "I want to get to 50 fights. That's my goal in MMA, and see where that takes me.
"I was supposed to fight for a title earlier this year, and it fell through, so it seems like it was meant to be, and it's going to North Dakota, and I went to school out there for college, so it's going to be cool to go back."
In Brown, he faces an opponent that was preparing to face reigning CFFC middleweight champion Kyle Daukaus. "Breezy" impressed in his CFFC debut in March to earn the shot, and Wallace respects the challenge he presents. But currently standing at 8-1 in his past nine appearances, Wallace feels confident in the matchup.
"I'm getting tested in all sorts of different ways in all these fights to prepare me to be where I want to be," Wallace said. "This guy's unorthodox. He's got power. He's got speed. His wrestling's better than I think people realize, so it's going to be a good test, you know? I'm going to plan for an all-out war and try to win any way I can."
A victory is expected to set up another high-profile fight for the winner in a unification bout with Daukaus – unless, of course, the seven-time UFC veteran gets snatched up by a top international promotion in the meantime. Wallace certainly isn't looking past Friday but admits the idea of facing Daukaus is awfully enticing, as well.
"I'm excited, especially if we set up that unification fight because I'm the No. 1 West Coast fighter, he's the No. 1 East Coast fighter, so it doesn't match up better than that usually," Wallace said. "That would be cool."
Maybe even cool enough to get Wallace an invite to the big show that he's sought for so long. "Braveheart" competed on the very first season of Dana White's Contender Series way back in 2017, coming up short against Charles Byrd, who earned a UFC deal with the win.
At 36, Wallace might be a little longer in the tooth than UFC CEO White is generally looking to sign on the show, but he isn't losing hope that it might be a possibility if he just keeps winning.
"It's always been the goal," Wallace said. "I fought Contender back in 2017, so it's been like eight years now, but I feel like that'd be the perfect story: The second chance, and I come back make my way in. That's a big goal of mine."
All in due time. First up, it's Friday's event, and Wallace knows he has to deliver. Fortunately, he thinks that's pretty much a guarantee.
"Tune in – it's going to be fireworks, man," Wallace said. "Every time I fight, I try to put on a show, so you know whether I win or lose, I'm going to put my heart on the line and throw down as hard as I can."
