Cage Fury Fighting Championships hosts historic weekend of combat sports action at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City
Tickets on sale now for CFFC BJJ 14 on Friday, July 25, and CFFC NextGen 1 on Saturday, July 26
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) officials are excited to formally announce a historic weekend of combat sports action at the incredible Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, with CFFC BJJ 14 on Friday, July 25, and CFFC NextGen 1 on Saturday, July 26. Both events take place at the spectacular Sound Waves at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, right on the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk.
CFFC BJJ 14 is the latest edition of the organization's star-studded submission grappling series and the first with its new moniker after formerly operating as FURY Professional Grappling. The updated series name now allows for consistency in branding among the promotion's other properties, including the flagship CFFC MMA events, along with CFFC Muay Thai and CFFC Match Day.
Headlining CFFC BJJ 14 is an intriguing matchup for the organization's inaugural light heavyweight title, as former U.S. National Champion and NCAA Division I All-American wrestler Pat "PD3" Downey seeks his third consecutive victory for the promotion when he takes on reigning CFFC light heavyweight champion Luke Fernandez. The winner of the contest joins Patrick Sabatini and Junny Ocasio as the first titleholders in the organization's four-year history
Additional matchups already confirmed for CFFC BJJ 14 include two-time IBJJF Black Belt No-Gi World Championships winner Elder Cruz against Jay Regalbuto and Jonavin Webb black belt Steve "Captain America" Joachim, 10-time FURY Professional Grappling veteran Andrew Kochel vs. Crazy 88 instructor Sergio Vilas, and five-time FURY Professional Grappling veteran Daishi Goto taking on Jiu Livre Grappling Office founder Jarbem Pacheco, among others.
Meanwhile, CFFC NextGen 1 marks the launch of the promotion's new Next Generation series and a seismic shift in the possibilities for athletes looking to begin their rise to the sport's highest levels. Athletes taking part in the events will receive a level of support never before seen in the amateur ranks, including assistance with the costs of pre-fight medicals, travel, lodging and more, while coaches will also receive support in covering traditional out-of-pocket expenses, as CFFC officials seek to identify the top up-and-coming talent from across the nation.
CFFC CEO Rob Haydak recently discussed the motivation behind such an ambitious effort and believes the series will have a significant impact on how athletes are able to progress their development from the earliest stages of their MMA careers.
"We know how much amateur fighters have to sacrifice as they start to pursue their dreams," Haydak said. "We know all the expenses associated with it. We know it's tough on the coaches, as well, to have to travel, take time away from their family and other team members, so we're going to pay for all the medical costs. We're going to give the coaches a stipend. We're covering travel, and we're covering lodging. We want to find the best amateurs in America and bring them up through the ranks and hopefully have them one day fight for CFFC as professionals."
Four-time CFFC veteran James Lyons and MMA media correspondent and creator Jake Noecker have been added to the CFFC matchmaking team to assist with booking Next Generation matchups.
"Both James and Jake are well respected in the industry and have a wealth of knowledge when it comes to identifying prospects," Haydak said. "They are going to play a huge part in us finding the best talent in America. I foresee them having expanded roles in the months to come as we continue to grow our portfolio of combat sports properties at CFFC."
The CFFC NextGen 1 card includes three championship matchups in the night's featured contests, utilizing the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board's designated weight classes, as Algeo MMA & Kickboxing's Joey Milano (5-1) takes on PowerSports MMA's "Bobblehead" Bill Lewis (6-1) for the inaugural cruiserweight belt in the main event, and Southside Boxing Club's James "Las Vegas" Lledo (5-1) takes on American MMA and Wrestling's Joe Teguia (3-0) for the vacant light heavyweight title in the co-feature. Additionally, Marquez Mixed Martial Arts' Liam O'Toole (4-0) meets Zarrukh Adashev Performance School's Giorgi Kantroshvili (4-1) for the vacant welterweight title.
Tickets for both CFFC BJJ 14 and CFFC NextGen 1 are on sale now at CFFC.tv.
The CFFC BJJ 14 main card streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS, with preliminary matches streaming exclusively on OnlyFans. Broadcast details for CFFC NextGen 1, along with complete lineups for both nights, will be announced shortly.
Stay tuned to CFFC.tv for future announcements regarding CFFC BJJ 14 and CFFC NextGen 1.
ABOUT CAGE FURY FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Considered one of the best developmental mixed martial arts organizations in the world, Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) hosts events across the United States with an emphasis on cultivating the best and brightest talent in the sport. CFFC events are broadcast live on UFC FIGHT PASS, the leading digital subscription service for fight fans, and include the company's flagship mixed martial arts events, as well as CFFC BJJ, CFFC Match Day & CFFC Muay Thai.
Founded in 2006, CFFC has served as home to a variety of combat sports stars, including Aljamain Sterling, Paul Felder, Sean Brady, Pat Sabatini, Katlyn Chookagian, Shane Burgos, Merab Dvalishvili, Anthony Smith, Jared Gordon, Kimbo Slice, Jimmie Rivera, Jim Miller and Nick Catone, among others. Led by its respected CEO Rob Haydak, CFFC's executive team consists of sports and entertainment industry executives who have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in the world. For inquiries regarding partnership/sponsorship opportunities please contact us at CFFC.tv.
