CFFC BJJ 15 preview: Championship tripleheader tops bill in promotion's return to Philadelphia's historic 2300 Arena
Pat Sabatini vs. Richie Lewis, Junny Ocasio vs. Estevan Martinez, Taylor Hishaw vs. Nicole Mathew all see gold on line at Saturday's event on UFC FIGHT PASS
PHILADELPHIA – Cage Fury Fighting Championships officials are thrilled to return to Philadelphia's historic 2300 Arena for CFFC BJJ 15, where three championship contests will close out the promotion's latest star-studded submission grappling event on Saturday, September 20.
The first 12 events in CFFC BJJ history, formerly known as FURY Professional Grappling, all took place inside the legendary South Philly venue, and now after nine months away, the organization returns with a number of incredible matchups, including reigning CFFC BJJ welterweight titleholder and current UFC contender Pat Sabatini taking on New Jersey wrestling legend and former U23 World Champion Richie "Savage" Lewis in the night's main event.
Additionally, reigning CFFC BJJ bantamweight kingpin Junny Ocasio seeks the second defense of his title when he takes on Lucas Rocha black belt and former IBJJF World Champion Estevan "The Giant Slayer" Martinez in the night's co-feature, in addition to an inaugural women's bantamweight title match between teenage B-Team standout and CFCC BJJ women's flyweight champion Taylor Hishaw and fellow Jits Magazine top-15 ranked athlete and Method Jiu Jitsu rep Nicole Mathew.
The CFFC BJJ 15 main card streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS, while prelims stream on OnlyFans.com/cffcmma.
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS, 8 p.m. ET)
Champ Pat Sabatini vs. Richie Lewis - for welterweight title
Champ Junny Ocasio vs. Estevan Martinez – for bantamweight title
Taylor Hishaw vs. Nicole Mathew – for inaugural women's bantamweight title
Elder Cruz vs. Sergio Vilas
Kevin Dantzler vs. Sam Micale
Andrew Kochel vs. Kareem Mathieu
Emily Hansen vs. Amanda Mazza
Steve Joachim vs. Anthony Williamson
Tyler Carroll vs. Peter Fazekas
Max Livingston vs. Yanni Loor
Franco Diaz vs. Sean Yadimarco
Brandon Bigelow vs. Cam Mellott
Nick Digiacomo vs. Aaron Kurzer
PRELIMINARY CARD (OnlyFans, 6 p.m. ET)
John Filoon vs. Casey Malik
Cole Kelley vs. TJ Salas
Mike Bonaccorsi vs. Savion Maranon
Christian Kreps vs. Nieko Malone
Matt Doyle vs. Chris Martin
Angelina Hernandez vs. Skyler Munson
Josh Barrett vs. Charlie Kennedy
Zac Rhatigan vs. Bobby Riordan
Alysa Couce vs. Abbey Reynolds
Julian Bair vs. Jace Elliot
MAIN EVENT: Pat Sabatini vs. Richie Lewis
Pat Sabatini is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and was a two-time CFFC MMA champion prior to earning his spot in the UFC, where's he's gone 7-2 at MMA's highest level. During that run, he's also compiled an incredible 6-0 mark on the CFFC BJJ mats, claiming the organization's inaugural welterweight title with a May win over fellow UFC and CFFC vet Joe Solecki.
Sabatini now seeks the first defense of that belt when he takes on Richie Lewis, a former Division I wrestler at Rutgers and two-time NJCAA All-American at Iowa Central Community College prior to winning his U23 world title. A budding MMA prospect, as well, Lewis was victorious in the main event of August's CFFC 145 in Atlantic City and now returns for his second headlining appearance for the organization in just three weeks.
Sabatini has a true passion for grappling and has earned 13 of his professional MMA victories by submission. He's expected to make his UFC return shortly after Saturday's event and is primed to make an assault on the rankings. Defending his CFFC BJJ title would be an incredible accomplishment to fuel that rise, but standing in his way is Lewis, who impressed in his CFFC debut and now looks to do the same thing on the grappling mats.
Lewis is intent on making his way to the UFC, as well, and taking out a respected veteran in submission grappling would be a nice feather in his cap as he looks to propel his own journey.
CO-MAIN EVENT: Junny Ocasio vs. Estevan Martinez
In the night's co-main event, reigning CFFC BJJ bantamweight kingpin Junny Ocasio returns seeking the second defense of his title when he takes on Lucas Rocha black belt and former IBJJF World Champion Estevan "The Giant Slayer" Martinez.
Also a former IBJJF No Gi World Champion and currently ranked No. 4 in the IBJJF pound-for-pound world rankings, Ocasio returns for the third consecutive CFFC BJJ event having earned submissions in his first two appearances. The Unity Jiu-Jitsu Academy rep debuted in May by claiming the organization's inaugural bantamweight title with a heel hook win over Kevin Dantzler and then returned in July to defend the belt with a submission via toe hold over Joey Diehl. He now faces Martinez, the Bully Me Now MMA owner who recently scored gold at July's ADCC U.S. Open in Miami and now looks to shine in his CFFC BJJ debut.
FEATUERED MATCH: Taylor Hishaw vs. Nicole Mathew
In the night's first of three championship matchups, teenage B-Team standout and current CFFC BJJ women's flyweight champion Taylor Hishaw moves up to 135 pounds in hopes of securing the promotion's inaugural women's bantamweight title when she takes on fellow Jits Magazine top-15 ranked athlete and Method Jiu Jitsu rep Nicole Mathew.
Hishaw earned a pair of victories on a single night in May to claim a CFFC BJJ women's flyweight tournament title and championship belt, and she now moves up 10 pounds looking to secure another title as she takes on Mathew in her promotional debut.
Elder Cruz vs. Sergio Vilas
Hailing from Honduras, Elder "El Monstro" Cruz has enjoyed considerable success under the tutelage of Lucas Leite, owning two IBJJF No-Gi World Championships at black belt, in addition to Pan-American and American awards, as well – and claiming the No. 1 pound-for-pound spot in the current IBJJF no-gi rankings.
Cruz took home a victory in his CFFC BJJ debut in July over Steve Joachim and now returns to the organization in a 195-pound matchup with Sergio Vilas, the Crazy 88 instructor and IBJJF World Championships medalist who was forced to settle for a no contest in his first CFFC BJJ appearance, which also took place in July opposite Andrew Kochel.
Kevin Dantzler vs. Sam Micale
In a key bantamweight clash, Kevin Dantzler looks to rebound from a failed bid for the inaugural CFFC BJJ title in May as he returns to the mats to face the debuting Sam Micale.
Dantzler is a six-time winner under the CFFC BJJ banner and was a natural pick to compete for the organization's first belt at 135 pounds, though he was forced to submit against current champion Junny Ocasio. Dantzler now looks to build back to a similar opportunity as he takes on Emerald City Jiu Jitsu owner and Tom DeBlass black belt Micale.
Andrew Kochel vs. Kareem Mathieu
Always willing to compete no matter the weight class, Andrew Kochel makes his 12th appearance for CFFC BJJ after a hard-fought no contest in July. However, this time the all-action grappler moves down to 185 pounds to take on promotional newcomer Kareem Mathieu, who also competes on UFC FIGHT PASS for the first time.
Emily Hansen vs. Amanda Mazza
In the night's lone strawweight matchup of the night, Checkmat Charlotte's Emily Hansen makes her promotional debut when she takes on seven-time CFFC BJJ veteran Amanda Mazza.
Hansen competes on UFC FIGHT PASS for the first time, as well, as she takes on Webb Fitness & MMA's Mazza, a perennial fan-favorite with three submission wins under the CFFC BJJ banner, as well as a 2023 invitation to the UFC FIGHT PASS Invitational.
Steve Joachim vs. Anthony Williamson
At 195 pounds, Jay Regalbuto and Jonavin Webb black belt Steve "Captain America" Joachim looks to return to winning ways after suffering a golden score loss to Elder Cruz in July. Standing in his way is McHugh Jiu Jitsu's Anthony Williamson, who will hope to make an immediate impact in his promotional debut.
Tyler Carroll vs. Peter Fazekas
In an intriguing welterweight matchup, five-time promotional veteran and magic enthusiast Tyler Carroll looks to stay perfect under the CFFC BJJ banner when he takes on a returning Peter Fazekas.
Carroll has impressed with four submission wins in his 5-0 company run, while Fazekas was recently rewarded for his persistence with a submission victory of his own in July after opening his CFFC BJJ career with frustrating losses to Pat Sabatini and Joe Solecki.
Max Livingston vs. Yanni Loor
Welterweight action sees one of the most active competitors in CFFC BJJ history, Max Livingston, take on a promotional newcomer from Ecuador in Yanni Loor.
A Webb Fitness & MMA representative, Livingston has appeared an astounding 10 times previously for the promotion, taking out a few CFFC MMA notables along the way in Jose Perez and Frank Wells. He's walked away victorious in each of his past two outings and will look to keep that run going when he takes on Loor, a CULTR Fight Club athlete who recently returned to his native country to claim gold in May's Abierto de Guayaquil and now makes his CFFC BJJ debut.
Franco Diaz vs. Sean Yadimarco
A middleweight matchup sees Peru's Franco Diaz make his promotional debut against a returning Sean Yadimarco.
Unity Jiu Jitsu black belt Diaz began his martial arts journey in his native country in the striking arts, training in karate, taekwondo and muay Thai before finding his true calling in the grappling arts. He now makes his CFFC BJJ debut against Yadimarco, a Tom DeBlass black belt who is a perfect 3-0 in previous CFFC BJJ appearances, taking home wins over Connor Dixon, Charlie Livingston and Daishi Goto.
Brandon Bigelow vs. Cam Mellott
A pair of CFFC BJJ newcomers collide in an interesting 140-pound matchup, as New York's recently promoted Brandon "The Beast" Bigelow takes on New Jersey's Cam Mellott.
Bigelow is the reigning champion for New Jersey's Men of War organization and now looks to impress in his first appearance on UFC FIGHT PASS. Meanwhile, Melott is a multiple-time IBJJF World Championships medalist who is returning to active competition and looks to climb the rankings once again.
Nick Digiacomo vs. Aaron Kurzer
The night's main card kicks off at 135 pounds, where three-time promotional veteran Nick DiGiacomo looks to build on the strength of his kneebar victory in July when he takes on GTGym rep Aaron Kurzer in a rematch of their May contest, which also took place under the CFFC BJJ banner. Kurzer proved victorious in the first meeting in overtime, and DiGiacomo will now hope for a measure of revenge.