CFFC 146 preview: Lightweight champ Jesse Roberts hopes to secure UFC bid by taking out hard-hitting Angel Alvarez

Additionally, Blayne Richards seeks rebound win against newcomer Kegan Gennrich at Friday's event, live on UFC FIGHT PASS

NEW TOWN, North Dakota – Cage Fury Fighting Championships returns to "The Roughrider State" on Friday, when the Three Affiliated Tribes once again welcome the organization to 4 Bears Casino & Lodge for "CFFC 146: Roberts vs. Alvarez."

In the night's main event, new CFFC lightweight champ Jesse Roberts looks to defend his title for the first time when he takes on hard-hitting Cuban standout Angel "Salsa King" Alvarez, the current No. 2-ranked contender in the division. Both Roberts and Alvarez have eyes on a UFC bid, and a victory in the spotlight of the headlining contest could prove powerful in that goal.

Meanwhile, with injury scrapping a previously announced middleweight title fight, the night's new co-main event sees former CFFC welterweight champion Blayne "Young Gun" Richards looking to rebound from a May setback against Eric Nolan, who used that result to catapult himself into a UFC debut in August. Richards returns with a vengeance as he takes on former LFA titleholder Kegan "Machine Gun" Gennrich, who has faced a few tough nights of his own recently against elite level competition and is anxious to get back to winning ways.

The CFFC 146 main card streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS, while prelims stream at OnlyFans.com/cffcmma. Limited tickets remain at Etix.com.

MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS, 8:30 p.m. ET)

• Champ Jesse Roberts vs. Angel Alvarez – for lightweight title

• Kegan Gennrich vs. Blayne Richards

• Beau Samaniego vs. Devante Sewell

• Hunter Lee vs. Maksim Sergeev

• Iasmim Casser vs. Micaela Rampage

• AT McCowin vs. Guram Mestvirishvili

PRELIMINARY CARD (OnlyFans.com. 7 p.m. ET)

• Dakota Jones vs. Kris Williams

• Edward Lavallie vs. Aaron McDaniel

• Lane Coggins vs. Jeremy Titsworth

• NextGen: Isaiah Cannady vs. Shane Scott

MAIN EVENT: Jesse Roberts vs. Angel Alvarez

Louisiana's Jesse Roberts (9-1 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) made his CFFC debut in March and captured a vacant title with a thrilling first-round knockout over an undefeated Omar Rzgoev. With a title in hand and currently boasting a three-fight win streak, built since suffering the lone loss of his entire professional career, the 29-year-old Roberts believes he's ready for a call to the UFC.

Standing in his way is the hard-hitting Angel Alvarez (9-2 MMA, 2-0 CFFC), who scored a first-round knockout of his own in June and now turns around three months later looking to claim the belt. The Cuban native is 30 years old and also carries a three-fight win streak into the matchup. More importantly, "Salsa King" believes he, too, is destined for the UFC, so this is his chance to shine in his first main event on UFC FIGHT PASS.

The lightweight division is one of the absolute deepest in the UFC, but with an impressive finish, both men have an opportunity to show their worth of competing at the sport's highest level.

CO-MAIN EVENT: Kegan Gennrich vs. Blayne Richards

Blayne Richards (9-3 MMA, 3-1 CFFC) is a former CFFC welterweight. champ who thought he was knocking on the door of the UFC before seeing a six-fight win streak snapped in May at the hands of Eric Nolan, who made his own octagon debut shortly after.

Now, the Anthony Smith protege is ready to get back on a win streak, but he'll have to get past Kegan Gennrich (9-5 MMA, 0-0 CFFC), a former LFA champion who makes his CFFC debut and gets the shine of the co-main event and an opportunity to make an immediate impact in the division.

Gennrich finds himself at a disappoinig 1-3 in his past four appearances, but the losses have come to recent CFFC headliner Richie Lewis, recent Dana White's Contender Series winner and UFC signee Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani and undefeated CFFC veteran Josiah Harrell – elite competition to say the least. Gennrich now aims to get back to winning ways and prove he deserves to be discussed among those top talents.

Beau Samaniego vs. Devante Sewell

Beau Samaniego (7-2 MMA, 4-2 CFFC) is a former CFFC title challenger who came up short in that 2024 bid against an undefeated Anthony Dilemme. After taking nine months away from competition, Samaniego returned in June with a first-round submission win and now makes a quick turnaround looking to build some momentum, as well as a cap off a night that also sees his Gilbert Grappling teammates Micaela Rampage and Kris Williams competing.

Samaniego takes on Devante "The Grinder" Sewell (12-9 MMA, 1-0 CFFC), who has struggled to stay consistent with numerous canceled fights over the past few years and was eager for a big opportunity on UFC FIGHT PASS. Sewell was victorious in the CFFC cage in his lone appearance for the promotion in 2021 and now hopes to repeat the feat.

Hunter Lee vs. Maksim Sergeev

In a key middleweight matchup, undefeated Canadian prospect "Big Game" Hunter Lee (4-0) takes on Ukrainian veteran Maksim Sergeev (15-13-1).

Lee's last three appearances have taken place above the middleweight limit, a fact he bases solely on the matchups that have been offered. But Lee, a former Canadian national wrestling champion, believes his best work will be done at 185 pounds – or even lower – and looks to shine in his return to the division.

However, Lee will face by far the most experienced opponent of his career to date in Sergeev, an 11-year professional who has now relocated to the U.S. and look and hopes to impress in his CFFC debut.

Iasmim Casser vs. Micaela Rampage

In the night's lone women's matchup, Brazil's Iasmim Casser (3-0) takes on Gilbert Grappling scrapper Micaela Rampage (3-3).

Casser is a highly touted prospect who was a highly decorated grappler who claimed IBJJF world titles at both the blue and brown belt levels but has focused on MMA since receiving her black belt in 2021. She's gone a perfect 3-0 thus far, and the 27-year-old now makes her CFFC debut.

Meanwhile, Rampage makes her fourht appearance under the CFFC banner. After starting her pro career at just 1-3, a run that included fights with current CFFC women's bantamweight champion Emily Martins, current UFC fighter Montserrat Rendon, and Bellator veteran Mackenzie Stiller, Rampage has earned back-to-back stoppage wins under the CFFC banner and maintains a willingness to face anybody, anywhere, anytime.

AT McCowin vs. Guram Mestvirishvili

The night's main card kicks off at middleweight, as 13-fight veteran AT McCowin (8-5) makes his promotional debut against fellow CFFC newcomer Guram Mestvirishvili (4-2).

McCowin moves back down to middleweight for the first time in two years after taking some fights as high as light heavyweight in the interim. He now faces Mestvirishvili, a grappler from Georgia who trains alongside Guram Gochashvili, who was initially expected to fight for a title in the night's co-main event.

Initially planning to compete on the night's preliminary card, both men will now look to capitalize on the spotlight of UFC FIGHT PASS.

Dakota Jones vs. Kris Williams

The prelims close out with one athlete excited to make his professional debut and another hoping to set the tone for his teammates, as Dakota Jones (Pro debut) takes on Kris Williams (2-0) at flyweight.

Jones has competed as high as featherweight in a 14-fight amateur career that dates back to 2019 and now makes his pro debut following an incredibly busy 2024 that saw him compete six times in MMA and once in kickboxing. He now takes on Williams, who won his first two appearances under the CFFC banner back in 2022 but hasn't competed since. He now returns to action as one of three Gilbert Grappling athletes to appear on the card.

Edward Lavallie vs. Aaron McDaniel

Lightweight action sees North Dakota native Edward Lavallie (2-2) step in on short notice to face Aaron "Ice Tre" McDaniel (0-1), who is hoping to rebound from a loss in his professional debut.

Lavallie has already competed twice this year and was excited to make his CFFC debut after Luis Unzueta withdrew from the matchup. He now meets McDaniel, who had a perfect 5-0 mark as an amateur but suffered a TKO loss in his first pro appearance in December. Ten months later, he hopes to get back to the winning ways he displayed to start his career.

Lane Coggins vs. Jeremy Titsworth

In the first professional matchup of the evening, Louisiana's Lane Coggins (1-0) makes his promotional debut against a returning Jeremy Titsworth (0-3) at 170 pounds.

Following 13 amateur appearances, Coggins made his pro debut in August and secured a second-round win via rear-naked choke. Now, just seven weeks later, the 21-year-old prospect is ready to compete again. He'll take on Titsworth, who had a rather forgettable CFFC debut in 2024 after taking an absolute last-second contest at 205 pounds. One year later, Titsworth asked for a shot at redemption in his natural weight class, and he gets it against Coggins.

NextGen: Isaiah Cannady vs. Shane Scott

The night's lone NextGen matchup of the night takes place at 155 pounds, as Isaiah Cannady (Debut) steps into the cage for the first time against six-fight veteran Shane Scott (3-3).

Cannady will certainly be a bit of a mystery to scout with no footage to study, but Scott could be an equally difficult challenge, returning to compete for the first time since 2016. Scott did finish that initial run at 3-1 in his final four appearances but could prove an entirely different competitor nearly a decade later.