Austin Clayton respects Nick Galanti ahead of CFFC 152, 'but all his skills are just less than mine'

Clayton sees formidable challenge in Friday's main event but believes his class will earn him the middleweight title

Undefeated prospect Austin Clayton isn't interested in talking trash ahead of his CFFC title bout with Nick Galanti, but he also isn't the type to not firmly believe in his own talent.

"I think he's super aggressive and he's really, really good, but all his skills are just less than mine in my opinion," Clayton said of his opponent. "When I look at the matchup, right, he's like a strong wrestler. I'm a better wrestler. I wrestled at a higher level. He's a good grappler. How are you going to get the grappling if you can't take me down, you know what I mean?

"Like, he's not really a jiu-jitsu guy. On his back, he'll throw subs up, but he's not really super dangerous off his back. He's an offensive grappler, and then with the striking, I think the striking, it's OK. I mean, it's enough to hang in there for a little bit, but I think he'll get overwhelmed on the feet, as well. I could see a finish in any type of way. I could see myself finishing him on the feet. I could see myself getting a submission."

Clayton's theories will be put to the test on Friday, when he meets Galanti in the main event of CFFC 152, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from New Jersey's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. The two will compete for CFFC's vacant middleweight title.

It was a bit of a surprise announcement when first revealed, as Clayton (6-1 MMA, 6-1 CFFC) has spent the majority of his career thus far in the welterweight division. But struggling to stay busy at 170 pounds, he elected to make a move up to middleweight and was immediately offered an opportunity to face Galanti (5-0 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) for the belt, and "The Ace" jumped at the chance.

"I was having a really hard time getting fights at welterweight," Clayton revealed. "My last two fights were on four days' notice and on 10 days' notice, and it's because I can't really get myself to find an opponent or someone who's willing to accept the fight.

"I actually had three contracts with CFFC. We were supposed to fight, the one kid, he went to the PFL, Chris Mixan. I understand he gets pulled up to the big leagues – I would take that opportunity, too. But we were in talks of also maybe going to fight 'Bushido' (Busurman Zhumagul) and then also to fight Eric Nolan – and then there's honestly like a lot of other names that have been thrown in the pot that just for some reason it hasn't seemed to work out, but that was never on my end. I was always ready to go and excited for it and calling those shots.

"It's a lot for me to stay down at welterweight, and then trying to stay ready because most of my fights were on short notice, I always had to keep my weight low, and I was having a lot of health issues. As soon as I moved to middleweight, I watched a Contender Series fight this last year, and I was like. 'I'll beat these guys.' Like, yeah, not only would I beat these guys, I'm getting a contract off of these guys. I would destroy these guys, and I just started eating.

“I didn't try to gain weight. I didn't. I just said, 'I'm going to eat until I feel good. I'm going to fuel my body for my training,' and I got all the way up to about 219 pounds. Naturally solid, feeling fast, strong, healthy, so this is the future for me."

The future could become the present really quickly for Clayton should he prove victorious on Friday night. Taking home a CFFC title in his first appearance would be a heck of an accomplishment, especially when it accompanies an undefeated record and while UFC matchmakers are actively booking Dana White's Contender Series slots.

It's a massive opportunity for Clayton, but he'll have to accomplish it all in his opponent's backyard in what's expected to be a rowdy, sold-out atmosphere.

Clayton says he'll have a few fans cheering his name, as well, but more importantly, that he was built for moments just like this.

"I love it, man," Clayton said. "I heard he sells out half the place himself, and I'm super excited because there's no pressure, you know, if everybody wants you to lose one. I'm trying to go turn their day bad and then smash their boy. Just get to go out there and do what I do."