Nick Galanti not sure Austin Clayton ready for CFFC 152 headliner: 'I've been in the fire so many times'

Vacant middleweight title on the line in Friday's main event, live from New Jersey's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City

Former CFFC NextGen champion Nick Galanti hasn't had an easy path to Friday's CFFC 152 spotlight, but that's exactly why he thinks he's more than ready for the challenge of highly-touted undefeated prospect Austin Clayton.

"He is a good opponent; I can't take that away from him," Galanti told Rowan Radio Sports' Seth Fassano. "I just don't think he's been built up and fought the people I have. I don't think there's many people on the regional scene that have the resume I have and have been in the wars and been tested.

"I'm taking this as he's trying to find out how good he could really be, and this is his first step in competition, and I'm not a good person to test that on."

Galanti (6-1 MMA, 6-1 CFFC) and Clayton (5-0 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) meet in the main event of Friday's CFFC 152, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from New Jersey's Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City. The promotion's vacant middleweight title will be on the line, a belt that former NextGen champ Galanti admits he wasn't really chasing on his journey to the UFC, but after seeing the success similar CFFC honors brought his Dante Rivera BJJ teammates Eric Nolan and Luke Fernandez admits it's now proving a little more meaningful.

"I'm not going to lie, at first I was always like, 'I don't care about the belt. I just want to get to the UFC,'" Galanti admitted. "But like, now that I signed for the belt, it's really cool if you start looking back at the people before me that have won the belt, and they all have the common theme. The Sean Bradys, the Pat Sabatinis, the Eric Nolans, Luke Fernandez, Kyle Daukaus – they all end up in the big show.

"I feel like getting that CFFC belt really carries a lot of weight to getting into the bigger show, so it's definitely exciting."

In Clayton, Galanti faces an undefeated opponent and a former Arizona State University wrestler now training at Las Vegas' famed Xtreme Couture. Clayton has spent much of his professional fighting career at welterweight but liked the matchup and the opportunity enough to move up a division at CFFC 152.

Galanti doesn't have an unblemished record, suffering a decision loss in 2024 to Brandon Holmes, who would go on to compete on Dana White's Contender Series. But Galanti has since rebounded with four straight stoppage wins against quality opposition and believes that's why it's his fight to lose on Friday night.

"I'm sure he is going to have that undefeated fighter confidence," Galanti said of his opponent. "The first round, he is going to come in a little hot, but like I said, I've been in the fire so many times. That doesn't scare me.

"Records don't scare me. It's watching who you fought and how you fight them. If I'm fighting someone 15-16 like he did his last bout, I'm going to go out there, and I'm going to look like a superstar, you know what I mean? Like, I'm finishing top prospect after top prospect every single time – fights that I'm probably not even supposed to win, and I'm putting 'em away in the first round."

Whoever proves victorious will be taking a major step forward in their careers. With the UFC currently booking slots on Dana White's Contender Series for later this year, massive opportunities could await. But Galanti knows it's important not to look beyond what's standing right in front of him at the moment.

It's been a slow build for the New Jersey native, already competing 13 times under the CFFC banner. He started his career as the first fight of the night, and on Friday, he'll be the last man to walk into the cage. He hopes to be the last one to walk out of it, as well, holding CFFC gold as he exits and hearing the roar of a supportive crowd.

"Watching it all come together, it's super cool, and obviously I thrive on that energy," Galanti said. "It's home soil. It's going to take a special performance for someone to come take me out March 27, so I have full faith in my team and my abilities and everyone that's helped me along this journey."