CFFC 157 preview: Christian Bobe, Abdysamat Malakanov bid for vacant featherweight title to close spectacular summer card
Longtime vet and promotional newcomer headline 11-bout lineup full of familiar names and top prospects at Friday's event in Atlantic City
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. – Cage Fury Fighting Championships returns home to the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk on Friday, where the incredible Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City plays host to a 12-bout summer spectacular with "CFFC 157: Bobe vs. Malakanov."
With now-former champion Ryan Cafaro vacating the featherweight title for his opportunity to compete on the international stage in Japan, top prospects Christian Bobe and Abdysamat Malakanov collide with gold on the line in the evening's headliner.
Meabwhile, the night's co-main event sees five-time CFFC veteran Manny Morales seeking to follow up his incredible nine-second win from March and build on his four-fight win streak when he takes on promotional newcomer Sarek "The Berserker" Shields.
The CFFC 157 main card streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS, while prelims stream at OnlyFans.com/cffcmma. Limited tickets remain at CFFC.tv.
MAIN CARD (UFC FIGHT PASS, 9 p.m. ET)
Christian Bobe vs. Abdysamat Malakanov – for vacant featherweight title
Manny Morales vs. Sarek Shields
Tyler Berger vs. Christian Carr
David Bergida vs. Will Breslin
Lateesha Potoka vs. Paige Wilcox
Cole Barnard vs. Gavin Rice
PRELIMINARY CARD (OnlyFans.com/cffcmma, 7 p.m. ET)
Michael McCaffrey vs. Lou Raimo
Abraham Charles vs. Tayvonne Thomas
NextGen: Champ Joey Milano vs. Jesse Pastore – for 190-pound title
NextGen: Ethen Mercado vs. Trig Tennant
NextGen: Ronnie Potts vs. Aidan Rhea
MAIN EVENT: Christian Bobe vs. Abdysamat Malakanov
Christian Bobe (4-1 MMA, 4-1 CFFC) has been an absolute fixture of both CFFC and CFFC BJJ events over the past few years, putting together five grappling victories along with his MMA record, which includes a pair of amateur results in addition to his entire professional career. But after making the decision to focus on his MMA growth late last year, the 27-year old Marquez MMA and Webb MMA product has looked spectacular, scoring three straight submission wins to earn him this spot in the first main event of his career.
Meanwhile, Kyrgyzstan's Abdysamat Malakanov (4-1 MMA, 0-0 CFFC) steps into the CFFC cage for the first time with an instant opportunity to score the biggest win of his career. Hailing from a wrestling powerhouse, Malakanov relocated to the United State to chase his MMA dream, training first with American Top Team Portland before settling into his current home at California's Team Alpha Male.
With equal records entering the matchup, both Bobe and Malakanov are hoping to secure the biggest win of their careers as they look to eventually join former CFFC featherweight champs Pat Sabatini and Jared Gordon on the UFC roster.
CO-MAIN EVENT: Manny Morales vs. Sarek Shields
The night's co-main event sees another familiar face in five-time CFFC veteran Manny Morales (7-2 MMA, 3-2 CFFC) welcomes promotional newcomer and two-time PFL winner Sarek "The Beserker" Shields (8-3 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).
Fighting out of Marquez MMA and Webb MMA, Morales currently carries a four-fight win streak that includes three first-round finishes. In March, Morales needed just nine seconds to register a stunning stoppage of Jonathan Ramsay to pick up his first victory under the CFFC banner since 2023. Now, the 28-year old looks to deliver in the spotlight of UFC FIGHT PASS. Standing in his way is Washington's Shields, a 31-year-old who fought most recently in April and suffered the first submission loss of his career. Prior to the setback, American Top Team Portland athlete Shields was carrying a three-fight win streak that included back-to-back wins under the PFL banner.
Dangerous welterweights who have both shown a willingness to be "anybody, anywhere, anytime" type guys, and one will take a big step forward.
Tyler Berger vs. Christian Carr
A featherweight matchup between two athletes on a hot streak sees Oregon's Tyler Berger (3-1 MMA, 2-1 CFFC) face Christian "Strictly Business" Carr (5-2 MMA, 2-0 CFFC).
A three-time All-American wrestler at the University of Nebraska, Berger has earned back-to-back stoppage wins under the CFFC banner, displaying a rapidly improving striking game to complement his grappling base. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania's Carr has also earned two consecutive stoppages – both in the first round – in his two CFFC appearances. Potential No. 1 contender fight ahead of the evening's main event, and a possible "Fight of the Night" option, as well.
David Bergida vs. Will Breslin
Talented lightweights collide when David Bergida (5-2-1 MMA, 0-1 CFFC) faces Will "The Slim Reaper" Breslin (5-1 MMA, 0-0 CFFC), with each seeking their first win under the CFFC banner.
New Jersey's own Bergida has suffered just one loss in his previous five appearances, thought it came against Egor Kostyuchenko at CFFC 149. He has since rebounded with a decision win on the Canadian regional scene and now returns to CFFC hoping to claim a victory. Standing in his way is the 6-foot-3 Breslin, who will enjoy a five-inch height advantage. In 11 combined appearances across his professional and amateur careers, Breslin has yet to fight to a decision, and he'll look to make an immediate impact in his promotional debut.
Lateesha Potoka vs. Paige Wilcox
The night's lone women's bout takes place at strawweight, as Paige Wilcox (1-1 MMA, 1-1 CFFC) meets Lateesha "The Honey Badger" Potoka (2-2 MMA, 2-1 CFFC).
New York's Wilcox won four straight contests in her combined amateur and professional careers before suffering a setback at March's CFFC 152. Four months later, Wilcox looks to build forward again and get back to the win column as she takes on Pennsylvania's Potoka (née Mohl), who opened her pro run with back-to-back victories under the CFFC banner but has since come up short in a par of outings and also hopes to register a positive result.
Cole Barnard vs. Gavin Rice
The main card kicks off at welterweight, as Cole "The Crow" Bernard (3-1 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) returns to take on promotional newcomer Gavin "Storm" Rice (3-2 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).
Training out of Marquez MMA and New York's Secret Weapon MMA, the 26-year-old Barnard is a towering 6-foot-2 and made an immediate impression in his promotional debut this past March, earning a hard-fought decision win over Christopher Conway at CFFC 152. He now returns to action four months later to take on Oregon's Rice, an American Top Team athlete who went 5-1 as an amateur but has alternated wins and losses thus far in his pro career and now looks to put together the first two-fight win streak of his professional career.
Michael McCaffrey vs. Lou Raimo
The featured preliminary bout of the evening takes place at flyweight, as former CFFC NextGen champion Michael "Money Mac" McCaffrey (Pro Debut) takes on the returning Lou Raimo (0-0-1).
The 26-year-old McCaffrey is a Team Taino athlete who claimed the CFFC NextGen belt in February 2025 and then looked to make the move to the professional ranks, though he had a handful of scheduled appearances fall through. Now 17 months later, McCaffrey finally gets that opportunity when he takes on CULTR Fight Club's Raimo, a 27-year-old athlete who had an impressive 4-1 amateur run before making his professional debut at April's CFFC 153, where he was forced to settle for a draw, leaving him still seeking his first professional win, as well.
Abraham Charles vs. Tayvonne Thomas
The night's first professional contest takes place in the bantamweight division, as a returning Abraham Charles (2-1) faces promotional newcomer Tayvonne "The Tasmanian Devil" Thomas (2-0).
The 28-year-old Charles trains out of Quintella MMA and fought most recently in February, coming up short against fellow prospect Tyler Berger, who also competes o the night's main card. A CFFC Muay Thai veteran, as well, Charles takes on Atlas MMA's Thomas who has earned back-to-back decision wins to earn his pro career following an impressive 6-1 amateur run, as well.
NextGen: Joey Milano vs. Jesse Pastore
The night's final NextGen bout sees reigning 190-pound champion Joey "Italian Stallion" Milano (7-1) seeking the second defense of his title when he takes on another talented prospect in Jesse "The Gingerbread Man" Pastore (6-2).
Dubbed the cruiserweight division by the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board, Milano claimed the 190-pound belt this past October, then defended it successfully two months later. Now ranked as the No. 1 middleweight prospect in all of North America, the Algeo MMA and Marquez MMA student puts his title on the line against Pastore, a Synthesis BJJ athlete ranked No. 10 in North America who owns four knockouts in his six career victories to date.
NextGen: Ethen Mercado vs. Trig Tennant
A pair of experienced prospects meet at 147 pounds, the NJSACB's welterweight division, when Pennsylvania's Ethen Mercado (6-3) takes on South Carolina's "Tenacious" Trig Tennant (6-1).
The 21-year-old Mercado made his amateur MMA debut in 2023. Training at Eddie Alvarez's Underground Kings, Mercado currently stands at 3-1 in his past four appearances, including a decision win in his promotional debut in May. He'll now face the 23-year-old Tennant, who came up short in a bid for the title his most recent appearance. The Foundry athlete now looks to get back to the winning ways that saw him score five stoppages in six victories to start his career.
NextGen: Ronnie Potts vs. Aidan Rhea
The night's first fight takes place at 161 pounds – the NJSACB's middleweight division – where New Jersey's own Aidan Rhea (Debut) takes on Delaware's Ronnie "One Punch" Potts (1-0).
Fighting out of Haddonfield, the 20-year-old Rhea is a Team Taino athlete walking to the cage for the very first time. Standing on the other side of the cage will be the 21-year-old Potts, who debuted in his home state in June with a decision win and now returns to action just six weeks later looking to repeat the result.
