CFFC 161 preview: Jerry Lleshi, Erik Calvert bid for interim flyweight gold to close out stacked lineup in Rockford

Hard Rock Casino Rockford plays host to Friday's card, streaming live on UFC FIGHT PASS and OnlyFans.com/cffcmma

ROCKFORD, Illinois – Cage Fury Fighting Championships returns to Illinois for just the second time in promotional history, as Hard Rock Casino Rockford plays host to Friday's "CFFC 161: Lleshi vs. Calvert."

In the night's main event, an interim flyweight title will be on the line, as former CFFC NextGen champ Jerry Lleshi gets his first shot at professional gold. The 26-year-old Dante Rivera BJJ product was initially expected to face Moshe Aladi for the undisputed title, but the reigning titleholder was forced to withdraw from the contest just three weeks out from the event, and Erik "Lyle" Calvert agreed to step up on short notice for the biggest opportunity of his career.

Calvert pulled off an upset submission win over Riley Palmer in front of UFC matchmakers at last month's CFFC 159, and he now looks for his fourth win in just five months, a result that would secure him CFFC gold, as well.

Meanwhile, the evening's co-main event sees Illinois' own Matt "The Bearwolf" Gawlik look to keep his record perfect as he takes on Tennessee's Petera Wilson, who returns from more than two years away from the cage intent on making an immediate impact. The two featured matchups cap off an 11-bout lineup of action-packed contests.

As with all CFFC events, the night's 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)

• Jerry Lleshi vs. Erik Calvert – for interim flyweight title

• Matt Gawlik vs. Petera Wilson

• Kevin Rosas vs. Darius Patterson

• Scottie Sopko vs. Hector Pulido

• Xavier Vasquez vs. James Romero

• Nikita Leshukov vs. Sanon Sadeck

PRELIMINARY CARD (OnlyFans.com/cffcmma, 7 p.m. ET)

• Manny Morales vs. Omoyele Gonzalez

• Christian Herrera vs. Scott Calvert

• NextGen: Richard Robinson vs. Michael Rizkallah

• NextGen: Jeremiah Martin vs. Edgar Rojas

• NextGen: Edmond Ruth vs. Elliott Lewis

MAIN EVENT: Jerry Lleshi vs. Erik Calvert

Xhelal "Jerry" Lleshi (5-1 MMA, 5-1 CFFC has already competed nine times in the CFFC cage, claiming a NextGen flyweight belt in his final amateur contest and contesting his entire professional career for the organization. Lleshi debuted in 2022 with a split-decision loss to current UFC flyweight Bilal Hasan, but he's since stormed back with five straight wins, including a spectacular first-round submission over Safar Akhmadov in his last outing.

With Lleshi's teammates and former CFFC champions Luke Fernandez, Eric Nolan and Nick Galanti all joining the UFC in recent times, the New Jersey native is looking to use a CFFC belt of his own to catapult his career to the highest level, as well. However, Erik "Lyle" Calvert has different ideas.

The 22-year-old Arkansas native has been on an absolute tear as of late, taking home three straight first-round submissions since April, including that win over Riley Palmer in August that took place at 135 pounds. Now he moves back down to flyweight, where he seeks the biggest win of his career. Incredibly, all seven of Calvert's professional wins have come via first-round submission, so the opening five minutes will be especially tense.

Hasan set the bar high during his title run, defending the belt three times before making his way to the UFC, where he's already registered an official win. Now Lleshi and Calvert will look to forge a similar path.

CO-MAIN EVENT: Matt Gawlik vs. Petera Wilson

The night's co-main event might not last long, as the heavy-handed Matt "The Bearwolf" Gawlik (5-0 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) takes on the equally dangerous Petera "PT" Wilson (3-1 MMA, 2-0 CFFC).

The 24-year-old Gawlik is a Team Top Notch fighter that has earned all five of his professional wins via first-round knockout. The 6-foot-4 Illinois native made his CFFC debut in June, scoring a highlight-reel finish of Billy Ray Valdez. Gawlik will look for a repeat performance in his second outing.

Meanwhile, the 29-year-old Wilson hails from Memphis and classifies himself as a mauler. He made his CFFC debut as an amateur back in 2021, then also made his professional debut for the promotion back at CFFC 111. After racing out to a 3-0 start to his pro run, including a 2-0 mark for CFFC, Wilson suffered the first loss of his career in February 2024 and has been on the sidelines ever since. However, he's now planning to make an immediate impact in his return and take away the shine from the local hero.

Kevin Rosas vs. Darius Patterson

In a featured featherweight matchup, the upstart Darius "Da Sniper" Patterson (5-0 MMA, 2-0 CFFC) takes on promotional newcomer Kevin "El Bisonte" Rosas (6-2 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).

Mississippi's Patterson got a late start to his professional MMA career and is looking to speed run his way through it. Making his professional debut in November 2025, Patterson steps into the cage for the sixth time in just nine months, a stretch that includes CFFC wins over Adryan Grundy and Henry Huff. The UFM Tupelo fighter now takes on the toughest challenge of his career in the 24-year-old Rosas, the older brother of UFC bantamweight Raul Rosas Jr.

Rosas brings a two-fight win streak into the matchup, and The MMA Lab fighter is looking to use the spotlight of UFC FIGHT PASS to further his career in hopes of joining his brother on the UFC roster in the very near future.

Scottie Sopko vs. Hector Pulido

Regional rivalries will be on display in a lightweight contest, as Indiana's Scottie "The Freakshow" Sopko (2-0 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) takes on Rockford's own Hector "El Diablo" Pulido (1-1 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).

A Dan Gilbert pupil, Sopko made his promotional debut in June and took home an impressive decision won over a towering Shane Jackman to stay perfect early in his professional run and will now look to extend that streak. However, the 25-year-old Pulido represents DeLaRosa Submission Wrestling Academy and will look to use the support of the home crowd to power him to victory.

Xavier Vasquez vs. James Romero

Next up, it's a middleweight matchup that got a new look just a few weeks out from the event, as undefeated Xavier Vasquez (4-0 MMA, 1-0 CFFC) lost his original opponent, but New Mexico's James Romero (3-2 MMA, 0-0 CFFC) was willing to step up to save the day.

The 27-year-old Vasquez hails from Colorado and trains alongside Justin Gaethje at the ONX Sports gym. He debuted for the promotion in May, taking home an incredibly hard-fought third-round stoppage over a game Fathy Elsony. He was expected to face another durable veteran in AT McCowin but instead now draws Romero, a 29-year-old Fit NHB athlete who opened his career at 3-0 with three finishes but now finds himself in a frustrating two-fight skid that he'll look to snap in his CFFC debut.

Nikita Leshukov vs. Sanon Sadeck

Kicking off the main card is a welterweight matchup that could provide real fireworks, as Nikita "The Gorilla" Leshukov (9-1 MMA, 1-1 CFFC) takes on Sanon Sadeck (7-3 MMA, 0-0 CFFC).

The Moldovan-born Leshukov now trains with Freestyle MMA in Las Vegas. The 24-year-old finisher made his U.S. debut in February, coming up short in a failed bid for the CFFC lightweight title against Will Starks. Facing an incredibly difficult weight cut, Leshukov made the decision to move up to 170 pounds, and he registered a decision win in his debut in the weight class in May. Now, he returns against Burkina Faso's Sadeck, who has relocated to Chicago to train under Mike Valle.

Sadeck has already earned a couple of looks from PFL but came up short both times. He now looks for the biggest win of his career to get the action rolling on UFC FIGHT PASS.

Manny Morales vs. Omoyele Gonzalez

The featured preliminary bout of the evening takes place at welterweight, as eight-time CFFC veteran Manny Morales (7-3) returns to take on Chicago native Omoyele "Killswitch" Gonzalez (5-4).

Marquez MMA's Morales found himself unexpectedly in his first main event last time out when Christian Bobe's opponent was 10 pounds overweight, scrapping the headliner. Unfortunately for Morales, he was outgrappled by Sarek Shields over the course of three rounds and dropped a decision. Morales wanted to return as quickly as possible against anyone willing to step in the cage, and he found a willing opponent in Gonzalez.

"Killswitch" had one previous CFFC appearance, coming up short against current UFC welterweight Eric Nolan in 2023, but the Chicago Fight Team athlete returns three years later looking for a different result.

Christian Herrera vs. Scott Calvert

The first professional bout of the evening takes place at flyweight, as Christian Herrera (1-0) takes on Scott "Hollywood" Calvert (2-2).

The 27-year-old Herrera is one of three Gilbert Grappling representatives on the card. He impressed in his promotional debut in June, scoring a first-round knockout, and will look for a similar result when he faces Calvert, a 20-year-old Arkansas native who will be looking to set the tone early in the night for his brother, who competes in the main event and will hope to close a memorable night for the Without Limits MMA fighters.

NextGen: Richard Robinson vs. Michael Rizkallah

The featured NextGen bout of the evening is a bantamweight affair, as Milwaukee's Richard "The Arbiter" Robinson (1-0) takes on Chicago's own Michael "Rizzy" Rizkallah (2-1).

The 22-year-old Robinson is a Roufusport MMA fighter who picked up a decision win in his amateur debut just four weeks ago and returns looking to keep the momentum going as he takes on Rizkallah, a 25-year-old Carlson Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Headquarters. Hailing from "The Second City," Rizkallah is expecting to bring a vocal support squad as he seeks his third straight win.

NextGen: Jeremiah Martin vs. Edgar Rojas

It's an all-Illinois affair between a pair of 19-year-old prospects, as Chicago's Jeremiah "Ghost" Martin (1-0) faces Aurora's Edgar Rojas (1-0).

Martin will look to set the stage for his Gilbert Grappling teammates as he looks to build on the decision win he secured in his promotional debut. Meanwhile, Dominion MMA's Rojas was scheduled for that June event in Rockford but lost his opponent just prior to the event and was unable to compete. Now he'll make his promotional debut with added motivation.

NextGen: Edmond Ruth vs. Elliott Lewis

The night's first fight takes place at middleweight, with a pair of athletes making their NextGen debuts. Edmond "The Ruthlezz" Ruth has actually appeared on UFC FIGHT PASS before, with CFFC Match Day broadcasting the former University of Illinois wrestler's dual with Missouri. Now, he's turned his attention to MMA, looking to follow in the footsteps of his older brother and 11-time Bellator MMA veteran Ed Ruth.

In his debut, he'll take on Chicago's Elliott Lewis, a Carlson Gracie Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Headquarters athlete who will look to shine in his first live go, as well.