Typically in life, you make nice plans however circumstances past your management drive the plans to be jettisoned. The identical factor is true on the planet of MMA, and sadly, this has come true for Cage Fury Combating Championships within the ultimate days forward of Friday evening’s CFFC 131.
Reside protection of the present begins with the undercard on Friday at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on the promotion’s OnlyFans web page, persevering with with the primary card at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT on UFC Struggle Go. Tickets to CFFC 131 are almost bought out, so in case you can’t journey to Atlantic Metropolis and Exhausting Rock Resort to observe it stay, Struggle Go is the following neatest thing.
When this occasion was first introduced, CFFC President Rob Haydak talked about that there could be 4 title fights to be held on the prime of the invoice. Nevertheless, in latest days, the bout order has needed to be shifted and accidents have necessitated this.
A deliberate combat for the CFFC Interim Featherweight Championship between Frank Wells (5-3 MMA, 5-3 CFFC) and Anthony DiLemme (5-0 MMA, 4-0 CFFC) was scrubbed forward of the present because of the former sustaining an damage throughout a sparring session. Wells introduced on his Instagram web page final week that he’ll want bodily remedy earlier than returning later this 12 months.
Regardless that the combat at 145 lbs. was canceled earlier than the cardboard, there’s nonetheless championship motion to be held on Friday evening, together with at heavyweight.
Velasco Battles Schoenfelder for Heavyweight Belt Friday Night time
The primary title combat of CFFC 131 on Friday evening sees a return of a Contender Sequence alumnus. Present CFFC Heavyweight Champion Greg Velasco (6-1 MMA, 6-0 CFFC) seeks to rebound towards undefeated challenger Bailey Schoenfelder (4-0 MMA, CFFC promotional debut), a veteran of each Bellator MMA and the LFA.
As with all title fights in CFFC, this one is an marketed most of 4 rounds at 5 minutes per spherical. If, nevertheless, the scorecards produce a draw after 20 minutes of motion, the combat will progress to a fifth spherical as a tiebreaking process.
Velasco vs. Schoenfelder Fighter Comparability
Heading into the battle for the CFFC Heavyweight Championship on Friday evening, challenger Bailey Schoenfelder stands because the taller man at 6-foot-3, in comparison with Greg Velasco’s body of six toes even. Schoenfelder owns a six-inch attain benefit (76 inches to 70 inches) over Velasco.
Velasco Again for First Struggle Since September
Greg Velasco has gone 4-1 over the course of his final 5 fights in MMA. The previously-undefeated championship noticed his six-fight successful streak snapped final September by the hands of Courageous CF alum Shamil Gaziev (12-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) on an episode of Contender Sequence on ESPN+.
A heavyweight showdown is NEXT for our primary occasion ‼️
Shamil Gaziev takes on Greg Velasco NOW at #DWCS!
[ Tune in LIVE on ESPN+ ] pic.twitter.com/DqhfkblpaK
— UFC (@ufc) September 20, 2023
Within the interim, he’s had a while to replicate on his preventing future and he’s additionally turn out to be a brand new dad in latest months. Greg Velasco is a person who’s secured gold on the regional scene and had a chance to money in on a UFC deal.
Whereas Gaziev was the one to attain a contract on Contender Sequence late final summer time, one has to imagine that if Velasco places on an excellent efficiency right here on Friday evening in CFFC 131, he’ll be proper again within the combine once more. His opposition, nevertheless, has confirmed to be a tricky buyer on the store.
Schoenfelder But to See Scorecards
Within the different nook, Bailey Schoenfelder has but to lose so far in his younger skilled profession as a fighter at 4-0. Maybe extra spectacular is the truth that he hasn’t needed to have a combat’s outcomes confirmed by the choose’s scorecards after the ultimate bell.
All 4 of his professional victories have occurred by the use of stoppages, together with his newest one on Sept. 22 final 12 months towards Badou Zaky (1-1 MMA) in LFA 168 on UFC Struggle Go by the use of first-round knockout. Bailey Schoenfelder has neither needed to go to resolution nor seen a combat of his go to the third spherical or later up to now in his profession.
Timewise, he’s but to transcend two minutes and 35 seconds into the second spherical, which occurred throughout his 2022 bout vs. Mark Currier at Bellator 284. Will Schoenfelder see the scorecards this time and can he unseat Velasco as champion? Tune in on Friday to seek out out.
Evaluation, Movie Examine, and Prediction
Stylistically, the CFFC Heavyweight Championship combat appears to be a toss-up. Each the champion and the challenger have wrestling backgrounds.
Velasco Can Work Shortly
Heavyweight fights can finish in a rush. Greg Velasco’s professional debut vs. Halston Williams at CFFC 97 was proof of this. Throughout the opening spherical, Velasco dumped Williams and moved into mount rapidly. From there, he softened his opponent up earlier than making an attempt an arm triangle submission.
Upon realizing that the torque wasn’t there, Velasco returned to mount and tried it a second time earlier than abandoning ship as soon as extra and touchdown one other burst of floor and pound pictures. Referee Invoice Bookwalter had seen sufficient and stopped the combat because of the barrage of strikes in three minutes and 18 second.
If Greg Velasco can take Bailey Schoenfelder all the way down to the mat simply as soon as, he’ll have the higher hand on this title bout.
Schoenfelder Equally Spectacular on the Mat
Within the different nook, Bailey Schoenfelder has an ideal floor sport of his personal. Simply take a look at the tape of his combat towards Zaky from final September.
Spherical one noticed the fighters locked in a couple of clinches, with Schoenfelder connecting on a kick to the leg earlier than taking Zaky down. It was solely a matter of time earlier than Schoenfelder unloaded on Zaky with a barrage of pictures, leading to referee Rob Madrigal calling a halt to the proceedings simply after the four-minute mark of the interval.
This title combat will likely be predicated on which man will get his opponent on the canvas first. After that, all that’s left to do is benefit from the fireworks.
Remaining Ideas
Whereas this one received’t be the primary occasion on Friday evening, the CFFC Heavyweight Championship combat will likely be an fascinating contest nonetheless. You’ll have two guys who’ve already had high-profile fights in Bellator and on Contender Sequence versing each other.
The winner will choose up a sure resume-building win and may get one other shot on the huge leagues.
Prediction: Bailey Schoenfelder by First-Spherical TKO.
