Some names you haven’t heard of, and some you may not have remembred are still out there. It’s the year-end rush, kids.
Bellator’s got a historic doubleheader, while the UFC has another show for this weekend. Where does that leave the international scene? Glad you asked! Here’s the goods for the rest of your weekend.
CFFC is finally on UFC Fight Pass with former WWE Champion and UFC fighter (yo, remember that?) on commentary. If you haven’t seen their events before, you’re in for a treat. CFFC has had some of the brightest prospects from the East Coast for some time, and now they get some more exposure.
Top spot goes to an interim lightweight title fight between Damian Norris (10-2) and Cesar Balmaceda (5-0). Norris has a six-fight win streak, and Balmaceda is a promising young prospect coming up in the Atlantic City scene.
Miranda Granger (4-0) faces Jaime Colleen (4-2), who was a contestant on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, suffering a loss to Maycee Barber. Granger’s last fight was a win over Invicta talent Amy Montenegro, while Colleen is 1-1 against UFC fighter Danielle Taylor, with a win over Invicta talent Tiffany Masters.
Pat Sabatini (9-2) has most of his wins via finish, and he’ll be defending his featherweight belt against Da’Mon Blackshear (6-2).
Cage Fury FC 71: starts at 8:00pm EST from the Borgata Hotel Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. The event streams live exclusively via UFC Fight Pass.
ROAD FC has a treat for the night owls stateside, with Hamderlei herself (Seo Hee Ham, (19-8) defending her atomweight belt against Jung Eun Park (4-4, 1 draw). Ye Ji Lee (3-4) faces the debuting Soo Yeon Lee, and Brazilian journeyman Michel Pereira returns to action.
Pereira has been a little to active. After losing via strikes just two weeks ago, he returns against Won Jun Choi (3-4). This will be Pereira’s fourth fight of the year, oddly enough.
ROAD FC 51/XX starts at 3:00am EST from Friday night into Saturday morning. Their fights can be viewed on their YouTube channel.
M-1 sets up their centennial show with Nate Landwehr (11-2) defending his featherweight belt against Andrey Lezhnev (18-7). Landwehr hasn’t lost since 2013, and four of his eleven wins being finishes. Lezhnev is on a three fight win streak, and a wily striker with great wrestling and a tough clinch game.
Light heavyweights collide in the co-main event slot, with Poland’s Rafa? Kija?czuk (6-0) facing Georgian Giga Kukhalashvili (11-4).
M-1 Challenge 100: Battle in Atryau starts at 7:00am EST, with the prelims streaming live and free, and the main card available for $7.99 on FITE.tv.
RCC returns with a bevy of familiar faces. Former Bellator champion Alexander Shlemenko (57-12!) against Germany’s Jonas Billstein (20-5, 1 draw). Shlemenko’s in a rough patch with three straight losses against Gegard Mousasi, Bruno Silva and Anatoly Tokov. Billstein’s won five straight, and looks to earn his biggest scalp to date.
Russian Hulk and crown jewel of RCC Ivan Shtyrkov (15-0, 1 draw) faces former UFC fighter Thiago Silva (21-7), who is coming off a win over James McSweeney in KSW. Another Brazilian exiled to the Russian scene is Diego Brandão (21-13) comes fresh off a crushing defeat to Daron Cruickshank in RIZIN to face Vener Galiev (31-10) in a rematch of their 2017 encounter. Vener is one of the best-kept secrets of the Russian circuit, with wins over Akhmet Aliev, Akop Stepanyan, Ryan Healy, and Mairbek Taisumov.
Former UFC fighter Francimar Barroso (21-7, 1 draw) turned in a pair of fun performances after his ouster from the UFC during his PFL tenure, and after a draw against Josh Copeland will now be facing former Fight Nights Global phenom Mikhail Mokhnatkin (11-2, 2 draws) in what should be a certified banger.
Real-life World Heroes bonus stage statue Geronimo dos Santos (41-20, 1 draw) has also carved a nice niche for himself in Russia, and puts his beach muscles to the test against Anton Vyazigin (11-3). Wrestling whirlwind and Josh Barnett protegé Victor Henry (15-4) tests himself against Denis Lavrentyev (6-1), and former WSOF and UFC fighter Shane Campbell (14-6) brings his secret Canadian Hadouken skills to challenge Magomedsaygid Alibekov (9-1).
RCC 5 begins at 2:00pm EST. The internet is your friend on this one.