CFFC will kick off another doubleheader of events on Thursday with CFFC 94. The main event of the card will see Bassil Hafez attempt to retain his CFFC Welterweight Championship for the first time when fighting promotional newcomer Evan Cutts.
Here is a full preview of the show, which is set to happen at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Click here to skip to a preview of the main card.
Preliminary Card (Facebook)
Bout 1: Mariah Castro (3-1) vs. Natalie Schlesinger (4-3) (Catchweight 110 lbs Amateur)
Experienced amateur fighters Mariah Castro and Natalie Schlesinger will kick off the preliminary portion of the show. Castro is returning after losing her last bout, dropping a decision to Sandra Chheng in February of 2020. Schlesinger snapped a two-fight skid in January of 2020, defeating Ashley Barrett in an amateur bout.
Bout 2: Johnny Santos (5-0) vs. Manny Morales (4-3) (Catchweight 190 lbs Amateur)
Undefeated amateur Johnny Santos will make his CFFC debut against Manny Morales on Thursday.
Santos will be returning to the cage after over a year outside of action. His five-win amateur record was developed exclusively in 2019, fighting throughout the year.
Morales is currently on a three-fight run. His last victory was in November, where he defeated Russell Korbul on a CFFC card.
Bout 3: James Lyons (0-0) vs. Cody Zappone (0-1) (Featherweight)
After a successful amateur run of eight wins and two losses, James Lyons will be making his pro debut against Cody Zappone on Thursday. Lyons’ strong amateur career finished with a streak of seven consecutive submission victories. Zappone lost his pro debut in 2019, dropping a split decision to Charlie Campbell.
Bout 4: Joey Tizzano (2-1) vs. Malek Mahmoud (1-1) (Featherweight)
Both returning after their first pro loss, Joey Tizzano and Malek Mahmoud will fight on the prelims. Tizzano’s three-fight pro record has happened exclusively in CFFC thus far. After earning two wins in 2019, Tizzano lost via anaconda choke to Isaiah Monroe in August.
Mahmoud has not fought since April of 2018, where he lost a split decision to Vladimir Kazbekov.
Main Card (8:00PM EDT / 7:00PM CDT) (UFC Fight Pass)
Bout 5: Thomas Majeski (2-0) vs. Jonathan Piersma (1-0) (Welterweight)
Undefeated fighters early in their pro careers Thomas Majeski and Jonathan Piersma will be paired for the opening bout on the card. Majeski is still in his rookie year as a pro. His first two pro fights in CFFC resulted in quick appearances, stopping one opponent with strikes within two minutes and submitting another in a round with a neck crank.
Piersma won his pro debut in December, submitting Tyler Bunting in the second minute with a guillotine choke.
Bout 6: Frank Wells (1-0) vs. Timothy Cuamba (1-0) (Featherweight)
Both Frank Wells and Timothy Cuamba had successful pro MMA debuts late last year. Now, the featherweights have been matched for Thursday’s card.
Cuamba had the most recent bout, defeating Joshua Francis in December with strikes. Wells made his debut two months prior to then, finishing Joshua Vann in the third round of their fight in October.
Bout 7: Earl Small (3-0) vs. Adam Wamsley (2-1) (Middleweight)
Middleweights Earl Small and Adam Wamsley will end their respective breaks from the cage when matched at CFFC 94. Small last fought back in late 2018, meaning he has now been inactive for over two years. However, his return to the sport means he inherits a strong three-fight undefeated streak that is only first-round finishes. Wamsley last competed in August of 2019, where Steven Tandoi handed him his first pro loss.
Bout 8: Solomon Renfro (6-1) vs. Nick Alley (7-3) (Welterweight)
Looking to bounce back from his first pro loss, Solomon Renfro will fight Nick Alley on Thursday. Renfro, a rising CFFC fighter through the past few years, was given his first loss in December when Mike Malott stopped him quickly with a rear naked choke. Before then, Renfro was undefeated with six wins – including five in CFFC.
Alley, a Bellator alum, will be making his CFFC debut in the fight. He has won his last four bouts, including a main event win against John Gotti III on a CES card last year.
Bout 9: Devin Goodale (3-0) vs. Khetag Pliev (5-1) (Catchweight 180 lbs)
Devin Goodale and Khetag Pliev will meet at a catchweight bout of 180-pounds in the co-main event. Goodale, a welterweight, has attained three wins since going pro in 2018. He earned his first finish victory in his last performance, submitting Danny Garcia on a KOTC card in 2019.
Pliev, a middleweight, returned to his winning ways in his last bout, picking up a submission win in September.
Bout 10: Bassil Hafez (6-2-1) vs. Evan Cutts (11-4) (CFFC Welterweight Championship)
Attempting to defend his CFFC Welterweight Championship for the first time, Bassil Hafez will fight Evan Cutts in the main event of Thursday’s card. Hafez earned his belt in November, defeating Christien Savoie within a round with a triangle choke. Hafez not only claimed the then-vacant CFFC belt in that fight, but he also handed Savoie his first pro loss through nine appearances.
Hafez’s career before the win included five pro wins, three of which came in CFFC.
While Cutts will be competing for the first time in a CFFC cage on Thursday, he enters the fight with nearly a decade of pro experience. The 30-year-old will be fighting for the 16th time as a pro and will look to earn his 12th win. Cutts last fought in late 2019, where he submitted Brian Grinnell in the first round.
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