Forest Battles Richards in Restructured CFFC 136 Main Event

More MMA action comes your way this weekend. For the second time this month, as well as the second time in six days, Atlantic City’s Cage Fury Fighting Championships is packing its bags and heading out to the plane. Destination: New Town, ND.

After heading to Florida a week ago Saturday, CFFC now embarks on a trip to a much colder climate, contingent upon the time of year. Luckily for them, it’s the first week of fall so the chilly temperatures won’t come into play quite yet. Current weather forecasts indicate that New Town will experience a high temperature in the low-80s for fight day on Friday.

CFFC 136 takes place inside 4 Bears Casino Lodge in New Town to kick off the weekend of competitive violence. The Friday evening show begins at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on OnlyFans with prelims before moving over to UFC Fight Pass for the main card at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT.

Welterweight Supremacy on the Line Friday

Absent of any new cancellations or adjustments to the bout order ahead of Friday, the final version of CFFC 136 features an 11-fight card, topped off by a doubleheader of title fights to cap the show. Immediately after the co-main event where the Vacant CFFC Flyweight Championship will be decided, the headliner shifts to 170 lbs.

The Vacant CFFC Welterweight Championship is at stake when Raheam Forest (7-2 MMA, 4-1 CFFC), an alumnus of Contender Series and the LFA,  walks to the cage for the 10th time as a professional against Blayne Richards (8-2 MMA, 2-0 CFFC), an alum of the LFA in his own right. As with all title fights in CFFC, this one is an advertised maximum of four rounds at five minutes per round to close the show. This one is restructured after the withdrawal of Forest’s original opponent, Gage Saunders (13-5, 1 NC MMA) from what was to have been his promotional debut.

Replacing Gage Saunders to face Raheam Forest for the vacant WW title is Blayne Richards.

Blayne is currently 8-2 in his pro career and on a 5-win streak, he has also played spoiler in his CFFC debut defeating Eric Nolan by RNC at CFFC 118 (a card Forest headlined).#CFFC136

— 4oz to Freedom (@4ozToFreedomPod) September 17, 2024

Your winner on Friday will succeed Charlie Radtke, who joined the UFC’s active roster last year, as the champ at 170, but there’s a caveat: If Forest wins, he’ll start his second stint as titleholder, while Richards will become the 16th different man, counting interim reigns, to hold the belt with a win.

CFFC 136 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the CFFC 136 main event this Friday night, Blayne Richards stands as the taller man at 6-foot-2, compared to the 5-foot-11 frame of Raheam Forest. No reach advantage is accessible at press time.

Currently, the oddsmakers don’t have money lines accessible for CFFC 136 on Friday. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight in MMA or combat sports throughout the week, please wager responsibly.

Forest Looks to Rebound From Contender Series Loss in CFFC 136 Main Event

Raheam Forest enters the CFFC 136 main event having gone 3-2 in his last five fights. The onetime CFFC Welterweight Champion hasn’t set foot inside an MMA cage in about a year. Last September, he sustained a first-round knockout defeat (punches) against Danny Barlow (9-0 MMA) on Contender Series.

Barlow secured a UFC contract at the end of the show from CEO Dana White and has since gone 2-0 in the sport’s top promotion. By the time that the CFFC 136 main event begins, Forest will have gone 367 days between fights.

He’s won the 170-lb. belt in the past and tried his luck on Contender Series last year. While Raheam Forest didn’t get a UFC deal in September of last year, another win will net him the title for the second time and could potentially get his name back on Dana White’s radar. Can he reclaim welterweight gold? Tune in on Friday for the answer.

Blayne Richards Aiming for Sixth Straight Win Friday Night

In the other corner, Blayne Richards has gone 5-0 in his last five fights as part of an ongoing five-fight winning streak dating back to November of 2021. Most recently, he scored a unanimous decision win over Hugh Pulley (10-8, 1 NC MMA, 3-4 CFFC) on March 8 during CFFC 130.

That fight marked his return to the promotion after an appearance in Nebraska-based Dynasty Combat Sports late last year in its annual Season’s Beatings show. With Raheam Forest having sustained a loss a year ago, Friday’s CFFC 136 main event could be the perfect time for Blayne Richards’ stock to rise even higher.

Only time will tell, however, if this is to be the case.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

The CFFC 136 main event has the potential for fireworks. Don’t look away from the screen when this fight is going on.

Forest Can Work Quickly

Raheam Forest has one-punch power. Just look at the tape of his fight from July of last year against Treston Vines. Right after the command to fight was issued by the referee, he teed off with a quick barrage of punches to send Vines down and out on the mat.

Look for Raheam Forest to come out swinging in the CFFC 136 main event. If he finds a home for the big punches in the early going, this fight will be over before you get back from the kitchen with your sandwich.

Richards Is No Slouch, Either

In the other corner, Blayne Richards can get the job done in a hurry in his own right, as illustrated last December in Lincoln, NE vs. Jessy Ebrecht. Not long after the fight began, Richards scored with a slew of unanswered shots.

Quite simply, Ebrecht was no match for Richards, who finished the fight in just 40 blistering seconds. He has to beat Raheam Forest to the punch on Friday in the CFFC 136 main event. If he can land the first big shot, he’ll be the new champion.

Final Thoughts

This is going to be an awesome main event. Get your popcorn ready.

Prediction: Blayne Richards by First-Round Knockout.