Vacant Flyweight Championship at Stake in CFFC 122 Co-Main Event Thursday
Six days removed from a canceled main event in CFFC 121, Cage Furyreturns to Tampa Bay for CFFC 122. Live coverage begins Thursday evening at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on the promotion’s OnlyFanspage with the undercard. Main card action follows at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT on theUFC’s subscription-based streamer, UFC Fight Pass.
All told, barring any late postponements, the final version of CFFC 122 will feature nine fights. A championship doubleheader will cap the night’s schedule, beginning with the CFFC 122 co-main event.
Flyweight Strap on the Line in CFFC 122 Co-Main Event
The Vacant CFFC Flyweight Championship will be offered first. Shamel Findley (6-1-1 MMA, 2-0 CFFC) rides a seven-fight undefeated streak into the CFFC 122 co-main event when he takes on Badmatsyren Dorzhiev (7-0 MMA, CFFC promotional debut.)
As with all CFFC championship fights, the CFFC 122 co-main event is an advertised maximum of four rounds at five minutes per round. If the scorecards produce a draw after 20 minutes, the fight progresses through to a fifth round as a tiebreaker.
Its winner will become the ninth different man to hold the flyweight belt, succeeding Makoto Takahashi(16-1-1 MMA, 1-0 CFFC), who now competes exclusively in RIZIN in his native Japan. Takahashi will compete next weekend in Bellator vs. RIZIN II.
CFFC 122 Co-Main Event Fighter Comparison
Heading into the CFFC 122 co-main event on Thursday night, Badmatsyren Dorzhiev stands as the taller man at 5-foot-7, compared to the 5-foot-6 frame of Shamel Findley.
In addition, Findley owns a 70-inch reach, with no such information accessible for Dorzhiev. Ordinarily, at this point in the breakdown, we’d mention who’s favored on the money line, but no such information exists online at press time.
If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.
No Room for Mistakes by Shamel Findley in CFFC 122 Co-Main Event
Shamel Findley has gone 4-0-1 in his last five fights. As we’ve mentioned previously, he’s currently on a seven-fight unbeaten streak.
Last time out, he scored a first-round knockout (punches) of Will Spann III(2-2 MMA, 2-1 CFFC) in CFFC 119. Recently, hetalked about the CFFC 122 co-main event, but wasn’t sure if Dorzhiev could be called his most difficult opponent.
“I’ve kind of thought about that without even being asked this question,” Findley began. “I don’t know. It depends on what you consider tough. Like I was saying, I don’t really consider him dangerous or more dangerous than guys I’ve fought against before. I think, to me, if you’re asking me personally, as a fighter, I think the more danger you bring out there is what makes you tough.”
With an opponent like Badmatsyren Dorzhiev standing in the other corner, Shamel Findley’s got no room for error in the CFFC 122 main event. Will he be able to give Dorzhiev his first loss?
Badmatsyren Dorzhiev UFC Ready?
In the other corner, Badmatsyren Dorzhiev has yet to lose in his professional MMA career. To find the last time that he sustained defeat, you’d have to go back to his amateur finale in May of 2019.
Since that night four years ago, he’s gotten his hand raised at the end of every fight. Three months ago, he needed just 23 seconds to stop Keaneo Moyer (4-5 MMA) in APFC 4’s co-main event with a body shot to capture that promotion’s flyweight title.
An undefeated record can get a fighter noticed by Dana White in and of itself, but a highlight-reel knockout like the one Dorzhiev turned in back in the spring generates a number of impressions online. If he can score another viral stoppage, the UFC will come calling. Can he win two championships in two different promotions?
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
Stylistically, the CFFC 122 co-main event is a toss-up. Both Shamel Findley and Badmatsyren Dorzhiev are freestyle wrestlers, so it’s a safe bet to surmise that the fight will go to the mat at least once.
“Badman” Has Vicious Strikes
Even though Shamel Findley and Badmatsyren Dorzhiev are wrestlers by trade, don’t discount the former’s striking prowess. Just watch Findley’s fight against Spann.
During the first round, although Spann attacked with kicks to Findley’s lead leg, Findley stalked his opponent to try and knock him off his gameplan. Upon a pause in the action for a low blow, he pieced Spann up with a leg kick.
Right after, Findley dropped Spann with a nasty right hand. While Findley landed some ground and pound shots, he was out on contact from the right.
All it takes is one punch. Badmatsyren Dorzhiev knows that in his own right.
Dorzhiev Has One-Punch Power
In the other corner, Dorzhiev can also end this CFFC 122 co-main event with one blow. Just ask Keaneo Moyer.
Right from the command to fight in APFC 4, he was a man on a mission to seek and destroy. He started out with some overhanded punches and a leg kick, while Moyer countered with a kick to the face.
Dorzhiev became the aggressor, timing his punches and quickly moving in on Moyer. A shot to the liver ended the bout in 23 seconds. If Badmatsyren Dorzhiev can land one punch cleanly, he’ll walk out as the new champion.
Final Thoughts
Simply put, don’t look away from the screen when the CFFC 122 main event is underway. If you turn your head to get a bite to eat, you’ll miss everything.
Prediction: Badmatsyren Dorzhiev by First-Round TKO.
