In the main event, CFFC lightweight champ Robert Watley looked to make it three in a row when he attempted his first title defense opposite Armando Gjetja. In the co-headliner, meanwhile, unbeaten light heavyweight Luke Fernandez, just 2-0 but undefeated in his amateur career as well, was set to take on Peter New for the organization’s vacant 205lb title.

Where to Watch CFFC 128: Watley vs. Gjetja

Friday, December 13, 2023 sees CFFC 128: Watley vs. Gjetja take place at the Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena, part of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, NJ. Doors open at 6PM ET, with the preliminary card getting underway at 7PM. Main card action, streaming live on UFC Fight Pass, kicks off at 9PM ET. Full results from the event can be found below.

CFFC 128: Watley vs. Gjetja Results

Robert Watley (c) def. Armando Gjetja by submission (rear-naked choke), Round 3, 2:57 – for the CFFC lightweight championship
Luke Fernandez def. Peter New by TKO, Round 2, 2:42 — for the vacant CFFC light heavyweight championship
Robert Varricchio def. Sean Felton by TKO, Round 1, 4:29
Alonzo Turner def. Eric Nolan by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
Michael Billups def. Tom Picciano by split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Phumi Nkuta def. Hunter Starner by unanimous decision
Anthony Dilemme def. Keith Speed by split decision
Nick Galanti def. Jahreal Cromartie by submission (triangle choke), Round 1, 4:44
Frank Wells def. Robert Wusstig by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Jerry Lleshi def. Mardin Velasquez by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)

The post CFFC 128: Watley vs. Gjetja Full Results appeared first on Cageside Press.

Fernandez captured a 205lb title in CFFC during his unbeaten amateur run, and will be looking for more gold come Friday. Despite the magnitude of the fight, Fernandez (2-0) is taking it all in stride. “My whole career so far, I’ve been taking everything stride by stride, fight by fight,” he told Cageside Press in a recent interview. “So I try not to let anything get to my head or any type of event be bigger than it is.”

Much of that comes down to how he approaches the sport, and his team. “I’m humbled in here every day when it comes to training partners in training. I like to push myself, get myself into deep waters. So it’s one of those things where every day, I come into it knowing I’m going to reach my breaking point and I’m going to have to grow. I’m not taking this in any other way as it’s another fight, I’ve just got to prep for it and get the job done.”

Luke Fernandez faces Peter New at CFFC 128, a fighter with three times his own experience.

“I think he’s a well-rounded opponent. I’m not taking anything lightly,” stated Fernandez when asked about his opponent. “I know he’s a black belt, it’s just that I know I’m going to bring my best, and I just think that’s going to get the job done. Like I’ve done in the past, I’m going to tyr to put on a show and do it in spectacular fashion.”

The five-round nature of a title fight doesn’t change anything for Fernandez, it seems. As he put it, “I’m built to go five. One thing I pride myself on is my cardio, and pushing myself to the limit in deep water. I’ve trained with the best and stuff. When it comes to that, I’m not scared of that. When push comes to shove, I live in deep water. Swim with the sharks as they say. I’m excited for that. But at the same time, we don’t get paid by the minute. Where ever it goes, it goes, and I’m excited to be leading that dance.”

Watch our full interview with CFFC 128 light heavyweight Luke Fernandez above. The event goes down Friday, December 15, 2023 streaming live on UFC Fight Pass.

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Picciano told Cageside Press ahead of the bout that he had hoped to return to action a little sooner. And he’s always ready to do so, in fact.

“I was trying to get on the October card that just passed. I had a couple of opponents turn me down, just couldn’t get anybody to stick,” explained Picciano (4-1). “And I was ready, I wasn’t just sitting around waiting, I was acting like I had a fight. That’s just how I operate, I’m always in camp 365. That’s just how I live.”

When he’s not training for a fight himself, Picciano is also teaching martial arts. And he sees that as a way to supplement his training in the end. “Teaching is definitely a form of training too, because you have to really break it down, step-by-step, movement by movement so the whole class can get it. Because Long Island MMA, yeah we’ve got a sick fight team, but it’s also like, anybody can come down here and train and feel welcome. We have people that, it’s the first time they’re throwing a punch ever, then we’ve got guys in the UFC, about to be in the UFC, fighting for world titles, and everything in between.”

Picciano has found that in teaching, he can take his own advice, and apply techniques he’s breaking down to his own fights. “I just take my own advice. It seems obvious, like ‘I know that, I’m a professional’ but sometimes if you don’t say it, you don’t actually think about it. I kind of just remember what I tell the class when I’m doing certain things, and then it helps me out as well.”

On Friday, Picciano is paired up with Michael Billups, who might arguably have the edge in experience. But Tom Picciano sees past that record.

“I think he’s pretty mid, to be honest. He’s not trash, obviously, because he’s a pro fighter, he’s got however many fights. He’s fought two dudes with nine fights, he’s got some experience. But he’s fighting out in Oklahoma, all of his fights are in the same promotion,” Picciano pointed out. “If you watch his fights, they don’t shut up about him. So it’s pretty clear that he is their guy. They’re trying to push him, so they’re giving him these less than reputable competitors. And he’s having wars with them, he’s not smoking them. I watched a few of his fights with my coaches. It’s not like he’s a can, that’s for sure, but there’s definitely levels to this sh*t, and if this fight goes the distance, I will be thoroughly disappointed.”

With that in mind, Picciano made a bold prediction for the fight. “He’s going to sleep whether it’s me striking at him, or I squeeze the life out of his neck. But either way, he will be woken up by somebody affiliated with the New Jersey state athletic commission or the CFFC staff.”

Watch our full interview with CFFC 128 bantamweight Tom Picciano above.

The post Tom Picciano Says “Mid” Opponent Will Be Woken Up by Officials at CFFC 128 appeared first on Cageside Press.