CFFC 118 Main Event Breakdown: Forest vs. Radtke

As of now, CFFC 118 is slated to take place with eight MMA fights. By the time this weekend of action ends, 18 fights will have been held in Philadelphia. With the UFC on a bye week this Saturday night, Dana White could be looking in on the action at 2300 Arena.

Highlighting the night’s activities is the fight for supremacy in the welterweight division in your main event of the evening.

Raheam Forest Meets Charlie Radtke in CFFC 118 Main Event

Incumbent CFFC Welterweight Champion Raheam Forest (6-0 MMA, 3-0 CFFC) puts his 170-lb. strap at risk in the headliner when he faces off against challenger Charlie Radtke (6-3 MMA, 3-0 CFFC). As with all CFFC title bouts, the CFFC 118 main event will be an advertised maximum of four rounds at five minutes per round to close out the show.

If the scorecards produce a draw after four rounds of action, the fight will be decided in a fifth and final round. When CFFC 118 takes place on Saturday night (main card at 8 pm ET/ 5 pm PT, UFC Fight Pass after undercard at 6 pm ET/ 3 pm PT, YouTube), it’ll be two years to the day since the fifth-round tiebreaker was used for the first time.

CFFC 118 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the CFFC 118 main event on Saturday night, Raheam Forest is the taller gladiator in this fight at 5-foot-11, compared to Charlie Radtke’s frame at 5-foot-10. No reach information is available for either fighter at press time.

At present, the oddsmakers have Raheam Forest as a -130 favorite, with Charlie Radtke installed as a +100 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Raheam Forest Aiming to Stay Undefeated After CFFC 118 Main Event

Champion Raheam Forest enters the CFFC 118 main event on Saturday night having yet to taste defeat in his professional career. Dating back to amateur competitions, he’s won seven bouts in a row. Four of his professional MMA wins have come by way of stoppage.

Last November, he bested Collin Lubberts (6-2 MMA, 0-1 CFFC) by unanimous decision in the CFFC 115 main event to secure the then-vacant welterweight title. Raheam Forest’s undefeated run has caused his name to come up among fighters that could potentially find themselves with a UFC deal before the year is through.

He’s on Shawn Bitter’s radar. Earlier this year, Bitter outlined Forest’s strengths in an article for Cageside Press.

“When talking about the guys with massive power in their hands, that’s Forest,” Bitter wrote. “Not just his hands as he kicks like a mule and is very explosive. He brings that with constant forward pressure and a good gas tank.”

If Raheam Forest wins on Saturday in the CFFC 118 main event, it could very well be his last contest under the CFFC banner. A win here would make him 7-0 in the professional ranks and with a championship to his name already, his resume would be next to impossible to ignore.

At the very least, Raheam Forest will earn a Contender Series spot if he wins on Saturday if not a UFC deal outright. It’s up to Forest to apply himself, however.

Charlie Radtke Comes Off 8 1/2-Month Layoff To Fight in CFFC 118 Main Event

In the other corner, Charlie Radtke has gone 4-1 in his last five contests. At present, he’s on a three-fight winning streak, with all of the wins in this ongoing streak coming under the CFFC banner.

On July 14, he scored a first-round knockout against Caleb Crump (5-3-1 MMA, 0-1 CFFC) during CFFC 110 in Tampa. Crump was not Radtke’s originally-booked opposition that summer’s night, however. Initially, Charlie Radtke was supposed to have gotten his shot at the title against Eric Alequin but that fight was postponed before the event.

In August, Radtke was a guest on Lee Haight’s podcast, where he discussed a variety of topics over 44 minutes, including the origin of his nickname, “Chuck Buffalo.”

“Oh, man, ‘Chuck Buffalo'”, Radtke began. “So, I actually grew up on a bison ranch with my grandfather, and it was something on a day-to-day basis. So, I lived up north where I was born and then I moved back down to Florida. When I was living in Florida, I’d stay there until I was about 18 and things weren’t going as well, getting into scuffles and fights.”

Upon moving away from Florida, he and his grandfather worked farmers’ markets together on the bison ranch, giving birth to the nickname. Radtke hasn’t fought since that July evening, resulting in a layoff of over eight and a half months between contests. Thus, the age-old question comes up once again:

How much ring rust does he have with the time off between fights? Tune into the CFFC 118 main event for the answer.

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Stylistically, the CFFC 118 main event looks to favor Charlie Radtke, a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, compared to Raheam Forest’s background as a freestyle fighter. Radtke has been known to do BJJ on a rooftop, as a video on his Instagram illustrates.

Forest Slick With Submissions

Given Raheam Forest’s background as a freestyle competitor, he’s adept on the ground. Trevor Ollison found this out the hard way in CFFC 111. During the opening round of the co-main event, after the two fighters exchanged strikes, Forest opened things up with a variety of punches and kicks.

He was quick on his feet during this bout, giving Ollison no time to adjust his game plan. About 50 seconds in, Ollison put Forest in the clinch, but the latter’s defense was too tough.

From there, Forest dumped Ollison and each fighter attempted submissions. Halfway through the round, Forest assumed the top position to stay. An Americana choke was thwarted by Ollison, causing Forest to switch to an armbar and lock it in.

All Raheam Forest needs to do to win the CFFC 118 main event is land a single takedown. This could give him the opening he needs to defend the title.

Radtke Can Knock Forest Out in a Hurry

In the other corner, don’t blink when Charlie Radtke is on the screen. You just might end up missing the whole fight.

Back on July 14, even though Radtke had a late opponent change to Caleb Crump from Eric Alequin, he delivered an electrifying knockout. Crump began by scoring with some leg kicks to Radtke, who stalked his opponent as he waited for the right moment to land the big shot.

Radtke counterstruck with kicks of his own and wobbled Crump with a two-punch combination, momentarily dropping him. Although Crump got back up, Radtke knew the time was right to go in for the kill.

A desperate Crump threw a feint at Radtke, but the latter continued to stalk Crump to score the knockout blow. A left-handed punch knocked Caleb Crump out cold in under two minutes. If Charlie Radtke comes out and throws punches in bunches, he’ll be hearing “…and new” after the CFFC 118 main event.

Final Thoughts

After spending the first few months away, CFFC returns to action this weekend. The promotion has four great title bouts lined up, and the CFFC 118 main event is a satisfying conclusion to two nights of action. Don’t miss it on Saturday.

Prediction: Charlie Radtke by Unanimous Decision.

Featured Image Credit