CFFC 122 Main Event Breakdown

In recent days, the status of Messi’s debut on Friday in Inter Miami’s Leagues Cup match against Liga MX side Cruz Azul  has become unknown, with David Beckham saying he might not appear in the game. Before futbol captivates South Beach, MMA takes center stage in Tampa Bay.

Thursday night, Tampa’s Seminole Hard Rock Casino plays host to the start of a packed weekend of fights, CFFC 122. The evening begins with the undercard at 7 pm ET/ 4 pm PT on OnlyFans. Main card fights follow at 9 pm ET/ 6 pm PT on UFC Fight Pass. 

If you missed #CFFC121 last night on @UFCFightPass, you messed up! Some really bright prospects that might be getting that phone call real soon!

Plan was to make it back for #UFCVegas77, but travel delays have changed all that. Will turn my eyes to Florida and #CFFC122.

🫡 🫡

— John Morgan (@JohnMorgan_MMA) July 15, 2023

Absent of any postponements, CFFC 122 features nine MMA fights. Immediately following the CFFC 122 co-main event, the main event brings with it the second half of a championship doubleheader.

Lightweight Gold Up for Grabs in CFFC 122 Main Event

Incumbent CFFC Lightweight Champion Cedric Gunnison (6-1 MMA, 2-1 CFFC) puts his belt at risk when he fights challenger Robert Watley (12-3 MMA, CFFC promotional debut) in the CFFC 122 main event. As with all title fights in Cage Fury, the headliner is a maximum of four rounds at five minutes per round to close out the show.

Should the scorecards be level after four rounds, the CFFC 122 main event will go to a fifth round to break the deadlock.

CFFC 122 Main Event Fighter Comparison

Heading into the CFFC 122 main event on Thursday night, Cedric Gunnison stands as the taller man at six feet even, compared to the 5-foot-9 frame of Robert Watley. The latter owns a 75-inch reach, with no such information accessible for Gunnison at press time.

Ordinarily, at this point in the breakdown, we’d mention who’s favored to win this fight, but no betting odds are currently accessible. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend, please wager responsibly.

Gunnison Wants to Be Tested by Watley

Cedric Gunnison has posted a record of 4-1 in his last five fights. At present, he’s on a four-fight winning streak.

Last time out, he took Zulk Kamchybekov (6-3 MMA, 5-3 CFFC) to the distance in the CFFC 117 main event on March 31, winning by split decision after five rounds. Recently, Gunnison was interviewed by CFFC. He wants to prove his worth as champion in his first title defense.

“First of all, I love the record, 12-3,” Gunnison said of Robert Watley. “That looks really good on my resume if I can finish him or beat him. Secondly, I love his movement. I think we’re going to put on a really good performance. We both love to move. We both like to strike, so I think it’s going to be a really, really interesting fight, and it’s going to be fun to see kind of where he pushes me as well, just like ‘Zulk’ did.”

Will Gunnison be able to deliver a successful defense of the belt? Tune into the CFFC 122 main event and find out.

Gunnison needed a perfect fifth round and he may have gotten it!!#CFFC117 pic.twitter.com/4wjgO1EZwb

— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) April 1, 2023

Robert Watley Coming in Off of Long Layoff

In the other corner, Robert Watley, a veteran of the PFL and LFA,  has posted a 3-2 record over his last five contests. Most recently, he scored a third-round submission during Shogun Fights 23 against Jerome Featherstone (4-2, 1 NC MMA).

The fight took place in November of 2019, and since then, he’s had troubles outside of the cage. Watley detailed his near-death experience recently.

“At the end of 2020, I had lost about 30 or 40 pounds, was having seizures, just like really falling apart as a human being, and I really had to take stock in my life and what was important and prioritizing the things that needed to be prioritized,” Watley said. “We were renting out my parents’ basement and I was laying down there and I was carrying one of my sons, my youngest, and I had a seizure and kind of fell out, and fortunately I didn’t drop him, but I was like, ‘You know what? It’s one thing if I go,’ but I guess I hadn’t taken into account the black hole that was going to exist or come into existence if I cease to exist and the responsibilities that I still had.”

With a new lease on the world around him, will Robert Watley walk out of Tampa the new champion?

Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction

Stylistically, the CFFC 122 main event looks to be a toss-up. Both men have been known to get the finish in the past.

Watch Gunnison’s Punches

Cedric Gunnison has been known to be brutal with strikes. Back in 2018, at the tail-end of his amateur career, he fought Sham Delva and made him pay with punches.

During the second round of the fight, Gunnison had to fight off a few takedowns from Delva, attacking him with leg kicks to wobble him. From there, Gunnison took advantage of an exhausted Delva, landing a barrage of body shots to score a TKO.

If Gunnison exhausts Watley, the CFFC 122 main event is his.

Robert Watley Can Finish the Fight Late

In the other corner, if and when the situation calls for it, Robert Watley can win the race against the clock to secure a stoppage. Six years ago, he fought Josh Visel in Warminster, PA, needing to go deep into the fight for the win.

During the third and final round, the fighters were in the back clinch, with Watley landing uppercuts to Visel’s body. The latter was utterly defenseless against this onslaught.

Quite simply, the fight was one-way traffic at this stage. Watley continually unloaded on Visel, giving him no chance to try and recover. The referee finally waved it off with five seconds to go.

All it takes is a barrage of strikes to give Robert Watley the opening he needs to win the CFFC 122 main event.

Final Thoughts

At the core, Thursday’s headlining bout is the story of two fighters at a crossroads. Gunnison could be one win away from a UFC deal if he plays his cards right, whereas Watley completes the road back to MMA.

Prediction: Cedric Gunnison by Unanimous Decision.