This weekend's cage card at Cage Fury Fighting Championships boasts one compelling championship matchup.
American Evan Cutts (12-4) steps into the ring to protect his welterweight championship against unbeaten Canadian Yohan Lainesse (6-0) when CFFC 98 takes over Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday evening.
The 30-year-old Cutts has been looking forward to this opportunity with the unblemished Lainesse, and he sees himself as the guy who finally cracks the Canadian's perfect record during his inaugural title defense.
"That's the whole reason they call me the Butcher," Cutts declared.
"I thrive on dismantling fighters who think they've got the momentum, particularly when they're fighting on home turf. There's no greater feeling than overcoming Bassil right here in Philadelphia and bringing the gold back to Texas."
Cutts captured the championship belt via split decision against Bassil Hafez back in April, and now he enters his first shot at defending it.
"We didn't let up," Cutts explained after his victory.
"I was back training by Monday, already pushing hard on Tuesday. That's the perk of holding a title—you get to keep competing. After sitting out the past year, staying active makes total sense."
When it comes to his future, Cutts envisions stepping up to what he refers to as the "major leagues."
"Currently, I'm still in the minor leagues," Cutts shared with MMA Empire. "My dream is to compete at the highest level."
"Bellator, the UFC, the PFL—those organizations have all been incredible. Regardless of whether a top-tier promotion reaches out or I stay with Cage Fury, I'll keep doing what I do."
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