Pat Sabatini draws new opponent in CFFC 81 headliner

Cage Fury Fighting Championship featherweight titleholder Pat Sabatini has drawn a late replacement for his upcoming title defense.

MMA Junkie today learned from CFFC officials that Mauro Chaulet has been forced out of a planned CFFC 81 bout with Sabatini (11-2), and Serra BJJ Academy product James Gonzalez (5-3) has agreed to step in on less than one week’s notice.

The contest now headlines Saturday’s CFFC 81 event, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass from Parx Casino in Bensalem, Penn.

Sabatini is no stranger to late changes to his bookings, with two consecutive planned appearances scrapped during fight week, including this past November’s CFFC 79 and September’s CFFC 78. Sabatini already owns three defenses of his CFFC title and his hoping another win will punch his ticket to the UFC.

Meanwhile, “Speedy” Gonzalez was last in action at this past August’s CFFC 77 event, where he picked up a TKO win over Giorgi Kudukhashvili. The win snapped a two-fight losing streak for Gonzalez, who had some up short in back-to-back Ring of Combat title fights against Bill Algeo and Mike Trizano.

With the change to the card, CFFC 81 now includes:

Champ Pat Sabatini vs. James Gonzalez – for featherweight title
Champ Kyle Daukaus vs. Nolan Norwood – for middleweight title
Champ Alexander Keshtov vs. Herbeth Sousa – for bantamweight title
Elijah Harris vs. Nazim Sadykhov
Gabriella Gulfin vs. Jasmine Jasudavicius
Jake Lamb vs. William Tucker