It’ll be a night of firsts for Lewis, who will be making his promotional debut for Cage Fury Fighting Championships. Remarkably, it’ll also be the first time he’s competed in his home state.
That doesn’t mean Lewis is a green, untested prospect, however. The 31-year-old will step out under the lights as a seasoned contender, and one with serious credentials already on his resumé.
A Division I wrestler at Rutgers, Lewis represented the United States and became the under-23 world champion during an impressive career on the wrestling mat. He eventually transitioned to MMA in 2021 and raced to 6-0, capturing the lightweight Titan FC and LFA lightweight titles along the way. He also featured in grappling competition for CFFC’s grappling promotion, Fury Pro Grappling, and Karate Combat, earning victories over Andrew Kochel and Lance Palmer, respectively.
Most recently, he lost his LFA title in a Fight of the Night battle with Richie Miranda at LFA 207 as he suffered the first defeat of his mixed martial arts career. But now, four months on from that loss, Lewis is back, and ready to launch an assault on the CFFC lightweight division.
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For a fighter who has been tipped for success ever since he transitioned to MMA, it represents a new chapter in his fighting career, and he’ll face a stern test in his CFFC debut.
Benny Orozco arrives in Atlantic City with a 5-1 record, and he’s in strong recent form, having claimed a first-round standing rear-naked choke finish just last month at LFA 213. For Orozco, defeating Lewis would announce his own arrival as a serious threat in the CFFC lightweight division.