Former UFC middleweight Kyle Daukaus returned to his old stomping ground at CFFC and picked up the promotion's middleweight title to become a two-time champion at CFFC 124, then called for a return to the global stage with one of the planet's top international promotions.
Daukaus was pushed all the way by the defending champion Gregg Ellis, but the UFC veteran had enough in the tank to claim three of the four rounds on all three scorecards to earn scores of 39-37 across the board as he reclaimed the title he first won on his CFFC debut back in February 2019.
That title win earned Daukaus a shot on the Contender Series, but his decision win at the UFC Apex wasn't enough to earn him a UFC deal, so he continued his CFFC run and defended with back-to-back D'Arce choke finishes in 2020 to finally earn the UFC contract he'd been chasing.
Daukaus went 2-4 (1 no contest) in the UFC before being released by the promotion, and he returned to CFFC and made a statement with a buzzer-beating submission finish of Robert Gidron at CFFC 120. That win earned him a shot at his old title against Ellis in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, and he didn't waste his chance as he became a two-time champ with a strong performance.
"It's good. It was a very, very tough fight," he said after his victory.
"I was telling Gregg after this fight this shouldn't have been a CFFC fight. It should have been a UFC fight, because that kid's that good, and he should be in there.
"It shows how mentally tough I can be inside the cage. It just shows that I'm meant to be here, and I deserve that step back (up). I have unfinished business in the UFC. I believe I deserve to be there. Bellator or PFL, call me. I'm available whenever you need me."
In the co-main event, Mansher Khera claimed a slick first-round submission victory as he improved his record to 4-0 with a rear-naked choke finish of Jake Hixenbaugh in their lightweight matchup.
The main card also featured a trio of decision wins, as Anthony Dilemme, Manny Morales, and Morques Forest all added unanimous decision victories on their respective resumes.
And, in the featured preliminary bout, Frank Wells lived up to his "Chopper" moniker as he chopped down Unterio Gladney with a barrage of vicious leg kicks early in the second round of their lightweight matchup.
CFFC 124: Official results
MAIN CARD
- Kyle Daukaus def. Gregg Ellis via unanimous decision (39-37, 39-37, 39-37) – for middleweight title
- Mansher Khera def. Jake Hixenbaugh via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 2:47
- Anthony Dilemme def. Robert Wusstig via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Manny Morales def. Trenton Zdarko via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
- Morquez Forest def. Nick Caracappa via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
PRELIMINARY CARD
- Frank Wells def. Unterio Gladney via TKO (leg kicks) – Round 2, 0:27
- Laura Turzenski def. Sarah Flowers via unanimous decision
