CFFC 147– The cage door locks at the Florida State Fairgrounds, and the crowd leans in. No pyrotechnics. No celebrity walk-ins will be found in CFFC 147, just steel, sweat, and the faint smell of carnival food reminding everyone this is where fighters come to prove something—not to themselves, but to the belief economy that built Florida MMA.
Where Belief Was Born
“A huge community of Brazilians came to Florida in the ’90s,” recalls longtime coach and ESPN analyst Din Thomas, “possibly because the climate felt like home. They brought jiu-jitsu and vale tudo with them.