Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) has long been a showcase for fighters headed to the UFC spotlight. From Paul Felder to Aljamain Sterling to Sean Brady, the promotion has built contenders on its regional stage. At CFFC 147, undefeated welterweight Kevin “Sweet Peas” Pease will look to continue that tradition in his first professional title fight versus Ethan Pauley.
Reporting note: Responses were provided via written Q&A over Instagram on Saturday night, Sept. 13, 2025.
1. CFFC 147: Pease Embraces the Moment
Q: You’re heading into a CFFC welterweight title fight with an undefeated record. How does it feel to reach this point in your career?
Kevin Pease: “My focus is completely on winning my first professional title Oct. 10th, but in general I do this sport because I enjoy it. I take my opportunities one by one and based [on] if they excite me. I like winning titles and I like fighting on higher and higher levels.”
2. CFFC 147: Wrestling Remains His Base
Q: You’ve finished fights with submissions and also gone the distance. What do you see as your strongest weapon inside the cage?
Kevin Pease: “I’ve trained to be a well-rounded fighter, as a professional you must be well versed in all the positions a MMA fight can go to, but I started as a wrestler. I cut my teeth as a young athlete within that culture and feel my greatest strengths as a fighter come from wrestling.”
3. Training at Kill Cliff FC Ahead of CFFC 147
Q: Training at Kill Cliff FC puts you alongside some of the sport’s best. What’s the biggest lesson or advantage you’ve taken from that environment?
Kevin Pease: “It’s extremely helpful when in pursuit of your goals to be surrounded by like-minded individuals. Everyone there is working hard to succeed and focused on doing the right things to get that result while helping those around them do the same. It’s been an integral piece of my development as a professional.”
At Kill Cliff FC, Pease trains alongside stars like Gilbert Burns, Kamaru Usman, and Aung La Nsang under the guidance of Henri Hooft and Greg Jones. He said the atmosphere makes it impossible not to raise his own standards.
4. CFFC 147: Kevin Pease More Than Just a Grappler
Q: Several of your wins came by submission — do you think of yourself primarily as a grappler, or do you see your game as more well-rounded?
Kevin Pease: “I’ve trained to be a well-rounded fighter, but I started as a wrestler… I feel my greatest strengths as a fighter come from wrestling.”
While Pease’s grappling has been a proven weapon, his work at Kill Cliff FC has expanded his striking and overall versatility.
5. The Story Behind “Sweet Peas”
Q: Can you tell us the story behind your nickname, “Sweet Peas”?
Kevin Pease: “Pernell Whitaker is one of the greatest southpaws in combat sports. His style is a huge inspiration of mine due to me being a southpaw as well. Along with that, my last name is Pease, which is my mother’s family name originating from Ireland. So the name for me felt like it naturally fit and I wanted to be its representative in the sport of MMA.”
6. From PFL to CFFC 147
Q: You’ve competed in both CFFC and PFL. What did the PFL experience add to your growth as a fighter?
Kevin Pease: “CFFC prepared me for the bright lights of PFL, but PFL was a different level. The stage, the platform, the compensation for doing your job — everything was turned up a notch, which is every competitor’s dream. It was the experience of a lifetime.”
7. Kevin Pease’s Tenacious Style on Display at CFFC 147
Q: For fans who haven’t seen you fight yet, how would you describe your style?
Kevin Pease: “I would describe my style as tenacious. I’m looking to win every second of the fight doing anything I can within the rules to do so.”
Focus on the Moment at CFFC 147
“I’m grateful to all my family, friends, coaches and training partners for being a part of my journey,” Pease said. “I pray I put on a performance that makes you proud.”
With an unbeaten record, a unique nickname, and lessons drawn from CFFC, Kill Cliff FC, and the PFL, Kevin “Sweet Peas” Pease enters CFFC 147 as one of the most intriguing fighters on the card.
If Pease leaves CFFC 147 still undefeated, does he deserve the UFC call — and is “Sweet Peas” the best nickname in the sport today?
