Keith Krikorian to defend CFFC BJJ title against CJ Murdock

Armenian-American grappler Keith Krikorian will make the first defense of his CFFC BJJ lightweight championship. He will face Pedigo Submission Fighting representative CJ Murdock in the main event of CFFC BJJ 18.

The event will take place on October 2 at Philadelphia’s historic 2300 Arena. The main card is scheduled to begin at 9:00 PM Eastern Time, which is 5:00 AM on October 3 in Yerevan. The event will be streamed live on UFC Fight Pass.

Krikorian became the first lightweight champion in CFFC BJJ history in April 2026. In the title bout, he defeated Matt Masch by submission via choke in the second round. The Armenian-American grappler will now put the belt on the line for the first time.

CFFC BJJ 18 will also carry added significance for the athletes competing on the card. Representatives of UFC BJJ, including Claudia Gadelha, will be watching the action in search of potential new names for future UFC BJJ events.

In addition, every main-card winner will have their entry fee waived for a UFC BJJ Opens event of their choice. The incentive is part of the “Pathway to UFC BJJ” program, which gives promising athletes an opportunity to showcase their skills and move closer to competing at a higher level.

The CFFC BJJ 18 card will also feature Nick Ronan vs. Brandon Smith, Joslyn Molina vs. Sara Vasquez, as well as several other Brazilian jiu-jitsu and submission grappling matchups.

The title clash between Krikorian and Murdock will headline the event.