Manny Bermudez is right there as he heads into his Cage Titans 37 main event in Plymouth, MA, on Saturday, Jan. 27.  

At 10-0 with eight first-round finishes, Bermudez dominates the talk of the New England MMA scene, and it seems only a matter of "when" not "if" he'll break out into the national ranks. 

Watch Cage Titans 37 LIVE on FloCombat

Most recently, the South Shore Sportfighting product tapped out Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Bendy Casimir in just 72 seconds at Cage Titans 35 in August, perking up the ears of fans and critics alike. 

With experience in the WEC, Shooto, M-1 Global, and other major world fighting organizations, Casimir was supposed to give Bermudez some trouble and really test his readiness to take on bigger fish. 

Bermudez passed. 

Cage Titans 35: Manny Bermudez vs. Bendy Casimir

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Beyond the immediate threat his opponent poses to his spotless resume, however, exists a much more serious, long-term danger to Bermudez. A loss Saturday wouldn't just stain his unblemished record — it could also potentially take him out of talks with Bellator MMA or the UFC. 

Regional fighters need to rack up winning streaks — and impressive ones — to get that call, and Bermudez has done his part. Eleven straight professional victories with a high percentage coming via stoppage looks good for him. But it all means little if he falters at Cage Titans 37. 

If he wins, though, the reward could be mighty. 

Bermudez has long eyed a shot inside the UFC Octagon, and his resume would certainly back up a potential promotion. Speaking with FloCombat during the FloCombat Road Trip 2 in September, Bermudez said the big show weighs on his mind each and every time out. It's his vision, and he's not stopping until he fulfills it. 

"There comes a point where you go from recreational fighter, like low-level amateur, then you start doubling down on it," Bermudez said. "You start putting everything into it. You start training two, three times a day. You make it like your real f*ckin' job. 

"I think I've surpassed that point where I've made it my real job, and in the end, there's only one place where you really go for fighting, and that's the UFC. I have my fingers crossed that that's the next step for me." 

FloCombat Road Trip 2: Manny Bermudez