Pinnacle Fighting Championships takes over FloCombat Friday, Sept. 2, at 7:00 p.m. EST, bringing some of regional MMA's best talent with it.

That's not hyperbole. Pinnacle FC helped launch the careers of UFC stars such as Cody Garbrandt, Paul Felder, and Adam Milstead, and Friday's event boasts a strong offering of potential breakout contenders.

Catch a glimpse of the future by firing up your FloPRO account and tuning in. Still not convinced? These three reasons should help.

1. Dominic Mazzotta

Dominic Mazzotta (10-1) faces Keith Richardson (14-7) in the night's main event, and the winner can expect a call from the big dogs of MMA.

Richardson recently had a five-fight winning streak snapped inside the Bellator cage, and there's no doubt he'll be hungry to bounce back, notch a win, and get back on their radar for another shot.

Really, though, this one is about Mazzotta--one of Pittsburgh MMA's brightest stars for quite some time. His lone career loss came to Garbrandt in March of 2014. In case you weren't aware, that Garbrandt kid is pretty good, and there's no shame in dropping one against him.

Since that defeat, Mazzotta rattled off six straight wins, five via submission, dominating his foes and capturing both the Pinnacle FC bantamweight and featherweight titles in the process. Word on the street is that he's already received offers from the UFC. He's just waiting for the numbers to align to officially pull the trigger.

Should he defeat Richardson Friday, expect Mazzotta to make waves at the next level.

Oh, and this main event is a bantamweight title fight. Mazzotta might just carry two belts into the UFC Octagon. How about that?

2. Mark Cherico returns--at lightweight

Gym owner, father, fighter--Mark Cherico is a legend in the Pittsburgh MMA scene. At 18-1 combined as an amateur/pro, Cherico was recently thought to be the next fighter ready to take on life inside the eight-sided cage.

A shocking defeat against Brian Kelleher at Pinnacle FC 9 changed those plans, though, and now Cherico looks to resume his ascent to the top of the regional ladder.

Already posting two wins since that loss in November of 2014, Cherico seeks his third straight victory in his lightweight debut against veteran D'Juan Owens. At 14-10-1, Owens' record isn't as pretty as Cherico's, but he is never an easy out, and his resume boasts victories of all shapes and sizes: knockouts, submissions, hard-fought decisions--Owens has seen it all.

If Cherico wants to take the next step in his career, Owens is exactly the type of savvy fighter he needs to prove he can defeat.

3. Give it time

While Mazzotta, Richardson, and Cherico are already on the cusp of big moves, the Pinnacle FC 14 card is loaded with future talent as well.

Names like Devonte Smith (3-0) and Gregg Rudolph (1-0 amateur) represent some of the region's most devastating talent who simply don't have the experience necessary to make that splash. At Pinnacle FC 14, however, they can showcase their talents to a national audience, putting themselves on the map for good.

Smith trains at Ohio's esteemed Evolve MMA, and his 3-0 professional record is an impressive one--every win has come via knockout, and he's never been to the third round.

Gregg brings a ferocious, no-nonsense approach that knows only one speed: murder. The fists will fly when he takes on Shadi Gharfeh—that's a promise. 

The future is now. Catch these bouts--and more--live on FloCombat Friday at 7:00 p.m.