Check out these photos from the bareknuckle boxing fights at BKFC 71 Dubai.
Check out these photos from the bareknuckle boxing fights at BKFC 71 Dubai: Trout vs. Trinidad-Snake, which took place at Dubai Tennis Center in United Arab Emirates. (Photos courtesy of BKFC)
47-year-old Aleksei Oleinik did not fare well in his BKFC debut.
[autotag]Aleksei Oleinik[/autotag], 47, was brutally knocked out in his BKFC debut Friday in Dubai.
At BKFC 71, a brutal [autotag]Geronimo Dos Santos[/autotag] (1-1) right hand snatched the consciousness from Oleinik (0-1) and ended the fight at the 1:49 mark of Round 1. The event took place at Dubai Tennis Stadium.
Oleinik has competed three other times in combat sports since his UFC departure, according to Tapology. He had gone 1-1 in MMA and 1-0 in boxing. He is currently a member of the GFL roster, according to the promotion’s website.
Dos Santos has 71 pro bouts in MMA. He’s competed around the globe since his pro debut in 2006, taking on the likes of Sergei Kharitonov, Aleksander Emelianenko, Josh Barnett, and Junior Dos Santos among others.
BKFC 71 is part of a two-day doubleheader with BKFC 72 scheduled for Saturday in Dubai.
Former UFC title challenger Jessica Eye is back, but this time she’s taking her gloves off.
Former UFC title challenger [autotag]Jessica Eye[/autotag] is back, but this time she’s taking her gloves off.
Eye, who retired from MMA in 2022, has opted to come out of retirement and sign with BKFC, she announced Tuesday on “The Ariel Helwani Show.”
“After they knocked on my door a couple of times, and I threw out some crazy numbers to them about wanting me to return, they finally came financially correct and motivated me enough to be like, ‘You know what? Maybe these guys will take care of me in a way that I wasn’t taken care of in my UFC fights, and that’s financially rewarding,'” Eye said.
“She is in phenomenal physical condition! The best I’ve ever seen her and I have shared many a card with her over the years. Look at her big bare fists and magnificent musculature! We are very happy to have “Evil” Eye at BKFC! We have high hopes for her and she will be well looked after! .”
She is in phenomenal physical condition! The best I’ve ever seen her and I have shared many a card with her over the years.
Look at her big bare fists and magnificent musculature!
Mike Perry is not entirely surprised to see Conor McGregor change his tune on fighting in BKFC.
[autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] is not entirely surprised to see [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] change his tune on fighting in BKFC.
After Perry suffered a sixth-round TKO loss to Jake Paul in their boxing match last July, McGregor, who is a minority owner in BKFC, went off on “Platinum” and fired him.
Perry, who is widely considered BKFC’s biggest star, captured the “King of Violence” title by stopping Eddie Alvarez by TKO. In his most recent outing for the promotion last April, he finished another UFC veteran in Thiago Alves in the first round. McGregor was asked about Perry in a recent BKFC press conference and welcomed him back to the promotion.
“He should come home. Mike should come home,” McGregor said during the BKFC 70 post-fight press conference (h/t The MacLife). “He still shows love to the game, and we’ll always have love for Mike Perry for sure. And yeah, me and Mike would be a great fight for sure.”
Perry reacted to the news and indicated that BKFC were planning on having him back anyway.
“I mean, all respect to Conor for everything he’s done, and he promotes quite well,” Perry said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “He was just at the White House. … Maybe he’s trying to make it sound because BKFC is working, so it’s like they’ve been working. He tried to say, ‘Oh, you’re fired’ and then you haven’t seen me back. Now he’s saying, ‘Come home,’ and now you’re probably about to see me get a deal with them again. My deal’s always been on the table. My contract, I still have three fights left that I would like to fight.
“I would like to fight those fights. Like I said, it has to make sense. The company’s been working with other big companies. They had to speak with other companies in order to get the things they want done. He said that because maybe now you’re about to see me come back, and then it kind of looks like he is leading the way over there. Everyone says it, the fans are saying it. You’re not seeing it the way that you do when ‘Platinum’ steps in there.”
Conor Cooke didn’t appear to even want to celebrate at BKFC Manchester after he brutally knocked out Stevie Taylor.
[autotag]Conor Cooke[/autotag] brought the violence at BKFC Fight Night: Manchester.
On Saturday, Cooke (5-1) turned out the lights and left opponent [autotag]Stevie Taylor[/autotag] (1-1) twitching on the canvas after a straight right hand connected straight on the button. The event took place at Planet Ice in Manchester, England.
The stoppage came at 1:01 of Round 1. Cooke’s face was already a mess from damage sustained in previous exchanges.
According to Bare Knuckle News UK, Taylor will undergo reconstructive surgery on his nose and plans to retire, but is in otherwise good health.
Check out the brutal knockout below:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHzIeHzx8sw/
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHzO73bxk6z/
Cooke, 38, extended his bareknuckle winning streak to three with the victory. His lone career loss in ungloved combat came to Dawid Oskar in April 2024. Prior to his bareknuckle transition, Cooke was a 6-7 professional boxer.
Check out these photos from the bareknuckle boxing fights at BKFC 70 in Hollywood, Fla.
Check out these photos from the bareknuckle boxing fights at BKFC 70 Hollywood: Palomino vs. Davis, which took place at Seminole Hard Rock Arena in Hollywood, Fla. (Photos courtesy of BKFC)
Jan 27, 2021; National quarterback Ian Book of Notre Dame (12) runs a play during National practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Alabama, USA; Mandatory Credit: Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports
Texas offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi (52) prepares to block against Oklahoma during the second half of an NCAA college football game in Dallas,Tx, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Michael Ainsworth)
Oct 14, 2018; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Chicago Bears fans cheer on against the Miami Dolphins during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Enjoy hockey fights but hate the hockey? Well, BKFC is putting fights on ice. Yes, you read that correctly.
BKFC Ice Wars is the latest addition to the combat sports rolodex.
On Wednesday, BKFC announced it has purchased stake in Ice Wars, an on-ice league that has promoted hockey-esque fights since 2022. The promotions will combine for an inaugural BKFC Ice Wars event on June 14 at Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mt. Pleasant, Mich. The second event will take place north of the border at River Cree Casino & Resort in Enoch, Alberta, Canada.
The events will be “legal, sanctioned, and regulated” according to BKFC.
Fights will take place in what the promotion is calling “The Ice Box,” a 900-square foot ice enclosure designed specifically for ice fighting. Fighters will wear hockey equipment and four-ounce MMA gloves.
Each bout will be between three and five rounds, of 90-seconds each with one-minute breaks in between.
“We’ve been watching what the team at Ice Wars has been building, and it’s been incredible to see the passionate response they’ve received from audiences,” said David Feldman, Founder and President of BKFC said in a written statement Wednesday. “Their vision and energy align perfectly with what we do at BKFC—bringing raw, high-adrenaline combat sports to fans in a way they’ve never seen before. Partnering with them to create BKFC Ice Wars was an easy decision, and we’re excited to take this to the next level together.”
There will be two linesman-esque referees on hand to officiate each fight with three judges scoring the contests.
“Judges shall evaluate the bout based on effective striking (Plan A), effective aggressiveness (Plan B), and control of the fighting area (Plan C),” according to the promotion. “Plans B and C are only taken into consideration if Plan A is weighed as being even. Effective striking is judged by determining the impact/effect of legal strikes landed by a fighter solely based on the results of such legal strikes. Effective aggressiveness means aggressively making attempts to finish the fight. Fighting area control is assessed by determining who is dictating the pace, place and position of the bout.”
The promotion says it is shooting for six events in 2025, then as many as 24 in 2026. Steaming info will be announced in the coming weeks.
Four weight classes will exist for ice fighting.
Heavyweight: Over 200 pounds
Cruiserweight: 175 to 200 pounds
Middleweight: 150 to 170 pounds
Lightweight: Under 150 pounds
“Partnering with BKFC is a game-changer for Ice Wars,” said BKFC Ice Wars CEO Charlie Nama said in a written statement. “BKFC’s backing gives us the platform and resources to bring our sport to the world stage, creating a new frontier in combat sports. This isn’t just a partnership – it’s the fusion of two high-energy, no-holds-barred fight disciplines into one powerhouse league. Our first event is just the beginning, and we’re building something that will redefine international prizefighting competition and entertainment.”
Check out a clip of Ice Wars below, from before its partnership with BKFC.
BKFC star Luis Palomino has declared himself the bareknuckle GOAT after a 9-1 start since removing the gloves.
[autotag]Luis Palomino[/autotag] is coming off a loss, but there’s no question in his mind he’s still the GOAT.
How does Palomino (9-1) reach this conclusion when he assesses his place in the bareknuckle boxing history books? Well, look no further than the stats.
“We can just talk numbers. Numbers don’t lie,” Palomino recently told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m the only eight-time world champion in BKFC history and the only champion to defend his title six times successfully, consecutively. So yeah, I’m the GOAT, man.”
Palomino, now 44, jumped on the bareknuckle boxing bandwagon early. He was one of the sport’s first MMA notables to make the leap, debuting at BKFC 10 in February 2020.
He won his first nine bareknuckle boxing fights and captured BKFC gold at both 155 pounds and 165 pounds. He vacated the 155-pound title and then lost the 165-pound title to former WBA champion Austin Trout.
Palominio doesn’t like the unfamiliar feeling of not holding gold. Though the rematch was offered to him, the math didn’t add up.
“To be honest and brutally clear, I had to first vacate the 155-pound title that I defended six times,” Palomino said. “I’m 8-0 undefeated. I had to vacate it after I earned the 155-pound title to in order to defend the 165-pound title, in which fight I faced Trout. So I had to vacate 155 to be able to defend 165 and then I lost that fight against Trout. And to be honest with you, they offered me the fight but the numbers did not make sense. I was offered to fight in the guy’s hometown, which meant I had to go and travel over there for at least 21 days to acclimate which was high-altitude. Then, I’m not selling tickets. I’m losing money there. I’m losing money doing a 21-day camp over there with my team. Then, there was a pay cut of about 30 percent. It was numbers that did not make sense for us.
“So technically-speaking, they offered it to me but the numbers didn’t make sense for us. We’ve been waiting since then to fight again. I got tired of waiting for that rematch. I got tired of forcing my body to hold onto weight that I cannot hold onto. Because I walk around at 170, man. Out of shape, I’m 173, 174. I walk around 170. When I’m in shape, I’m 165 to 170. I have no business at 155. I was only aiming to defend that title and it’s not on the table any more. I have not heard anything about it. I decided to come back down to 155. That’s where I’m at right now.”
[lawrence-related id=2811187,2811505]
Palomino returns March 27 at a BKFC Fight Night event in Hollywod, Fla. against rising contender Howard Davis (7-2-1). He sees the bout as a potential title eliminator and hopes it’ll propel him halfway to holding gold again.
“(Davis) has only lost to top-level,” Palomino said. “From what I’ve seen, he’s being groomed to be next in line for the 155-pound title. So me being the king at 155, I say give me the best. Give me who is supposed to fight next. If I can’t go for the title off a loss, if I can’t go for a title, then give me the best. That’s what they gave me.”
Kenzie Morrison, the son of former boxing world champion Tommy Morrison, has signed with BKFC.
[autotag]Kenzie Morrison[/autotag] looked down at the large finger poking him in the chest.
“You’re going to be world champion,” his father said.
Morrison, who was a child at the time, looked over toward his brother. The two boys exchanged amazed looks as they received prodigal affirmations from their father, a hulking heavyweight world boxing champion.
Morrison was born six years before his father, [autotag]Tommy Morrison[/autotag], retired. So it didn’t really hit him until years later just how larger-than-life the figure he called “Dad” was.
“The drive and determination that it takes someone to defy the odds that people are constantly telling them they can’t do and to be so accomplished in that sport, that inspired me alone,” Morrison recently told MMA Junkie. “He taught me little things growing up and tried to poke at me and my brother and tell us we’re going to be the next world champ. We were all just like, ‘Holy cow, no way.'”
Morrison learned a lot from his WBO heavyweight boxing champion father, who died in 2013 at age 44. Morrison held wins over the likes of George Foreman and Donovan Ruddock among others. He also starred as in Rocky V as Tommy Gunn.
Following in his father’s footsteps, he’s compiled a 22-1-2 boxing record of his own. Though his father never saw him compete as a professional, Morrison fights in his honor in an attempt to make his dad proud.
“I guess growing up in that atmosphere, it seemed more normal, I guess, to be that way,” Morrison said. “I try to raise my son that way and just try to aspire for more in life than just the regular or average. He taught me what not to do as well. There are a lot of things that he didn’t have that he should’ve had as far as characteristics and staying on track. But I don’t want to get into the bad part of everything.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/DDXyQIHx0z9/?hl=en
Now 34 and a decade-plus into his boxing tenure, Morrison said he is sick of the state of the sport. The gloves have come off and Morrison has signed a four-fight contract with BKFC. While his debut is not yet set, Morrison is eager to make his bareknuckle run a memorable one.
“I think I’ve fought for a really long time and I was able to work this all out with David (Feldman),” Morrison said. “I think we’re going to get in there and get our feet wet. I’m taking this more seriously than I’ve taken anything in a long time, just because of the opportunity that was presented to me, to be able to be part of such a great thing and possibly even end my career with a bareknuckle heavyweight world title. I think that would make my dad proud. I think that would open up doors for me to ultimately take care of my family and maybe even stay a part of the sport.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf7IxJrDbYv/?hl=en
Even before he put pen to paper with BKFC, Morrison was keeping a close eye on the promotion’s heavyweight division. He was glued to his screen when Ben Rothwell dethroned then-heavyweight champion Mick Terrill with a brutal knockout blow at KnuckleMania 5 in January.
“I’ve watched a lot of the heavyweight guys,” Morrison said. “They’re all really big. They’re tough and they’re all great fighters in their own rights. I just think I bring a little bit different look to the table being that I’m a little quicker than most of those big guys and I can crack with both hands. Outside of street fights, I’ve never really gotten in there and focused on fighting with my bare knuckles. It’s going to be a crazy deal. I’ve been working out for the last three or four weeks with just taped hands and stuff. It’s just a whole different ball game.
“… I’m not turning anybody down and I’m trying to put on good fights for everybody. I want to make everyone proud of this sport and let’s do it. I’m not f*cking around. I’m ready. … Size has never really worried me because I hit just as hard as those guys, I feel like. Hopefully, they can’t chase me very long.”
Don’t expect Michael Chandler to use BKFC as a post-UFC career.
Don’t expect [autotag]Michael Chandler[/autotag] to use BKFC as a post-UFC career.
Chandler has been entertaining fans with his wars inside the cage dating back from his rivalry with Eddie Alvarez in Bellator, to his battles with Justin Gaethje and Dustin Poirier in the UFC.
But unlike UFC veterans Alvarez, Mike Perry, and Jeremy Stephens, Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC) has zero plans of eventually taking the gloves off to continue his fighting career.
“Absolutely not,” Chandler told MMA Junkie Radio on BKFC. “I think I’ve proven that I’m a tough guy. I think I can say absolutely not without risking people saying, ‘This guy’s soft.’ I don’t think I need to fight bareknuckle to prove how tough I am.
“Just go type my name in on YouTube or on UFC Fight Pass and you can see that I’m no softie. I think there’s a certain brand of guy that goes there while you’re still in your prime and able to compete at the highest level in mixed martial arts, and I’m not one of those guys.”
Chandler, 38, will look to get back on track after losing four of his past five, most recently a unanimous decision loss to Charles Oliveira at UFC 309. The former UFC title challenger assures that when he’s ready to call it a career, his final fight will be in the octagon.
“I will hang up the gloves for the last time at some point under the UFC and never fight again,” Chandler said. “That will be the goal, and I will probably leave before people want me to leave, for sure. Right now, we’re focused on the next fight and we’ll see what it is. But I’m a fan of bareknuckle. I’m a fan of watching it.”
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