Category: BKFC

BKFC 35 results and free live video stream

Bare Knuckle FC is offering Friday’s card for FREE, and MMA Junkie will have a live stream of all the action starting at 8 p.m. ET.

Bare Knuckle FC launched its 2023 event schedule on Friday with BKFC 35, which took place at John T. Rhodes Sports Center in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

In a special treat for fans, the 12-fight lineup streamed free on the promotion’s YouTube channel, and you can watch a replay of the event right here on MMA Junkie.

It was a rough night for veterans of the UFC.

The card featured a welterweight title eliminator in the main event, with UFC vet Yosdenis Cedeno taking on Gorjan Slaveski. It was a tough battle, but Slaveski pulled away in the second half of the fight, earning a TKO stoppage in the closing seconds of the fourth.

With the win, “Gogo” becomes the No. 1 contender for the BKFC welterweight title.

UFC veterans Justin Scoggins and Marcus Brimage were also in action, although both came up short against their respective opponents.

The complete BKFC 35 results include:

  • Gorjan Slaveski def. Yosdenis Cedeno via TKO (punches) – Round 4, 1:53
  • Keith Richardson def. Justin Scoggins via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)
  • Andy Nguyen def. Nekah Dmitriyeva via split decision (46-49, 49-46, 49-46)
  • Brandon Bushaw def. Paul Teague via knockout – Round 1, 1:02
  • Roberto Armas def. Jakobi Lowery via knockout – Round 1, 1:10
  • Murat Kazgan def. Jordan Weeks via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 1, 1:41
  • Tony Soto def. Wanya Reid via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 4, 0:31
  • Albert Inclan def. Devin Gibson via unanimous decision (50-44, 49-45, 48-46)
  • Willie Sears def. Tomar Washington via disqualification (illegal punch to grounded opponent) – Round 2, 0:57
  • Trevor Loken def. Marcus Brimage via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:40
  • James Brown def. Stevo Morris via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-46, 49-46)
  • Doug Coltrane def. Brian Jackson via knockout – Round 2, 0:53

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Ben Rothwell hopes Francis Ngannou lands big fights after UFC exit: ‘It’s going to help all the fighters’

Ben Rothwell is happy Francis Ngannou stood up to the UFC, and would welcome him to BKFC if he chose that path.

Former UFC heavyweight turned BKFC fighter [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] hopes [autotag]Francis Ngannou[/autotag] gets everything he’s aiming for after walking away from the promotion.

Ngannou, now-former UFC heavyweight champion, could not come to terms with the promotion on a new contract. He had a few requests at the negotiation table beyond monetary compensation, which included health insurance, sponsorship, and a fighter advocate, which were not accepted, resulting in the two parties going their separate ways.

“I don’t think anybody’s seen UFC losing its heavyweight champion,” Rothwell told MMA Junkie Radio. “Never happened before, right? Francis got to come out and say, ‘Hey, I was asking for these things.’ Francis a little bit started a fighter union here, man.”

Since his departure, Ngannou said there have been a number of MMA promotions reaching out to secure his services, while hoping to land a massive boxing match against Tyson Fury.

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BKFC president David Feldman has also made a play to get a piece of the Ngannou action. If a deal were to come together for Ngannou to fight in bareknuckle boxing, Rothwell said he would be eager to take that fight, even if he knows the public and the sportsbooks would have him as a sizable underdog.

“I’m probably the only one crazy enough to fight Francis bareknuckle,” Rothwell said. “As long as we get paid and have fun, I know the fans would love it. I know I can give a good fight. It’s exciting times.”

On the heels of his 19-second knockout debut win with the promotion in October, Rothwell teased that BKFC has something big on the horizon for him in the coming months, including a matchup against a “big name” opponent. While may be unlikely that Ngannou will be a part of the equation, Rothwell is happy to see one of his fighting peers stand up for what he believes is right.

“What was cool to see is Francis said, ‘I don’t care. I ain’t going to just sign my life away, and you’re not going to continue to tell me what to do,'” Rothwell said. “I think it’s pretty cool that outside there are some opportunities that obviously lured him to do what he’s doing.

“God bless him and I hope he lands it, because it’s only going to help the entire community. That’s what I see. Everything that’s happening, it’s going to help me, all the other organizations, it’s going to help all the fighters.”

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Diego Sanchez breaks down Austin Trout, explains why he’ll be ‘very dominant’ at KnuckleMania 3

Diego Sanchez doesn’t seem the least bit concerned with Austin Trout’s boxing pedigree heading into their Bare Knuckle FC debut against each other. 

[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] doesn’t seem the least bit concerned with Austin Trout’s boxing pedigree heading into their Bare Knuckle FC debut against each other.

The New Mexico natives are set to throw down Feb. 13 at BKFC: KnuckleMania 3 from Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. If you’re at all concerned about Sanchez, 41, heading into the bout given the 37-year-old Trout’s skill level with his hands, “The Nightmare” insists there’s nothing to worry about.

“The dynamic and principles of this sport is completely different, and Austin Trout is a ‘Philly shell’ fighter like Floyd Mayweather, except he’s southpaw,” Sanchez told MMA Junkie Radio. “Being a ‘Philly shell’ fighter, you can’t block like that in bareknuckle, man. You’ve got a guy like me, who’s only got to go for 2 minutes of sprint, and I’m putting these bones on you. Whether I’m putting these bones on your shoulder, on your arm, on your ribs, on your sternum, on your liver, on your stomach, it’s gonna do damage. You’ve got to be aggressive.”

The fight will mark Sanchez’s second competition since the UFC released him in April 2021. A Season 1 winner of “The Ultimate Fighter,” Sanchez was released as a result of questions about his health history. Those questions were a point of contention for one New Mexico commissioner before he was ultimately licensed to fight Trout after additional medical testing.

Sanchez most recently lost a unanimous decision to fellow former UFC standout Kevin Lee in March 2022 at Eagle FC 46.

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Heading into KnuckleMania 3, Sanchez believes he’s right where he belongs fighting bareknuckle.

“This sport was made for me – 2-minute rounds, inside fighting, no gloves, and pressure. Pressure, pressure, pressure,” Sanchez said. “This is gonna be a great avenue for me to compete. I just think it’s gonna be a real statement, because a lot of people are all scared for me. ‘He (Trout) went 12 rounds with Canelo.’ Their eyes are like this (widens his eyes). ‘He went 12 rounds with Canelo. Are you sure?’ C’mon, bro. This ain’t boxing, and I’m not Canelo.

“This is a different sport. The moment I get inside, the moment that I start throwing and firing on him, it’s just a different sport. I’m gonna go out there, and I’m gonna prove it. I’m gonna show you what I’m talking about, and I’m gonna be very dominant. I’m gonna be very successful. And, yeah, you guys are gonna be like, ‘I guess Diego had a little more in the tank still.'”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC: KnuckleMania 3.

Former two-time Bellator champion Daniel Straus signs with BKFC

BKFC continues to beef up its roster by signing former Bellator champ Daniel Straus.

A former Bellator champ will now test his skills in bareknuckle boxing.

BKFC has signed [autotag]Daniel Straus[/autotag], a former two-time Bellator featherweight champion, to its ever-growing roster of fighters on a multi-fight deal.

The promotion officially announced the addition in a press release Friday, which did not include Straus’ expected debut or first opponent, although it is expected to be revealed soon.

“We’re thrilled to announce the signing of Daniel Straus to BKFC,” said BKFC President David Feldman in the release. “Daniel’s had a wealth of success in Bellator and we believe his skill set will translate very well in bare knuckle. Our featherweight division is very deep and rapidly growing and we have a number of great matchups for Daniel.”

“I’m all about excitement in my fights and that’s what BKFC has brought to the combat sports world in the last four years,” Straus said. “Dave and his Team have built the fastest-growing combat sports promotion in the world and I’m grateful for this opportunity. I can’t wait for my first bare-knuckle fight.”

With over 36 professional MMA fights under his belt, Straus will test his hands in the bareknuckle ring. He prepares to compete for the first time since October 2021 under the XMMA banner, which followed his release from Bellator in July 2021. Straus was let go by the promotion after an arrest for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Straus first claimed Bellator gold by defeating Pat Curran by unanimous decision at Bellator 106 in 2013. After dropping the title in their rematch, Straus won the belt again two years later by defeating Patricio Freire at Bellator 145.

At 38, Straus continues his combat sports career, one that was nearly cut short after severe injuries from a motorcycle accident in 2017.

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Video: Lorenzo Hunt, Mike Richman brawl, destroy stage during KnuckleMania 3 press conference

All hell broke loose between Lorenzo Hunt, Mike Richman at a BKFC press conference.

[autotag]Lorenzo Hunt[/autotag] and [autotag]Mike Richman[/autotag] are already getting hands on each other before their BKFC championship bout.

The two got into a full-on brawl at Thursday’s pre-fight press conference promoting KnuckleMania 3. After a few verbal back-and-forths, Hunt and Richman got up from their seats, and went at each other.

BKFC present [autotag]David Feldman[/autotag] and the security present tried their best to stop the brawl, but they were still able to lock horns and trade a few strikes. Hunt and Richman even fell off stage, knocking down the dais behind them.

You can watch their full brawl in the video above.

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Hunt and Richman are set to compete in a light heavyweight title unification bout. The contest will serve as the main event for BKFC KnuckleMania 3, which will be held in Albuquerque, N.M. on Feb. 17.

Hunt has been one of the most successful fighters in BKFC, winning titles across two different divisions. Hunt has picked up victories over notable names such as Hector Lombard, Joe Riggs and Quentin Henry.

On the other hand, Richman, a former Bellator featherweight and bantamweight fighter, has put together a 4-0 record since joining the BKFC roster. Richman won the BKFC interim light heavyweight title with a knockout win over Isaac Doolittle this past October. He also holds bareknuckle boxing wins over former MMA fighters David Rickels and Dakota Cochrane.

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Greg Hardy to make BKFC debut on Feb. 17 at KnuckleMania 3

Greg Hardy has a date for his BKFC debut.

(Editor’s note: Story updated at 8:45 p.m. ET to reflect new information from BKFC.)

[autotag]Greg Hardy[/autotag] has a date for his bare-knuckle boxing debut.

Hardy, a former UFC heavyweight fighter and NFL standout, is scheduled to fight Feb. 17 at at BKFC’s tentpole event “KnuckleMania 3” in Albuquerque, N.M. Standing across the ring will be Josh Watson, a two-fight BKFC veteran.

Hardy’s signing was announced Thursday by BKFC president Dave Feldman during a pre-fight news conference ahead of “KnuckleMania 3.” Watson was later announced as his opponent by the promotion on social media.

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“It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood,” Hardy said at the presser. “This is what I do. Big-time shows, big-time events. I hope ya’ll don’t miss it. Buy the tickets, because it’s going to be entertaining as hell. I never let you down. I never quit on you. Either I leave on a stretcher, or they leave on a stretcher, and it’s about to happen again. It’s about to be amazing. How can you not be excited about this?”

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The bout will be Hardy’s third combat sports competition since his UFC departure in early 2022. The last time he fought in the UFC, he lost to Sergey Spivak by first-round TKO. He left the promotion on a three-fight losing streak.

Since then, Hardy, 34, has competed twice in professional boxing. He made his debut with a knockout of Mike Cook last October and then defeated Hasim Rahman Jr. by four-round unanimous decision in November.

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Diego Sanchez wants Nate Diaz in BKFC: ‘Real Gs don’t wear gloves, homie’

Diego Sanchez hopes to finally throw down with fellow former UFC fan favorite Nate Diaz – without the gloves under the BKFC banner.

[autotag]Diego Sanchez[/autotag] hopes to finally throw down with [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] – without gloves.

Sanchez makes his bareknuckle boxing debut against Austin Trout at BKFC: KnuckleMania 3 on Feb. 17 at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M, which is Sanchez’s home city. The main card streams on BareKnuckle TV after prelims on YouTube.

Although they never crossed paths, Sanchez and Diaz were longtime UFC fighters before each recently parted ways with the promotion. Sanchez does, however, have a 2005 win over Diaz’s brother Nick.

Now Sanchez wants the other superstar from Stockton, Calif., and thinks the fight could happen if he impresses against Trout.

“Nate won’t fight me because I beat his bigger brother and he idolizes his bigger brother in this weird way,” Sanchez told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve been trying to fight Nate for 10 years. If this performance can be so epic and so powerful and dominant – and it will be – I have a chance at snagging that Nate Diaz fight. That’s always the fight I wanted, too, because if I beat Nate, then I’m the first guy to ever beat both Diaz brothers.

“You the real G, Nate? Then take off the gloves, homie. Real Gs don’t wear gloves, homie. Real Gs get down in the street – bone to bone, knuckle to knuckle, and the little b*tch ends up buckling.”

But Sanchez also understands Diaz currently is one of the hottest free agents in the game with numerous lucrative options ahead of him.

“I’m telling you all right now: Nate is just like everybody else in combat sports,” Sanchez said. “We’re all just trying to get the highest payday we could get. … So he’s got Conor McGregor, Jake Paul and he’s got Floyd Mayweather. He’s got those three fights that could possibly be big, huge paydays for him.”

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