Tag: Bare Knuckle FC 9

Where does Bare Knuckle FC go after the Jason Knight vs. Artem Lobov rematch?

What should be next for Bare Knuckle FC on the heels of its ninth event, and does anyone care?

Promotion executives certainly won’t agree and would probably argue they’re just scratching the surface of its potential, but Saturday’s Bare Knuckle FC 9 show, on which Jason Knight picked apart Artem Lobov for a fifth-round TKO in the headliner, felt like the climax of this experiment.

There was good drama and intrigue around the first couple BKFC events. The sheer violence of uncovered fists pounding exposed flesh was enough to draw in a segment of combat sports fanatics, and the original Knight vs. Lobov fight in April was just the memorable, water-cooler-moment type of fight the promotion needed to gain traction.

Since then, though, it’s felt like a lot of cramming and grasping at straws. The fact BKFC was able to reel Paulie Malignaggi out of retirement for a grudge match with Lobov in June was meaningful for its profile, but any semblance of legitimacy has since been bulldozed away with main-event fights like Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and the signing of “The Iranian Hulk,” Sajjad Gharibi, which was announced over the weekend.

Attracting the masses is such a challenge for BKFC that it had to roll out the Knight vs. Lobov rematch just seven months after their first fight. Typically that’s something you let marinate, but the options are so few and far between, it had to be done now. Hopefully they’ll wait on the trilogy bout, should it occur.

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When all was said and done, the fight BKFC tried to push on fans was a rematch between Knight and Jim Alers, who had a “Fight of the Night” under the UFC banner in July 2017. That’s fine, but anyone who calls that appointment viewing (or even remembers their post-fight faceoff) is lying.

Although this sounds like all negativity toward BKFC, the promotion has value. It’s another spot for fighters to compete and gives jobs to people in the combat sports industry. ranging from production to public relations and more.

For someone like Knight in particular, BKFC is wonderful. He washed out of the UFC following four losses in a row, but now he’s arguably the face of BKFC and, from what he said pre-fight, is being paid handsomely for that position. Joey Beltran, who won the heavyweight title on Saturday’s card, is another name whose career is getting a second wind in fighting because of BKFC.

Unless BKFC is turning a profit, though, that money is only going to last so long. From all appearances, the investors have deep pockets and are wiling to spend, but it’s hard not to wonder how many bullets the company has left in the chambers to not just maintain, but grow, public interest in the product.

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Bare Knuckle FC 9 results: Jason Knight executes technical plan to TKO Artem Lobov in rematch

Jason Knight lived up to his promise to reel back on brawling with Artem Lobov in their Bare Knuckle FC rematch.

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[autotag]Jason Knight[/autotag] lived up to his promise to reel back on brawling in his Bare Knuckle FC 9 rematch with [autotag]Artem Lobov[/autotag], and the result was positive.

Knight fought a technical bout, busting up Lobov’s eye with solid punches en route to a fifth-round TKO in the headlining bout at Mississippi Event Center in Biloxi, Miss.

“I stayed strategic. I knew exactly what I was supposed to do,” Knight said in his post-fight interview. “I was prepared. I was technically sound, and I was prepared for the fight the right way. I told myself the whole training camp that I’m going to fight the fight I’m supposed to fight.”

It was evident from the outset that Knight was keen to use his length and reach more so than the first fight. He connected with some good hooks, and one hard right seemed to briefly stagger Lobov. Knight implemented solid head movement, as well, dodging Lobov’s winging shots and mixing in punches to the head and body.

Knight continued his momentum into the second frame, switching stances and picking Lobov apart. Lobov struggled to find an effective range for himself. With a mouse under his eye, he got cracked with a straight right hand from Knight that resulted in the first knockdown of the fight. Lobov got up before the count, and Knight couldn’t capitalize to finish the fight.

The third round got briefly delayed because there was no doctor ringside, but the action resumed and Knight settled in. There were no major moments in the middle frame, but Knight continued to avoid damage. Lobov, who experienced multiple cuts to the face, suffered worse swelling around his eyes.

With Knight clearly ahead going into the fourth, Lobov picked up the pace out of desperation. He mixed up his stance and range and landed some of his best punches of the fight, but the lack of impact made it difficult to get Knight’s respect. Despite that, it was Lobov’s best round.

Going into the fifth, Lobov’s eye was badly damaged and nearly swollen completely shut. Knight put the pressure back on and connected with more good punches. Knight caught Lobov with a counter right hand that hit Lobov in the eye, forcing Lobov to go down to his knees. He stood up before the count was finished, but Lobov’s corner had seen enough and told the referee to wave it off at the 0:29 mark of Round 5.

With the series between Knight and Lobov tied at 1-1 after two bouts, Knight said he’s prepared for a trilogy.

“Of course, if he wants it,” Knight said. “I love that guy. I respect that guy; he respects me. Anytime he gets in here and wants to do it a third time, I’m ready.”

Lobov, however, admitted to being emotional and wasn’t ready to commit to anything about his future.

“Of course, I have to go back now,” Lobov said. “The emotions are very low after a loss, especially a stoppage loss, so it (expletive) hurts double bad for me. You just have to take it and accept it and move forward. I’ll have to see what happens.”

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Jason Knight says he’s getting paid ‘star money’ for BKFC 9 rematch with Artem Lobov

This would not be the case if Knight fought in the UFC.

[autotag]Jason Knight[/autotag] believes there’s no better money to be made for him in combat sports right now than with Bare Knuckle FC, and that includes the UFC.

Knight, a six-fight UFC veteran, rematches [autotag]Artem Lobov[/autotag] on Saturday in the BKFC 9 headliner in what’s arguably the most anticipated rematch in company history.

The first time out, Knight and Lobov engaged in a bloodbath that saw Lobov take a razor-close decision. The rematch is a big fight, and while grueling, Knight said it’s his financially profitable way of competing.

“With Bare Knuckle, they’re just starting out, and they’re still very, very early in their stages,” Knight told MMA Junkie. “They’re not very far along like the UFC is, so they need stars. They need people to go out there and shine, and they’ve got money like the UFC does. They got that star money where they can pay people, and right now I’m one of the big stars, so I love to be getting that big money. In the UFC, even if I was to fight my ass off and make it back to the UFC, I’m making it to the bottom of the totem pole if I get back to the UFC. I’m not one of the big stars. I’m not one of the high-paid guys in the UFC.

“In Bare Knuckle, as of right now, I’m one of the highest paid, and I plan on it staying that way. I plan on the paychecks getting bigger and bigger, and I’m excited about that. I’ve got a family. I’ve got three kids that look for daddy to take care of them and provide for the future. Right now Bare Knuckle is the spot to do that.”

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Knight did not reveal the specifics of what he stands to make, but he will receive a purse for fighting in addition to pay-per-view, which is priced at $29.99 on Fite TV.

The potential gains that could come with this fight made it easy for Knight to prepare. He said he was already motivated to beat Lobov after feeling he got wronged in the decision of the original fight, but now everything is perfectly in line for him to put on the performance he wants.

“Somebody has got to go to sleep, and I’m going to make sure it isn’t me,” Knight said. “I underestimated Artem a little bit last time. I thought I was going to shut him down pretty quick, and I thought I was going to have more heart than him and be tougher than him. I thought it was going to be no problem. But now I know he’s just as durable as I am, so I’m going to make sure I go above and beyond with everything.”

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