Tag: BKFC 18

BKFC 18 results: Joey Beltran pressures, outpoints Sam Shewmaker to retain heavyweight title

Check out the results from BKFC 18’s main event between Joey Beltran and Sam Shewmaker.

Entering Saturday with identical records under the promotion’s banner, [autotag]Joey Beltran[/autotag] put his heavyweight title on the line against [autotag]Sam Shewmaker[/autotag] in the main event of BKFC 18.

The event took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., airing on FITE TV.

Shewmaker (4-2-1 BKFC) started the first round strong, working behind a sharp left-hand jab. Beltran (5-1-1 BKFC) was bloodied from one of the southpaw strikes, but finished the round strong with a few combinations of his own.

The second round started off with a few heated exchanges, as Beltran looked to turn up the pressure. The champ stayed light on his feet while bobbing and weaving, creating openings for punches. Shewmaker landed a nice left just before the end of the round.

Beltran continued to press forward in the third round, prompting Shewmaker to initiate clinches to slow him down. Beltan’s volume in the third was higher than his opponent’s again, likely giving him the round on the judges’ scorecards.

The fourth round began with Shewmaker landing a few combinations as Beltran continued to press the action. Shewmaker tried to keep the champ away, but Beltran continued to move forward, putting Shewmaker against the ropes where he would rip a few body punches.

Beltran continued to dictate the pace of the fight in the final round, by constantly moving forward while throwing punches. Both fighters threw heavy combinations throughout the round, doing their best to land something significant to put their stamp on the fight in the closing moments.

The judges scored the fight unanimously for Beltran with scores of 49-46, 49-46, and 48-47.

“I want to apologize to my fans, that was a dog sh*t performance on my part,” Beltran said during his post-fight interview. “Three weeks ago, I got that nasty virus called covid. I had a 105 fever and it was f*cking hard, man.”

Capping off an evening of bareknuckle bouts filled with former MMA competitors, Beltran defended his heavyweight title for the second time and said he’s willing to defend it against anyone who wants to step up to the challenge.

Full official BKFC 18 results include:

    • Joey Beltran def. Sam Shewmaker via unanimous decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) *for heavyweight title
    • Hector Lombard def. Joe Riggs via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 1:07 *for cruiserweight title
    • Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 3, 5:00 *for middleweight title
    • Luis Palomino def. Tyler Goodjohn via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) *for lightweight title
    • Pearl Gonzalez def. Charisa Sigala via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Julian Lane def. Jake Bostwick via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-43, 48-45)
    • Jarod Grant def. Travis Thompson via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 0:35
    • Eddie Hoch def. Bruce Lutchmedial via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
    • Steve Herelius def. Juan Torres via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
    • Francisco Ricchi def. Brian Maxwell via TKO – Round 2, 1:25
    • Montaser Aboughaly def. Luke Parson via knockout – Round 1, 0:34
    • Famez def. Paul Teague via knockout – Round 1, 0:17
    • Yosdenis Cedeno def. Alan Arzeno via split decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46)
    • Eduardo Conception def. Gabriel Brown via knockout – Round 1, 0:05

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BKFC 18 video: Hector Lombard swings on Lorenzo Hunt after defeating Joe Riggs for cruiserweight title

Hector Lombard won BKFC gold in the co-main event on Saturday evening, but that was just the beginning of the drama.

The co-main event of BKFC 18 saw two veterans of MMA mix it up in what proved to be a wild contest filled with controversy during and after the fight.

Former Bellator champion and UFC competitor [autotag]Hector Lombard[/autotag] took on [autotag]Joe Riggs[/autotag] in the third of four title fights on Saturday night.

The fight itself ended in a controversial fashion as Lombard (3-0 BKFC) held on to Riggs’ (2-1-1 BKFC) shorts while landing a clean punch to the eye. As a result, Riggs could not continue because he said he could only see out of one eye, crowning Lombard the cruiserweight champion by doctor’s stoppage.

After the fight, the drama continued.

Just as Lombard was beginning his post-fight interview, fellow BKFC competitor Lorenzo Hunt entered the ring and approached Lombard. The new champion did not appreciate his space being invaded and threw two hard punches at Hunt.

After the scuffle, there would be no post-fight interview from Lombard and the ring was eventually cleared.

Up-to-the-minute results of BKFC 18 include:

    • Hector Lombard def. Joe Riggs via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 1:07 *for cruiserweight title
    • Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 3, 5:00 *for middleweight title
    • Luis Palomino def. Tyler Goodjohn via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) *for lightweight title
    • Pearl Gonzalez def. Charisa Sigala via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Julian Lane def. Jake Bostwick via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-43, 48-45)
    • Jarod Grant def. Travis Thompson via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 0:35
    • Eddie Hoch def. Bruce Lutchmedial via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
    • Steve Herelius def. Juan Torres via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
    • Francisco Ricchi def. Brian Maxwell via TKO – Round 2, 1:25
    • Montaser Aboughaly def. Luke Parson via knockout – Round 1, 0:34
    • Famez def. Paul Teague via knockout – Round 1, 0:17
    • Yosdenis Cedeno def. Alan Arzeno via split decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46)
    • Eduardo Conception def. Gabriel Brown via knockout – Round 1, 0:05

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BKFC 18 results: Thiago Alves claims middleweight title with comeback TKO of Ulysses Diaz

Thiago Alves claimed bareknuckle gold by defeating Ulysses Diaz on Saturday evening at BKFC 18.

Former UFC title challenger [autotag]Thiago Alves[/autotag] claimed gold in BKFC on Saturday.

In a bout between two incoming undefeated bareknuckle fighters, Alves (2-0 BKFC) pulled off an incredible comeback against Ulysses Diaz in the second of four title fights on Saturday evening.

BKFC 18 took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., airing on FITE TV.

The two men traded hard strikes throughout the first round, but Diaz (2-1 BKFC) had the upper hand at the conclusion of the opening frame.

With blood flowing from both fighters in the second round, Diaz dropped Alves with a clean right hand with just over a minute remaining. Alves would get back to his feet and almost immediately began trading punches again.

In the third round, the momentum shifted quickly towards Alves who began putting together hard combinations, resulting in a total of three knockdowns over the course of the round. Diaz managed to return to his feet each time and saw the end of the round, but the doctor called the fight off between rounds after assessing the damage.

 

“I got a little bit reckless at one point, but I’m the king of this sh*t,” Alves said during his post-fight interview. “When it comes to trading punches and staying in the pocket, nobody can f*ck with me.”

Alves claimed the BKFC middleweight title after mounting an incredible comeback victory in his second bareknuckle bout.

Up-to-the-minute results of BKFC 18 include:

    • Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 3, 5:00 *for middleweight title
    • Luis Palomino def. Tyler Goodjohn via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45) *for lightweight title
    • Pearl Gonzalez def. Charisa Sigala via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
    • Julian Lane def. Jake Bostwick via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-43, 48-45)
    • Jarod Grant def. Travis Thompson via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 0:35
    • Eddie Hoch def. Bruce Lutchmedial via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
    • Steve Herelius def. Juan Torres via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
    • Francisco Ricchi def. Brian Maxwell via TKO – Round 2, 1:25
    • Montaser Aboughaly def. Luke Parson via knockout – Round 1, 0:34
    • Famez def. Paul Teague via knockout – Round 1, 0:17
    • Yosdenis Cedeno def. Alan Arzeno via split decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46)
    • Eduardo Conception def. Gabriel Brown via knockout – Round 1, 0:05

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BKFC 18 results: Pearl Gonzalez dominates Charis Sigala in debut decision victory

Pearl Gonzalez made her bareknuckle debut at BKFC 18 against Charisa Sigala on Saturday evening.

UFC and Invicta veteran [autotag]Pearl Gonzalez[/autotag] made her bareknuckle debut on Saturday evening against [autotag]Charisa Sigala[/autotag], and looked fantastic.

BKFC 18 took place at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla., airing on FITE TV.

Gonzalez (1-0 BKFC) took control of the action from the onset by letting her hands fly early and often. Working behind a left jab, she put together frequent combinations throughout the opening round, all but shutting down any effective offense from Sigala (0-2 BKFC).

The second round was similar to the first, with Gonzalez throwing and landing frequent punches as Sigala tried to find a way to close the distance. Outside of a few single punches landed, Sigala struggled to find answers for her opponent’s pressure.

The fight continued to play out in a similar fashion over the next three rounds, as Gonzalez’s distance management proved too difficult for Sigala to overcome to put together consistent combinations to change the course of the fight.

The judges scored the fight unanimously in favor of Gonzalez, with identical scores of 50-45, impressing in her bareknuckle boxing debut.

“I’m not a brawler, I’m a mixed martial artist,” Gonzalez said during her post-fight interview.

“I’m learning to be a boxer and I’m gonna come in here and show technique and skill, and every f*cking day, I’m getting better. Watch the f*ck out!”

Up-to-the-minute results of BKFC 18:

  • Pearl Gonzalez def. Charisa Sigala via unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)
  • Julian Lane def. Jake Bostwick via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-43, 48-45)
  • Jarod Grant def. Travis Thompson via TKO (doctor stoppage) – Round 4, 0:35
  • Eddie Hoch def. Bruce Lutchmedial via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
  • Steve Herelius def. Juan Torres via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 49-46)
  • Francisco Ricchi def. Brian Maxwell via TKO – Round 2, 1:25
  • Montaser Aboughaly def. Luke Parson via knockout – Round 1, 0:34
  • Famez def. Paul Teague via knockout – Round 1, 0:17
  • Yosdenis Cedeno def. Alan Arzeno via split decision (49-46, 46-49, 49-46)
  • Eduardo Conception def. Gabriel Brown via knockout – Round 1, 0:05

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BKFC 18 live and official results (9 p.m. ET)

Check out the official results of Saturday’s BKFC 18 beginning at 9 p.m. ET

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship returns on Saturday evening with an exciting lineup of fights featuring a host of former MMA competitors.

The event begins at 9 p.m. ET on FITE TV.

The main event of the evening features BKFC heavyweight champion Joey Beltran (4-1-1 BKFC) looking to record his second title defense as he faces squares up against Sam Shewmaker (4-1-1 BKFC).

The main card is filled with names familiar to MMA fans. Hector Lombard (2-0 BKFC), Joe Riggs (2-0-1 BKFC), Luis Palomino (3-0 BKFC), Thiago Alves (1-0 BKFC), Pearl Gonzalez (0-0 BKFC), and Charisa Sigala (0-1 BKFC) will all put their fists to the test with the gloves off.

Official BKFC 18 results include:

MAIN CARD (FITE TV, 9 p.m. ET)

  • Joey Beltran vs. Sam Shewmaker
  • Hector Lombard vs. Joe Riggs
  • Luis Palomino vs. Tyler Goodjohn
  • Thiago Alves vs. Ulysses Diaz
  • Pearl Gonzalez vs. Charisa Sigala

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Could bare-knuckle boxing actually be beneficial for MMA fighters to extend their careers?

BKFC 18 features a hefty roster of MMA veterans in featured roles, and David Feldman believes we’ll see more crossover moving forward.

This weekend’s BKFC 18 event features a hefty roster of MMA veterans in featured roles, and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship president David Feldman believes we’re likely to see more crossover moving forward.

At Saturday’s event, veteran names such as Joey Beltran, Luis Palomino, Hector Lombard, Joe Riggs, Thiago Alves and Pearl Gonzalez all play prominent roles on the night’s main card, which streams live on the BKTV app and Bareknuckle.tv. Feldman said the company didn’t intend to book a card so full of cagefighting veterans, but the card sure lines up to be a rather MMA-fan-friendly event.

“Like, we didn’t say, ‘Let’s do it that way,'” Feldman told MMA Junkie. “We started putting matches together, and it just kind of fell into place that way. They all kind of really, really make sense here. All the fights I think are matched very, very competitively. I just I’m excited, man. I think it’s going to be a great card and a great night of fights.”

Lately, it seems boxing has become quite a popular pursuit for mixed martial artists in the latter stages of their career. Ben Askren was actually retired from competition when he was lured to the ring for a big payday, though the result of his bout with Jake Paul was certainly forgettable. Longtime UFC champion Anderson Silva was successful in his post-octagon boxing contest with Julio Cesar Chanvez Jr. Former UFC champ Frank Mir went the distance with former boxing champ Steve Cunningham in their contest, and former UFC champ Tyron Woodley will step into the squared circle later this year, as well.

While some of these matchups brought questions of safety for the athletes involved, Feldman believes that boxing – even the bare-knuckle variety – is a great way for MMA fighters to extend their career.

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“With BKFC and bare-knuckle fighting, that versus MMA, you’re training the whole body – ground game, your feet, your shins, your thighs,” Feldman said. “Everything is taking a pounding and taking a beating, and that’s why I respect the MMA fighters so much – and I still think this is is an unbelievably brutal sport, meaning you’re getting hit with bare knuckles, so you’re going to get cut, you’re going to get hurt, you’re going to have injuries. But it’s not as much wear and tear on your body going into the fight, so I think that’s what’s giving these guys a little bit of resurgence, a little bit of extension at the end of their careers right now, and they’re performing at the top of their level. They’re not like coming in and not really looking good. They’re coming in and looking fantastic, so I think not having to have that wear and tear in their training leading up to these fights is giving them the advantage.”

Feldman said BKFC will continue to search across all combat sports for potential signings, but it’s hard not to notice the trend of MMA athletes making the transition to his promotion.

July sees a headlining bout between former UFC women’s contenders Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich, who meet in a rematch of their 2019 octagon clash. Later this year, 15-time UFC veteran Alan Belcher is expected to make his promotional debut, some eight years after his final octagon appearance. But Feldman doesn’t see the appearances as some type of late-career cash grab that’s putting the athletes at risk and encourages skeptics to take a closer look this Saturday night.

“I think it gives these guys a little bit of extra chance at the end of their careers,” Feldman said. “And we have a lot of guys that are dedicated and signed like three-, five-year deals with us that just want to grow with us that never had a professional fight before but had an extensive amateur career. So, you know, it can really go either way, and we’re going to see what happens. But Saturday night is exciting. This Saturday, June 26, live on the bare-knuckle TV app from the Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida, at BKFC.com.”

To see the full interview with Feldman, check out the video below.

https://youtu.be/JvZgIBksZEA

Pearl Gonzalez books bareknuckle debut, meets Charisa Sigala at BKFC 18

After stints in the UFC and Invicta, Pearl Gonzalez is taking off the gloves. Her debut opponent and date are set.

[autotag]Pearl Gonzalez[/autotag] enters her BKFC debut as part of a new promotion – and an unfamiliar combat sport.

A former UFC strawweight and Invicta FC flyweight, Gonzalez signed with BKFC in April. She’ll fight [autotag]Charisa Sigala[/autotag] at BKFC 18, which takes place June 26 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The event streams on the BKTV app.

The promotion announced the booking Tuesday on social media.

Gonzalez exits MMA, at least temporarily, having lost two of her most recent three fights. She was scheduled to fight Erin Blanchfield in November but withdrew after she contracted COVID-19.

As for Sigala, she made her BKFC debut at “Knuckle Mania” in February when she lost a unanimous decision to Taylor Jenkins, in what was one of the most exciting fights of the evening.

With the addition, the BKFC 18 lineup includes:

  • Joey Beltran vs. Sam Shewmaker – for the heavyweight title
  • Hector Lombard vs. Joe Riggs – for the light heavyweight title
  • Tyler Goodjohn vs. Luis Palomino – for the lightweight title
  • Thiago Alves vs. Ulysses Diaz – for middleweight title
  • Pearl Gonzalez vs. Charisa Sigala

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