Tag: BKFC 36

New BKFC champ Alan Belcher makes promise: It’s no problem to KO Francis Ngannou

Alan Belcher has been BKFC heavyweight champ less than a week, and he has lofty ambitions about the types of fights that could come next.

[autotag]Alan Belcher[/autotag] has been the BKFC heavyweight champion for less than a week, and he has lofty ambitions about the types of fights that could come next.

Belcher, a 15-fight UFC veteran, wrapped up his MMA career after a loss to Michael Bisping in April 2013. But in 2021, he made a comeback with BKFC, then had a boxing match, too. Net yet two years into that comeback, he beat Arnold Adams with a third-round knockout this past Saturday to win the heavyweight belt at BKFC 36.

It may seem like the culmination of why Belcher wanted to get back into a fight to begin with.

“Leaving the sport kind of didn’t sit right with me,” Belcher told MMA Junkie Radio. “After thinking about it for several years, age 36-37, I got to thinking, ‘Now, I think, would be the time, if I’m going to make this decision, let’s do it.’ I decided to fully go for it.”

Now that he’s heavyweight champ, he’ll have as big a target on his back as anyone in BKFC. Then there’s the additional intrigue of new fighters crossing over from MMA and boxing into the bareknuckle game all the time.

Of particular note is former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou, who is a free agent being courted by just about every promotion out there. Belcher thinks it could be a reality.

“I really feel like there’s going to be some big names, some big-money paydays – hopefully someone in boxing or MMA taking off the gloves and coming in and challenging me for the belt – Francis Ngannou or (Oleksandr) Usyk or Andy Ruiz, Tyson Fury, this type of thing,” Belcher said. “Those are the types of big-name fights I’d like to see happen by the end of 2023 (or) 2024.

“My big prediction is (there’s) going to be outside names come in and shed even more light on the bareknuckle sport and just get more impact and more notoriety to what we’re doing.”

If Ngannou came to BKFC for one of those big paydays, Belcher seems to understand many analysts would presume the ex-UFC champ would have the edge based on his power and size. After all, while Belcher is a heavyweight now, he fought in the UFC at middleweight. Ngannou is considered a different kind of big.

But Belcher doesn’t seem concerned about that at all.

“It’s a matter of not getting hit,” he said. “… I’m strong. I’m not as big as Francis Ngannou, but I have tendon strength. I’ve worked on my punches. I’ve been punching things since I was a kid. I have a nice punch – it’s plenty enough, I promise you, to knock out Francis Ngannou. … I promise you, it is not a problem to knock out someone of that size. They do not have any special power in their head.

“… I don’t believe that Francis Ngannou can knock me out, and I believe I can knock him out. When you’re talking about bareknuckle boxing, that’s the name of the game.”

BKFC 36 results: UFC veteran Alan Belcher rallies, knocks out Arnold Adams for heavyweight title

UFC veteran Alan Belcher had to overcome a pair of knockdowns, but stormed back to knock out Arnold Adams for the BKFC heavyweight title.

It wasn’t easy, but UFC veteran [autotag]Alan Belcher[/autotag] now holds BKFC gold.

Belcher, a 15-fight veteran of the UFC , is now a bareknuckle heavyweight champion after just four fights with the promotion. “The Talent” knocked out Arnold Adams in the third round of the BKFC 26 main event to win the heavyweight title.

The 12-fight event took place at Pontchartrain Convention and Civic Center in New Orleans, and aired on BKFC.tv.

It didn’t take long for the fight to get intense.

Belcher was the aggressor in the initial moments of the fight, but Adams quickly took control of the center of the ring. After trading a few hard punches in close proximity, Belcher was busted open on the top of his head. Although, he didn’t appear worried about the blood as he returned to his stool.

In the second round, Adams continued to let his hands go, landing a crushing right hand to put Belcher down. After making the count, the fight continued, but Belcher touched the canvas again a moment later for a second knockdown. Adams taunted by leaning on the ropes, which would prove to be a premature celebration.

Turning the tides out of nowhere once getting back to his feet, Belcher landed a big punch that knocked Adams to the ground. The champ smiled while on the mat, and made the count. The fight continued into the third.

Belcher didn’t let off the gas, and caught Adams with a hard short uppercut to put him down again. This time, Adams would not beat the count, resulting in a title-winning knockout for Belcher.

Belcher, 38, who also competed in traditional gloved boxing after exiting the UFC, has not tasted defeat since returning to combat sports in 2021. He has now eight straight bouts: four in boxing and four in bareknuckle. Belcher began his pro MMA career in 2004 and made his UFC debut in 2006, where he competed until 2013.

Adams, 37, was attempting to defend his title for the second time, but came up short. He won the championship with a unanimous decision over Joey Beltran, and went on to stop Dillon Cleckler in the second round at BKFC 25.

Full results of BKFC 36 include:

  • Alan Belcher def. Anthony Adams via knockout – Round 3, 0:55
  • James Lilley def. Bobby Taylor via TKO (doctor’s stoppage) – Round 3, 2:00
  • Kaleb Harris def. Brad Kelly via knockout – Round 1, 0:39
  • Duke Sensley def. Joseph Creer via unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 48-47)
  • Dennis Labruzza def. Stephon Reese via knockout – Round 2, 1:24
  • Tony Jenkins def. Dillon Winemiller via TKO (referee stoppage) – Round 3, 1:25
  • Bryce Henry def. Brandon Shavers via knockout – Round 4, 1:53
  • Andrew Angelcor vs. David Bosnick results in unanimous draw (47-47, 47-47, 47-47)
  • Tyler Sammis def. Cody Schieve via knockout – Round 1, 1:32
  • Blake Lacaze def. Brett Williams via TKO (corner stoppage) – Round 3, 2:00
  • Brandon Meneses vs. Cody Mitchell results in a majority draw (48-46, 47-47, 47-47)
  • Michael Manno def. Frankie Shughart via knockout – Round 1, 0:25

Photos: BKFC 36 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs

Check out photos from the BKFC 36 ceremonial weigh-ins and faceoffs ahead of the event at Pontchartrain Convention Center in Kenner, La.

Check out these photos from the BKFC 36 ceremonial weigh-ins and fighter faceoffs ahead of the event at Pontchartrain Convention Center in Kenner, La. (Photos courtesy of BKFC)