Tag: BKFC 41

Training at Team Elevation, Ben Rothwell not worried about cardio issues for BKFC 41 return in Denver

Training at Team Elevation, Ben Rothwell is confident cardio won’t be a problem in his return at Saturday’s BKFC 41 in Denver.

[autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag] can breathe easy heading into his return to bareknuckle boxing.

Fighting in Denver may be worrisome to many, given it’s over 5,000 feet above sea level, but not for Rothwell. Ahead of his BKFC 41 bout against Josh Copeland, the former UFC heavyweight contender took his training camp to Team Elevation in Denver to make sure he’s acclimated to the altitude.

This has brought Rothwell a new level of confidence, as he promises cardio won’t be an issue this Saturday.

“The training partners that I had, to my pleasant surprise, were really surprised with how good my cardio was, and I had guys rotating in on me,” Rothwell told MMA Junkie Radio. “I went to a gym, and they put me in the middle and had three guys come in on me, and I handled it very well. They were like, ‘Wow, you did really good.’ I did feel it and I didn’t do as much as I normally did, so I knew that I was like not doing my best. So I was just kind of like, ‘Cool, I’m glad you guys think so,’ but as the weeks went on, that all changed and I really got into my groove.

“I can pretty much go until everyone was done. I’m feeling really good.”

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Rothwell was originally scheduled to fight Josh Watson, who came to fame after knocking out ex-NFL star and UFC veteran Greg Hardy earlier this year.

Rothwell doesn’t mind the opponent change and sees Copeland, although a short-notice replacement, as a formidable foe.

“The day before the press conference, he sent a message, ‘I never agreed to fight in Denver,'” Rothwell said regarding the opponent change. “I don’t think he made the promotion very happy. What kind of excuse is that? He kind of blamed the promotion. It’s silly. It kind of leads me to believe that he didn’t really want to take the fight to be honest. I don’t care. He has to live with it. I’m here to fight.”

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Chad Mendes says Eddie Alvarez could be last fight, has ‘zero interest’ in BKFC title

Chad Mendes could be competing for the last time later this month at BKFC 41.

[autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] could be competing for the final time later this month.

Mendes meets fellow UFC alum Eddie Alvarez in the co-main event of BKFC 41, which takes place April 29 at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card will stream online on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point.

A former three-time UFC featherweight title challenger, Mendes is widely considered one of the best fighters to never win a title. The 37-year-old looked impressive in his BKFC debut when he stopped Joshuah Alvarez, but unless he gets a lucrative paycheck for his next fight, he may call it a career.

“I don’t know. This honestly might be the last fight,” Mendes said in an interview with War Sports. “We’ll just kind of see how this one goes. But I mean, the plan in my mind is probably to hang them up after this. We’ve just gotta see how this fight goes, and we’ll go from there. I keep saying that, but money talks. I already told the wife this is likely to be the last one.”

He continued, “If we go out there and get a quick knockout, I might toy with one more.”

With a win over Alvarez, Mendes could position himself for a title fight against dual champ Luis Palomino. But Mendes said that’s not something he’s after.

“Honestly that fight has zero interest for me,” Mendes said. “Unless they were gonna pay big bucks, I just don’t see bare-knuckle offering the type of money that I would require to fight again with a guy like that. Nothing against Luis, I think he’s a stud.

“I just don’t see him having the name for them to be able to pay what I would want to get paid. In all honesty, I really have zero desire to win a bare-knuckle belt. But yeah, I mean, if the organization was gonna pay me some big bucks, and it was worth it, then sure. But just to chase the belt? No, I don’t really have any desire.”

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David Feldman hopeful Nevada sanctions bareknuckle in 2024: ‘We’re going to make a really strong push’

A state that legalized slap-fighting, Nevada hasn’t sanctioned bareknuckle boxing. But that could change soon, per BKFC boss David Feldman.

LAS VEGAS – State by state, bareknuckle boxing is being legalized, sanctioned, and regulated by presiding commissions.

But the biggest box of them all remains without a checkmark inside it.

Despite its status as “The Fight Capital of the World,” Nevada has yet to adopt bareknuckle boxing into its legislation. That’s not stopping BKFC president David Feldman from dreaming gloveless fights will someday take place in the arenas and casinos interspaced throughout the bright lights and billboards of Las Vegas.

“Look, to be able to do a show here, my dad was a trainer of seven world champions,” Feldman told MMA Junkie Radio following a BKFC 41 news conference Tuesday at Palms Resort Casino. “We had fights at the MGM Grand on major Oscar De La Hoya cards. I fought here myself. To be able to put on a marquee event, not just put on an event, not just put on a club show, but to put on a marquee event everyone’s going to talk about in Las Vegas under the shining lights with the big signs, it’s amazing. That’s really going to be one of the biggest things that’ll ever happen in this sport.”

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It’s one thing to dream. It’s another thing to make something a reality. The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) recently adopted Dana White-headed slap fighting, to join MMA, boxing, kickboxing, muay thai, and a plethora of other combat sports.

At Tuesday’s news conference, Feldman said the promotion isn’t just talk. Proper steps are being taken so that bareknuckle can enter into the approved class, he said.

“We’re going to make a really strong push,” Feldman said. “We feel like early in 2024 we’ll do a debut here in Las Vegas. We’re going to work closely with the commission over the next six months and see if we can’t get this thing over the finish line.”

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BKFC launched full-force in 2018 and has held approximately 60 events since, with a noticeable year-over-year increase in the number of annual cards held.

On April 29, the promotion will hold one of its most marquee events to date, as BKFC 41 at 1STBANK Center in Denver features Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry and Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes among other notable bouts.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

Eddie Alvarez wants to settle 2015 incident with Nate Diaz in BKFC fight: ‘We never got to hash that out’

“I almost fought Nate in Mexico when I was fighting Gilbert Melendez.”

[autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] would love to throw down with [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] at BKFC.

Alvarez makes his bare-knuckle boxing debut when he takes on fellow UFC alum Chad Mendes in the BKFC 41 co-main event, which takes place April 29 at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card will stream online on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point.

Alvarez admits that not too many names entice him these days, but if he could pick one to fight after Mendes, it’s free agent Diaz.

“We were in the same weight class, we’ve asked for him a number of times during my MMA career, during my UFC career,” Alvarez told MMA Junkie Radio. “It never came to fruition. Timing, title shots, you name it, wrong opponents. Nate Diaz is the only guy I’d want that I would only say, ‘Hey, can we sign this guy and bring him over here?’

“That’s the only one. I just think he’s the right fighter. I think he’d transition well over to here with that real ‘gangster,’ whatever he wants to be style. I think it’ll do good here. and I think that’s the only opponent that I would only want to fight. I don’t really have a desire to fight anyone besides him.”

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Alvarez’s desire to fight Diaz stems from an altercation they had in 2015, during the fight week where he defeated Diaz’s teammate Gilbert Melendez at UFC 188 in Mexico City.

“I almost fought Nate in Mexico when I was fighting Gilbert Melendez,” Alvarez said. “I confronted him in Mexico City about grilling me and doing some weird little kid bullsh*t and we got into it and then UFC broke it all up. We never got to hash that out.

“And I beat up his teammate so I thought after I beat Melendez that maybe that would warrant a fight against him, but still, he never fought me. So, I think this is the right stage, this is the right opportunity to get this done. He’s a free agent, I’m over here and I’d love to fight someone like him right after this.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

BKFC 41 faceoff video: Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes size up respectfully

Watch what happened when Eddie Alvarez and Chad Mendes went face-to-face Tuesday in Las Vegas.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] and [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] squared off for the first time Tuesday at a BKFC 41 pre-fight news conference at Palms Resort Casino and MMA Junkie was on site.

BKFC 41 takes place April 29 at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card will stream online on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point. Alvarez vs. Mendes will serve as the co-main event, with Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry as the main event.

Alvarez, 39, will make his bareknuckle debut in this bout. The bout will be his first combat sports competition since April 2021 and since his “amicable” departure from One Championship

Mendes, 37, is back for his second BKFC bout following his 2019 retirement from MMA. In February 2022, Mendes debuted in bareknuckle with a fourth-round TKO victory over Joshuah Alvarez at BKFC KnuckleMania 2.

Check out Alvarez and Mendes face off in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

BKFC 41 faceoff video: Mike Perry picks nose, wipes finger on Luke Rockhold

Mike Perry didn’t appreciate Luke Rockhold’s fake knee (or his coat, apparently) as he appeared to wipe boogers on his BKFC 41 opponent.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] isn’t shy in a press conference environment, as he exemplified Tuesday at Palms Resort Casino when he picked his nose and then rubbed his finger on the fuzzy black and white coat of his BKFC 41 opponent [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag].

After some heated back-and-forth through microphones on stage, Perry and Rockhold came face-to-face for a ceremonial faceoff. The two fighters pressed forearms before Rockhold faked a knee to Perry’s midsection. When they turned and faced the crowd, Perry appeared to pick his nose and wipe his finger on Rockhold’s fashionable attire.

The two fighters will square off in a 185-pound bout at BKFC 41, which takes place April 29 at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card will stream online on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point.

Check out the Perry vs. Rockhold faceoff and finger-wiping in the video above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

Video: Watch Tuesday’s BKFC 41 news conference live

Check out the BKFC 41 pre-fight news conference live from Las Vegas featuring Luke Rockhold, Mike Perry, Eddie Alvarez, and more.

LAS VEGAS – BKFC 41 is a little over three weeks away but the fighters with top billing will meet face-to-face Tuesday.

MMA Junkie is on site at Palms Casino Resort where a news conference takes place featuring former UFC fighters [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag], [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag], [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag], and [autotag]Ben Rothwell[/autotag], as well as BKFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Christine Ferea[/autotag] and BKFC president David Feldman.

Tuesday’s news conference kicks off at 3 p.m. ET with MMA legend [autotag]Chael Sonnen[/autotag] as host.

BKFC 41 takes place April 29 at 1STBANK Center in Denver. The main card will stream online on FITE TV with a $49.99 price point.

Watch a live stream of the event via the promotion’s feed above.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

Luke Rockhold on Mike Perry: ‘I don’t think he understands the danger that’s coming’ at BKFC 41

Luke Rockhold says Mike Perry is in for a rude awakening at BKFC 41.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] says [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] is in for a rude awakening at BKFC 41.

Rockhold makes his bare-knuckle boxing debut when he faces Perry in a 185-pound matchup, which headlines the April 29 event in Denver and airs live on BKFC.tv pay-per-view.

Although Perry has experience boxing without the gloves after a unanimous decision win over Julian Lane and a majority decision win over Michael Page, Rockhold expects his size and power to be a problem.

“I’m confident in my abilities to put this kid away,” Rockhold told MMA Junkie Radio. “I don’t think he understands the danger that’s coming, and that’s the thing that works to his advantage, too. He doesn’t understand danger; he’s so f*cking dumb. It makes him effective, but also I think it’s gonna leave me the opening so I can put this kid away. I’m big, and I hit hard. I don’t think you’re ready. I’m not an 80-year-old man you can knock the f*ck out. You f*ckng piece of sh*t.”

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Rockhold, 38, parted ways with the UFC following a Fight of the Night war against Paulo Costa last August. Rockhold requested his release from the UFC after the fight and revealed that he’s gotten offers from both PFL and Bellator.

So why BKFC? Rockhold says it was an offer he couldn’t refuse.

“It was the opponent, it was the payday – you guys would get up and fight the f*cking fight if you knew what I was getting paid,” Rockhold said. “But it’s also the opportunity. It’s a challenge, it’s something new, and it puts me right where I want to be. I’m not making a career – who knows? You never know, but I like the fight, I like the stage, I like the payday. I don’t know what’s next; we’ll see. We got a lot of things in the works right now. I’ve just got to go out there and handle business.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

Ex-UFC champ Luke Rockhold to headline BKFC 41 against Mike Perry

Luke Rockhold is set to make his Bare Knuckle FC debut against fellow UFC veteran Mike Perry.

Former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Luke Rockhold[/autotag] is set for his combat sports return, and he’ll be taking off the gloves to box against a fellow UFC veteran.

Rockhold is going to Bare Knuckle FC and will make his debut in the main event of BKFC 41 against [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag] at 185 pounds. The event takes place April 29 in Denver and airs live on BKFC.tv pay-per-view. BKFC president David Feldman officially announced the matchup Wednesday on “The MMA Hour.”

A 165-pound fight between fellow UFC veterans Eddie Alvarez and Chad Mendes will serve as the co-main event.

Rockhold, 38, exited the UFC following his appearance at UFC 278, where he came up on the wrong end of the judges’ scorecards in an all-out Fight of the Night war against Paulo Costa. Rockhold requested his release from the promotion after the bout, which was approved, therefore opening him up to other opportunities.

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Rockhold fought 11 times under the UFC banner, including capturing the middleweight title by defeating Chris Weidman at UFC 194. Now he will continue his combat sports career away from mixed martial arts.

Perry, 31, is familiar with gloveless competition. The 15-fight UFC veteran has competed twice under the BKFC banner. In 2022, Perry picked up a unanimous decision win over Julian Lane at BKFC Knucklemania 2 and a majority decision win over Michael Page at BKFC 27.

The current lineup for BKFC 41 includes:

  • Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry
  • Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes
  • Christine Ferea vs. Bec Rawlings
  • Ben Rothwell vs. opponent TBA

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.

UFC veterans Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes to fight at BKFC 41

UFC mainstays of years’ past are set to collide as Eddie Alvarez faces Chad Mendes at BKFC 41.

Former UFC lightweight champion [autotag]Eddie Alvarez[/autotag] has a new home.

On Wednesday, BKFC president David Feldman announced Alvarez’s signing and bareknuckle debut fight on “The MMA Hour.” Alvarez will face former UFC featherweight title challenger [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag] in a 165-pound bout April 29 at BKFC 41, a card that also features former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold against Mike Perry.

Alvarez, 39, “amicably” split from ONE Championship last September and entered the free agent market. Alvarez went 1-1 with one no contest in three fights since his UFC departure in 2018.

Mendes, 37, made his BKFC debut at Knucklemania 2 in February, when he finished Josiah Alvarez by fourth-round TKO. The outing was his first professional competition (aside from grappling events) since his MMA retirement in 2019.

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The current lineup for BKFC 41 includes:

  • Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry
  • Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes
  • Christine Ferea vs. Bec Rawlings
  • Ben Rothwell vs. opponent TBA

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for BKFC 41.