Rachael Ostovich – Syndication Server

David Feldman announces Triller’s majority stake acquisition of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Founder of the bareknuckle promotion announced Triller has acquired a majority of the company.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has a new majority stakeholder.

On Wednesday, the founder of the promotion,[autotag] David Feldman[/autotag], announced Triller, a social media company that has expanded into the promotion of boxing and other combat sports events, has acquired a majority stake of BKFC.

BKFC was founded in 2018, bringing sanctioned bareknuckle boxing events to the United States for the first time since the late 1800s. The popularity of the promotion has attracted many notable combat sports athletes who made their names in traditional boxing and mixed martial arts. A number of UFC veterans have tested their skills under the BKFC banner including [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], [autotag]Chad Mendes[/autotag], [autotag]Artem Lobov[/autotag], [autotag]Bec Rawlings[/autotag], [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag], [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag], and many others.

“We got to a point where we’re pretty well accepted among the combat sports community right now, and we needed to make a partnership that was going to take us to the next level,” Feldman said on The MMA Hour. “Create more opportunities, more resources, more funding, more things like that to acquire some more fighters, take care of the fighters that are already there, and just create more opportunities for everybody.”

Feldman stated the combat sport is currently legal in 14 states, with the goal of reaching 22 by the end of 2022. He continued to explain how the acquisition by Triller will not change how BKFC events are currently promoted, nor cause a change in broadcasting plans.

“Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship will remain as-is,” Feldman stated. “We will be self-sustained as far as operations continue, the fighters, everything. Nothing is really going to change in the operations of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, we’re now just going to have more assets, more resources, and more possibilities.”

Triller has hosted a number of boxing events and special rules combat sports events like Triad Combat since entering the fight game in 2020. The company promoted pay-per-view events featuring legends of boxing and MMA, creating matchups such as Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. and [autotag]Vitor Belfort[/autotag] vs. Evander Holyfield.

Triller’s first Triad Combat event, which pitted teams of MMA fighters against boxers with special rules inside a triangular boxing ring, was headlined by former UFC champion [autotag]Frank Mir[/autotag] against boxing’s Kubrat Pulev.

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‘I was almost going broke fighting in MMA’: Rachael Ostovich says BKFC far more lucrative

Rachael Ostovich reveals she’s received offers for both bare-knuckle and MMA, but her choice will depend on the numbers.

[autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag][autotag] has received offers for both bare-knuckle boxing and MMA, but her choice will depend on the numbers.

A former UFC women’s flyweight and “The Ultimate Fighter 26” cast member, Ostovich (4-6 MMA) tried her hand(s) at bare-knuckle boxing earlier this year after 10 pro MMA fights. The 30-year-old transitioned in July and defeated Paige VanZant in a five-round battle at BKFC 19.

Although she found success in her BKFC debut, Ostovich said it’s not a guarantee she’ll be back. Her next move will solely be based on which sport pays her more.

“I had some injuries after the fight, it’s definitely different from MMA,” Ostovich told MMA Junkie Radio of her BKFC win. “I’ve had some offers, but I’m kinda waiting on the negotiations between my manager and the promotions, so bare-knuckle is of interest. But it’s if the numbers match then yeah … I’m still down for MMA and there have been offers from MMA, but at this point, I’m kinda just waiting to see what makes the most money here so that’s where I’m at.”

She continued, “They both have their pros and cons, so it really is just money talks for me right now.”

Ostovich says she got paid more in bare-knuckle than she ever did in MMA, where she was barely making ends meet. That type of upside will be hard to ignore when making a final decision, she said.

“I would return to MMA, just right now BKFC is really hot right now and they pay me really good so that’s where I’ll be,” Ostovich said. “MMA is a lot and I felt like I was almost going broke fighting in MMA, so BKFC is where I’m at for right now and hopefully we can get on the same page (for a contract).”

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For Rachael Ostovich, BKFC 19 win over Paige VanZant feels ‘so sweet’

Even if it was bare-knuckle boxing and not MMA, Rachael Ostovich relished her revenge and a victory that was a long time coming.

TAMPA, Fla. – Take a look around social media, and you’ll find a lot of people surprised by [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag]’s performance in her bare-knuckle boxing debut against [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag], but not her.

“I mean, I’ve been doing this for 10 years. Maybe it wasn’t bare-knuckle, but I was confident,” Ostovich told MMA Junkie. “I was confident in myself, and I knew I was gonna come out with that W.”

And that’s exactly what Ostovich did Friday night at the Florida State Fairgrounds, defeating VanZant in a five-round war at Bare Knuckle FC 19. Ostovich, who consistently found a home for her overhand right, outpointed VanZant to win a unanimous decision by scores of 48-47, 48-47 and 49-46.

The victory avenged a January 2019 submission loss to VanZant while the two competed in the UFC. It was also Ostovich’s first win in a combat sports competition since a December 2017 submission of Karine Gevorgyan at The Ultimate Fighter 26 Finale.

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Combined with her personal life, it’s been a difficult few years for Ostovich. In 2018, she was the victim of physical abuse by her then-husband, who pleaded no contest to domestic assault and was sentenced to four years of probation in the highly publicized case. Ostovich continued on with her MMA career and fought VanZant two months later at UFC Fight Night 143. Ostovich fought for the UFC – and lost to Gina Mazany – once more before she was released in December 2020 on a three-fight losing skid.

Suffice to say, the feeling of victory after BKFC 19 was a long time coming.

“It is so sweet, so sweet,” Ostovich said. “I was just thinking that, ‘Dang, it’s been a long time.’ But, you know what, you’ve got to keep pushing and believe in yourself, be confident, trust God. He writes good stories, and this was a good story.”

She continued, “I (was) fighting Paige VanZant. Different rules, but this was basically a street fight. This is the most rawest thing ever, and I won.”

Heading into the fight, VanZant touted her one-fight experience in bare-knuckle – a loss to Britain Hart – and knowing what it feels like to be in the ring as a key difference in why she would win. Ostovich, though, proved that the experience – from the beginning of fight week all the way to the final bell – didn’t matter one bit.

“It’s pretty similar – fight week, weigh-ins, press conference, all of that. Walking out. But it was actually kind of a relief in that I could just focus on the standup,” Ostovich said. “Obviously bare-knuckle, but once it starts going, you get used to it. That adrenaline kicks in. And I get kind of crazy, too, out there.”

It showed.

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Video: BKFC 19 Post-fight press conference

Watch the BKFC 19 post-fight press conference live from the Floirda State Fairgrounds in Tampa.

BKFC 19, which took place at the Florida State Fairgrounds, was headlined by a women’s flyweight bout between former UFC fighters [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] and [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag].

Watch the live BKFC 19 post-fight press conference above.

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BKFC 19 results: Rachael Ostovich avenges loss to Paige VanZant, wins decision in a five-round war

Rachael Ostovich avenges loss to Paige VanZant, outpoints her in a five-round war at BKFC 19.

TAMPA, Fla. – [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag] avenged her loss to [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] in emphatic fashion.

Ostovich defeated VanZant in the main event of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 19, which took place at the Florida State Fairgrounds on Friday night. Ostovich outpointed VanZant in a unanimous decision, winning with scores of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 on the judges’ cards.

It’s was a rematch that stemmed from a January 2019 MMA bout when the two fighters met at UFC Fight Night 143. VanZant won the contest, submitting Ostovich with a second-round armbar.

The first two rounds were very competitive as both fighters were figuring out their timing and styles.

Ostovich landed big on VanZant, but the former “Dancing with the Stars” participant made sure to answer with solid shots of her own. They engaged in wild exchanges and clinched often with both fighters landing clean shots from the clinch. It was a high-paced contest.

In the third round, Ostovich clearly got ahead. She was constantly connecting her over-hand right while moving away from VanZant’s shots. VanZant was unable to find the target and Ostovich was constantly tagging her.

@paigevanzant and @rachaelostovich Toe The Line #BKFC19 pic.twitter.com/fV2ec02Wh4

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) July 24, 2021

The fourth and the fifth Ostovich kept the momentum. VanZant rallied back at times, but Ostovich was clearly ahead – even stunning VanZant at multiple times during the final four minutes.

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VanZant made her bare-knuckle debut in February, losing a decision to Britain Hart. She’s now 0-2 since leaving the UFC and switching to BKFC.

Meanwhile, this bout marked Ostovich’s first fight since leaving the UFC in late 2020. She’s picked up her first win in combat sports since December 2017.

Below are the full BKFC 19 results:

Rachael Ostovich def. Paige VanZant via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 49-46)
Arnold Adams def. Mick Terrill via knockout – Round 2, 0:38
Britain Hart def. Jenny Savage via TKO – Round 3, 1:55
Taylor Starling def. Cassie Robb via TKO – Round 1, 0:28
Geane Herrera def. Abdiel Velazquez via TKO – Round 2, 0:14
Blue Face def. Kane Trujilo via unanimous decision
Nick Ireland def. DK Money via majority decision
Evil Hero def. Dakota Olave via unanimous decision
Terry Janoski def. Richard Carsten via TKO – Round 1, 1:55
Antonio Soto def. Joshua Sikes via unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 48-47)
Jared Warren def. Zion Tomlinson via knockout – Round 1, 1:14
Jay Jackson def. Damon Bell via knockout – Round 3, 1:58
Chris Jensen def. Kyle McElroy via TKO – Round 1, 1:27
Jordan Nash def. Brandon Allen via unanimous decision (48-47, 48-47, 48-47)

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BKFC 19: VanZant vs. Ostovich live and official results

Follow along for live results of BKFC 19, which features Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich in the main event.

TAMPA, Fla. – MMA Junkie is on the scene for Bare Knuckle FC 19, and you can following along right here for live results of the action beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

BKFC 19, which takes place at the Florida State Fairgrounds, is headlined by a women’s flyweight bout between former UFC fighters [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] and [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag]. It’s a rematch of their MMA fight at UFC Fight Night 143, which VanZant won by second-round armbar submission. This time, though, the gloves are off, and it’s all about punches.

Up-to-the-minute BKFC 19 results include:

Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich
Britain Hart vs. Jenny Savage
Arnold Adams vs. Mick Terrill
Jared Warren vs. Zion Tomlinson
Taylor Starling vs. Cassie Robb
Geanne Herrera vs. Abdiel Velasquez
Brandon Allen vs. Jordan Nash
Sky Moiseichik vs. Jorge Gonzalez
Joshua Sikes vs. Antonio Soto
Jay Jackson vs. Damon Bell
Chris Jensen vs. Kyle McElroy

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Paige VanZant: Unlike Rachael Ostovich, ‘I know exactly what it’s gonna feel like fight night’

Having already competed once in bare-knuckle boxing, Paige VanZant thinks that’ll make all the difference vs. Rachael Ostovich.

TAMPA, Fla. – Having already competed once in bare-knuckle boxing, [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] thinks she’ll be a lot more acquainted than [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag].

VanZant meets Ostovich in the main event of Bare Knuckle FC 19 on Friday, a rematch of their January 2019 MMA bout that VanZant won by armbar submission. Although her BKFC debut didn’t go according to plan, VanZant says she now knows what to expect going into the fight, as opposed to Ostovich, who will be making her bare-knuckle boxing debut.

“I know that going into this fight there isn’t that question for me like what is it gonna feel like,” VanZant told MMA Junkie. “Am I gonna break my hands? Am I gonna cut open right away? There’s those questions of kinda like what’s it gonna feel like, one, emotionally, and two, physically. Now I don’t have those questions.

“I know exactly what it’s gonna feel like fight night. I know what I’m gonna go through, and I’m gonna know the whole plan the entire night. Whereas those are questions she might have, just wondering how this is all gonna go down in your first fight ever. It’s trying something brand new for their first time. It’s always a little scary.”

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After losing to Britain Hart in her promotional debut, VanZant made a lot of changes. She started working with renowned boxing trainer Pedro Diaz to sharpen her hands and is riding plenty of confidence heading into fight night.

“I took a lot of lessons from that,” VanZant said. “You really need experience in bare-knuckle boxing to be successful. Now that I have the experience, I have one fight under my belt, I continue to grow with this sport, with the division and with the organization. It’s unfortunate for Rachael. I feel like I made the moves after that last fight. I took a lot of lessons from it. I switched to Mundo Boxing with Pedro Diaz. I got one of the best boxing coaches in the world in my corner, and I haven’t stopped working since that fight. This is definitely a brand new fighter that you’re gonna see.”

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Now in a better place, Rachael Ostovich eager to avenge Paige VanZant loss at BKFC 19

With injuries and domestic violence behind her, Rachael Ostovich eager to avenge loss to Paige VanZant at BKFC 19.

TAMPA, Fla. – [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag] is taking on a familiar opponent, but everything else surrounding her upcoming bout is different.

The former UFC fighter headlines Friday’s Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 19 against Paige VanZant. It’s her first fight since leaving the UFC and her debut in bareknuckle boxing.

Ostovich had previously competed against VanZant in 2019 back when both fighters were competing in MMA and were signed to the UFC. VanZant defeated Ostovich via second-round armbar at UFC Fight Night 143.

But that first meeting had many tribulations for Ostovich. She entered the bout injured and was also dealing with a domestic violence case after she was assaulted by her then-husband just two months prior.

The circumstances surrounding the fight almost caused Ostovich to withdraw from the bout with VanZant, as she sustained a fractured orbital bone from the incident on top of the emotional distress.

Now that she’s in a much better place in her life, Ostovich is glad she gets to run back a fight with VanZant, who’s one of the most recognized names in women’s MMA.

“It’s been two and a half years since I fought Paige and I went through all of those crazy things, but as of right now I’m in such a much better place physically, emotionally, and spiritually, so I just want to keep it going that way,” Ostovich told MMA Junkie.

“The last time my training camp was horrible. I had a broken orbital (bone), I had a messed up shoulder – I was just messed up, period. But this time around I’m 100 percent. This training camp has been great. I’ve just been focusing on stand-up and that technique, so I’ve just been focusing on one martial art. Yeah, it’s been good.”

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Ostovich knows she’s fighting in a different sport and a different promotion, but competitively she does see the fight against VanZant as a rematch, which is one of the main reasons why she switched from MMA to bare-knuckle boxing.

“After the UFC, I got a lot of different offers but this one was very appealing,” Ostovich said. “They told me Paige VanZant, and yes, I want to get that one back. I know it’s a different sport, but running it back in a better environment and I’m not injured. I can’t wait.”

https://youtu.be/Eyrh12Nel8o

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BKFC 19 video: Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich weigh-ins and final faceoff

Watch Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich weigh-in and faceoff ahead of their main event at BKFC 19.

TAMPA, Fla. – [autotag]Paige VanZant[/autotag] and [autotag]Rachael Ostovich[/autotag] had their final fight week faceoff following BKFC 19 weigh-ins on Thursday.

Ahed of their bare-knuckle boxing main event clash, VanZant came in at 129.8 pounds, while Ostovich came in at 129.9.

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It’s a rematch that stems from their January 2019 MMA bout when VanZant won by first-round armbar at UFC Fight Night 143. This time, it will be an all-out standup battle as the recently signed Ostovich makes her bareknuckle debut.

Check out the ceremonial weigh-in and full faceoff for the BKFC 19 main event in the video above.

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