MMA News

Author: Dylan Bowker

  • Chael Sonnen Weighs In on Having His Record Broken by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319

    Chael Sonnen Weighs In on Having His Record Broken by Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319

    Khamzat Chimaev had a historic night of dominance at UFC 319 and broke a record that was long held by Chael Sonnen and the latter has weighed in on that. In the process of unwresting the middleweight crown from Dricus du Plessis, Chimaev connected on over five hundred strikes against the South African combatant when they threw down in the Chicago main event.

    This snapped a record that was long held by Chael Sonnen who connected on over three hundred strikes during his own middleweight title bid that took place against Anderson Silva years ago. Taking to his personal YouTube channel to touch on this accomplishment from ‘Borz’ and the massive output of Chimaev on Saturday night, Sonnen said,

    “There was 537 strikes landed by Chimaev. Let me put that in perspective because I used to have the record. I had the record, and I crushed the record to win it, and I hit 311. 311 was the record. I know that for sure because I had it. He had 527 against 49 strikes. So it was 10-to-1, Chimaev. When you see something that incredibly dominant, and there was all sorts of judges throwing up 10-8 rounds tonight, I mean, this was one of the most lopsided victories in history for a world championship.”

    Khamzat Chimaev wants a quick turn around for his next fight

    Khamzat Chimaev does not exactly seem like the type to smell the roses as he has already indicated when he wants his next fight inside the cage. It makes sense in the context of Chimaev having inactivity issues over the years that were informed by travel related issues as well as bouts of illness.

    The specific card that Khamzat Chimaev is looking to compete on is in Abu Dhabi with the 31-year-old eyeballing UFC 321 on October 25th. This card also features Tom Aspinall defending his heavyweight crown against Ciryl Gane and when Dana White was asked about of Chimaev could be booked for his first title defense on that card, the promotional figurehead did not shut down the idea outright.

  • “It Wasn’t There” Khamzat Chimaev’s Huge Win at UFC 319 Disappointed UFC Contender in One Aspect

    Khamzat Chimaev had a history making performance against Dricus du Plessis but there was a certain aspect of the fight that seemed to be lacking a bit according to a former UFC title challenger.

    During an appearance on Submission Radio, Hardy touched upon the pay-per-view main event in Chicago from over the weekend and largely indicated how impressed he was by this changing of the guard performance in the UFC’s 185 pound ranks.

    The former UFC welterweight title challenger did seem to perceive that there was a bit of an uncharacteristic aspect to the 31-year-old phenom’s in-cage effort on Saturday as compared to some of Chimaev’s prior fights. In expressing what he saw take place in the du Plessis vs. Chimaev headliner at UFC 319, Dan Hardy said,

    “He [Chimaev] was kind of tenderizing him and, you know, controlling him. It was impressive from a control perspective, don’t get me wrong. But, of course, you know, the main event of a pay-per-view, you kind of want to see a bit more intention to finish. That’s what I would like to have seen.”

    “That’s what Khamzat’s been all about. That’s why people have been so excited about him because of how, you know, overly aggressive he is, like, violent. It’s scary to watch sometimes. That was just kind of, I don’t know, it seemed a bit of a safer performance. Maybe out of respect for Dricus and his strength and explosiveness and scrambling ability.”

    Khamzat Chimaev’s performance assessed by surging middleweight contender who was cageside in Chicago

    While some prospective title challengers might go a little quiet in the wake of such a dominant win by Khamzat Chimaev, someone who was cageside for the UFC 319 bout against Dricus du Plessis seems confident in navigating a path to victory against the newly minted champion. ‘Borz’ is looking to get back in the cage again at UFC 321 on October 25th in Abu Dhabi and a ranked middleweight who recently notched his own statement win is already envisioning how a Khamzat Chimaev fight plays out down the line.

    Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez secured his eighth win in a row in what was a pressure heavy, dominant performance against Roman Dolidze when he notched a fourth round submission. During an interview with ESPNDeportes touching on what he saw while sitting front row cageside at UFC 319 and what he sees transpiring going forward, Anthony Hernandez said [via Bloody Elbow],

    “Congratulations to him, it was a pretty f***ing boring fight, not gonna lie, but man call me for the fight, I can wrestle, I can do jiu-jitsu, I can stop all the s**t and I can shut him down and with my gas tank man, I’ll drown him, I promise.”

  • Why is Dricus du Plessis Underdog Against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319? UFC Veteran Argues

    Why is Dricus du Plessis Underdog Against Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319? UFC Veteran Argues

    Dricus du Plessis is a betting underdog this weekend as he steps into the cage against Khamzat Chimaev. DDP being seen as an underdog at UFC 319 as he enters the cage in Chicago on August 16th to defend his middleweight crown has drawn the attention of many, including a former multi-time UFC middleweight title challenger.

    Chael Sonnen recently took the time to discuss the oddsmakers perceptions of Saturday night’s main event with a localized focus on DDP’s career but also on a more macro view of the sport. While discussing instances where du Plessis has been an underdog before only to shock the broader MMA world and also observing how the public has historically looked at certain stylistic matchups, Sonnen said,

    “I think you just found out how good Dricus is. I think that’s what happened here. And I accuse you of that because I feel it, too. But I can’t identify it for you. I can’t verbalize it for you. Dricus fought Izzy and he showed a couple of things ever so slight. To get Izzy tired is hard to do and Dricus did. There’s nothing more intimidating than a guy that can weaponize pace, and we saw that he did it and he struck with Izzy, so all of a sudden you got to check off that box.”

    Dricus du Plessis’ stand up and Khamzat Chimaev’s grappling

    When touching on how public perception on upcoming fights has largely leaned toward particular approaches over other stylistic frameworks in the context of the Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev betting line, Sonnen continued,

    “Never in history, and I’m going back to 1993, has DraftKings favored the striker over the grappler. Not a literal statement, but close enough. So Dricus showed you what a great and well-conditioned striker he is. When has that ever made you change your bet when you’re taking on one of the great grapplers ever? Go all the way back to ’93. Go all the way back to Royce and Severn. Go to Shamrock and tell me what you were so impressed with those guys.“

  • BKB Champs “Better Get to Work” With “Very Powerful Puncher” Alberto Blas Debuting, Says BKB 44 Fighter

    BKB Champs “Better Get to Work” With “Very Powerful Puncher” Alberto Blas Debuting, Says BKB 44 Fighter

    BKB 44: Denver Brawl V is a stacked event for bare knuckle boxing enthusiasts with the promotional debut of Alberto Blas standing out on the card’s bout sheet. Tommy Turner is a multi-time title challenger within BKB and faces Michael Santos at BKB 44 on Saturday, August 16th.

    Turner appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to discuss not just his own intriguing fight but the looming organization entry point for the undefeated bare knuckle standout, Blas.

    When touching on one of the more intriguing debuts we’ve seen in BKB recently with Alberto Blas coming over and signing with the company, leaving as BKFC’s reigning bantamweight champion to where they’ve since vacated that belt, Turner said,

    “Yeah, I’ve seen a little bit of [Alberto] Blas and he’s a very impressive fighter. It seems like he’s, for that weight, he’s a very powerful puncher. He knows how to land it, set it up and land those shots. So, I think whoever, I don’t know who the champion is at that weight, but whoever it is, they better get to work because I think he’s definitely, probably coming for it.”

    Alberto Blas potential path toward gold in the BKB Mighty Trigon

    In the weight category that Alberto Blas will ply his trade in, the champion is Julio Tanori and the interim lightweight champion is Jarod Grant.

    When discussing the notion of Blas potentially fighting the victor of that Tanori vs. Grant clash and how that would be an interesting fight, Tommy Turner stated,

    “Oh, yeah, absolutely. So Julio [Tanori], that’s one of the toughest dudes on the roster. Him and [Mark] Irwin, I mean that fight between them just kind of blew my mind, really. Then [Jarod] Grant, that’s a bad dude as well. So I think a fight between any [of] those three guys, that could be fight of the year. You know what I mean? So I look forward to seeing one of those fights, for sure.”

  • BKB 44 will “be a rough night for” Michael Santos, per Tommy Turner

    BKB 44 will “be a rough night for” Michael Santos, per Tommy Turner

    Tommy Turner will collide with replacement opponent Michael Santos at BKB 44: Denver Brawl V on August 16th. Turner appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to touch on initially being lined up to face former BKB light heavyweight champ Gregoris Cisneros on this card before international travel complications scrapped that plan.

    When discussing the adaptability shown with taking on Santos now and doing so in a higher weight class to boot, Turner said,

    “Yeah. So, you know, I started this camp at 226. I’ve had plenty of time, right, to get down because I took a long break after my last fight, which was LT [Nelson]. I needed to sit around and think and and figure out the next step. So, it’s been what, 14 months since my last fight, roughly. Yeah it’s just, it’s good to be back. But we started the cut.”

    “It was supposed to be 168 and then we got news about Gregoris and I was at about 185 at that point in time. They gave me somebody else and the guy turned it down. I don’t even remember the name. Then they said Santos will take it. It’s at cruiserweight. So, we agreed on it and I’ve been able to put on a little bit more weight. Keep my weight a little higher and eat a full meal. So, that’s been nice.”

    BKB 44 bout prediction from Tommy Turner

    When providing his thoughts on Michael Santos’ skills and spotless bare-knuckle record so far ahead of their foray into the BKB Mighty Trigon, Turner stated,

    “I’ve just seen him with Art [Parker] and he seems like a powerful, a very powerful brawler. A very tough guy and he’s a veteran. So, I know he’s put in his work and I respect anyone that served our country, right? So, I mean I’m a fifth generation Army brat myself. So, I’ve got nothing but respect for veterans.”

    “I know I think he was a Marine, but either way, respect to him. I think it’ll be a great fight. But I just think, I’m taller. I feel way stronger at this weight. I was knocking everyone out at 160 that I beat. So, we’re going to have more power. I still have the speed and I think it’ll be a rough night for him.”

  • Big Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman Title Bout Booked

    Big Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman Title Bout Booked

    Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman is lined up for Autumn with the former looking to continue building up a nice resume while the latter aims to become a two division champion. Two officials close to this bout imparted this information to Boxing Scene that a verbal agreement was in place for the prizefight.

    October 25th, per a Ring Magazine report, in Las Vegas is where this WBC junior middleweight title bout will take place. Fundora will enter the ring as the defending titleholder while former unified welterweight champion Thurman looks to add some more hardware to his mantle.

    ‘One Time’ actually played a role in ‘The Towering Inferno’ becoming a champion when an injured Thurman withdrew from a March 2024 championship bout which created a last minute opportunity that Fundora capitalized on. Fundora filled the vacany left by Thurman and would go on to claim the WBC and WBO straps. He did this by besting Tim Tszyu in what was a barnburner, bloody bout.

    The specific injury that Thurman sustained was a torn biceps and since then, Fundora has gone on to secure a second victory over Tszyu. But this time, Fundora finished the Australian standout inside the distance this time. Fundora would drop Tszyu in the opening frame of the fight and eventually ended the sequel with a seventh round TKO on July 19th when the latter quit on his stool.

    Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman details continued

    Sebastian Fundora vs. Keith Thurman is a curious fight for the reasons mentioned above but the former has been noticably more active than the latter. WBC’s number eight ranked contender relatively recently came back after three years of inactivity when Thurman secured a third round finish over Brock Jarvis in Sydney.

    Prior to that, Thurman had bested present day-WBC titleholder Mario Barrios years back. The only blemish on Thurman’s professional ledger came in a clash with boxing’s only eight division champion Manny Pacquiao in 2019.

    This will be Sebastian Fundora‘s third fight of the calendar year as prior to the finish of Tszyu in their rematch, the WBC champ secured a fourth round TKO over Chordale Booker in March.

  • PFL 2025 Finalist on PFL vs. ONE Idea: “I’ll be the lineal champ across the board”

    PFL 2025 Finalist on PFL vs. ONE Idea: “I’ll be the lineal champ across the board”

    Justin Wetzell is squarely focused on capturing PFL gold this week but also has a peripheral focus on other PFL belts as well as some ONE Championship titleholders to boot.

    Justin Wetzell clashes with Marcirley Alves for the PFL bantamweight tournament title in the promotion’s 2025 World Tournament on August 15th. Wetzell was a recent guest on Bowks Talking Bouts and touched upon his thoughts on the global expansion efforts from the Professional Fighters League. When discussing his thoughts on the PFL’s global expansion efforts with their Europe, Africa and MENA circuits in the context of if this feels like an exciting time to be a contracted combatant with the Professional Fighters League, Justin Wetzell said,

    “Yeah, it’s super cool how they’re expanding and they have different leagues, man. Once I win this belt, I want to fight the champions of the other leagues to show that I’m the best bantamweight in PFL, period.”

    How Wetzell feels about a potential PFL vs. ONE champs against champs card

    It was then referenced some of the recent comments made by the Professional Fighters League’s Donn Davis toward ONE Championship‘s Chatri Sityodtong regarding an idea for a champions versus champions event. When asked what thought on an idea like that becoming a reality someday, Justin Wetzell stated,

    “Yeah, that’d be sick, man. I’ll be the lineal champ across the board. I mean, I believe in my heart I can beat Merab [Dvalishvili], bro. I can beat anyone.”

    When touching on some interesting variables of a possible Professional Fighters League vs. ONE Championship event and things like what ruleset would be utilized for those fights but addressing that it is an exciting concept all the same, Justin Wetzell quipped,

    “Yeah, I like the the collab fights or the co-promotion fights. Those are sick.”

  • BKB 45 Return of Paulie Malignaggi To Bare Knuckle Gets Postponed

    BKB 45 Return of Paulie Malignaggi To Bare Knuckle Gets Postponed

    Paulie Malignaggi will still be making his return to the world of bare knuckle boxing, it will just come a few weeks later than first expected. The BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing commentator has a focus on stepping into the Mighty Trigon to compete with former BKFC title challenger Tyler Goodjohn who will be standing across from Malignaggi as his return opponent.

    The initial scheduling of the contest was positioned on September 6th in Bristol, UK but BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing’s Hall of Fame matchmaker Mel Valenzuela has announced that the BKB 45 main event will no longer be Malignaggi vs. Goodjohn.

    Malignaggi sustained a sprained thumb during his preparations for his return to the world of gloveless combat with the IBF junior welterweight and WBA welterweight champion posting a video address to touch upon the highly anticipated bare knuckle boxing bout being moved to later on in the Fall.

    Paulie Malignaggi vs. Tyler Goodjohn, date and location for rescheduled bout

    Paulie Malignaggi is a decorated gloved boxer who did previously fought under the BKFC banner and it will be interesting to see how he approaches his sophomore bare knuckle fight over six years after his debut effort. Malignaggi initially fought Artem Lobov at BKFC 6 in the Summer of 2019 and lost to ‘The Russian Hammer’ on points in what was a massive fight for the promotion during the nascent stages of their growth.

    Conversely, Tyler Goodjohn is a former BKB champion who wrested the strap from bare knuckle legend Sean George. After a BKFC stint that saw him vie for Luis Palomino’s lightweight belt at BKFC 18, ‘El Tornado’ returned to fighting under his prior promotional banner when he earned a win on points over Joseph Smith at BKB 40 in April.

    The Cambridgeshire-based fighter will still get to throw down in front of a partisan crowd though as the bout rescheduling will still Goodjohn get to compete in front of the fervent fight fans in the United Kingdom. The rescheduling also won’t be hugely separated from the initially scheduled date as Malignaggi vs. Goodjohn will now transpire on October 18th at BKB 47 in Leeds at Ice Palace.

  • Jorge Masvidal Priced Himself Out of Big Darren Till Rematch at MFB 22, Says Former UFC Star

    Jorge Masvidal Priced Himself Out of Big Darren Till Rematch at MFB 22, Says Former UFC Star

    Darren Till is preparing for a boxing bout against Luke Rockhold later on this month but it seems like some discussion was had about his initial opponent being his former UFC rival, Jorge Masvidal. When Till and Masvidal threw down in March 2019, ‘Gamebred’ secured a memorable knockout in the second stanza which catapulted the latter to great successes throughout that particular year.

    Per the UK combatant, there was apparently a level of dialogue had with Masvidal about having a rematch under Queensberry Rules but per Till, the money just didn’t seem to line up for Misfits Boxing and the former multi-time UFC welterweight title challenger coming over.

    During an interview with Compare.bet where he touched on the fact that there was some discourse about Masvidal being the initial opponent for MFB 22 instead of Rockhold, Till said,

    “I like Jorge Masvidal. I think we just both love a f**king tear-up. He got me last time, but I think he knows what time it is with me. I don’t mind Masvidal, I like him, I’ve got time for him. Can’t say a bad word.”

    “I think a good amount of money was offered [to Masvidal to fight me instead of Rockhold] but he thought he was worth more. Whether he is or isn’t – he’s not in the UFC anymore – that’s up for debate and argument, but we’re not going to stand around arguing. We’ve got Luke now. If Masvidal comes after Luke once I’ve beat him, then yeah. If not, I’ll just have to swallow that one that he beat me.”

    Darren Till on “head in the sky” Luke Rockhold: “I want to knock him flat out”

    Darren Till and Luke Rockhold will battle for the MFB bridgerweight title at Misfits Boxing 22 on August 30th. Also all that card in Manchester will be Tony Ferguson doing battle with Salt Papi for the MFB interim middleweight strap.

    Till has put together three wins in the sweet science since leaving the UFC, with back to back wins under the Misfits Boxing banner specifically as he dispatched Anthony Taylor and Darren Stewart. since Rockhold’s UFC departure, he has been all over the place with competitive forays under the BKFC, Karate Combat, and Craig Jones Invitational banners.

    In the same interview referenced above while discussing this boxing bout with the former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, Darren Till stated,

    “There’s a little bit of fire in my belly because I know the way he walks around with his head in the sky. I want to knock him flat out; I’ve got a fire to knock him clean out . I’m f—ing buzzing. I’m gonna do a demolition job on him. I’m 100% certain that in this fight I’m going to knock him out in the first round. I’m 100% confident about that.”

  • Georges St-Pierre: Big, New $7B-Plus UFC-Paramount Deal “Terrible for the Fighters”

    Georges St-Pierre: Big, New $7B-Plus UFC-Paramount Deal “Terrible for the Fighters”

    UFC has just announced a new massive rights deal with Paramount but the promotion’s decision to phase out pay-per-views when we enter 2026 has Georges St-Pierre concerned for the future well being of fighters and their financial situation. The rights agreement was announced on Monday with Paramount that netted the MMA leader a whopping $7.7 billion dollars over the course of the seven year deal.

    Paramount+ or CBS will now carry numbered events for the UFC but Georges St-Pierre does not seem convinced this idea will be beneficial to the in-cage competitors contracted to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Negotiating a cut of the capital accrued by pay-per-view events used to be a major piece of the negotiating equation for combatants with GSP likely cashing sizable cheques from the PPV points that the massive shows he was featured on would have garnered.

    This subject was discussed during an interview with Covers when St-Pierre said,

    “It could be good for the UFC, as a promoter, but terrible for the fighters because when I was competing I was able to have a great argument to negotiate on my contract. I could tell the UFC, ‘Hey, if you want me to do all the promotion, I want to become a partner. I want a piece of the pie to negotiate a part of the pay-per-view revenue.”

    “Because if I’m doing all the promotion, I’m helping you, but you need to help me. You need to make me a partner.’ So it might be a bad thing for the fighters in a way that they have less leverage. “That’s what I think. I think it’s going to take off some leverage for the big names to have an argument to negotiate more money.”

    UFC PPV points and Georges St-Pierre’s legacy as a star

    While the UFC PPV points were not historically widely available to the public as far as specific amounts fighters would receive, it provided a lane for standout athletes to at least earn a bit more in a spot that is notorious for having such low revenue share among the athletes. GSP’s last outing took place in November 2017 when he finished Michael Bisping to become the UFC middleweight champion at UFC 217 and has been in some of the biggest blockbuster bouts in the history of mixed martial arts.

    Georges St-Pierre’s involvement with UFC 100 made it an all time iconic show for the company with Brock Lesnar engaging in a rematch with Frank Mir in the headliner but GSP also did huge nights of business with Nick Diaz at UFC 158, BJ Penn in a rematch at UFC 94, Jake Shields at UFC 129, and a sequel clash with Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 to name but a few.

  • How Controversial Figure CM Punk Earned the Respect of a BKFC Edmonton Victor

    How Controversial Figure CM Punk Earned the Respect of a BKFC Edmonton Victor

    CM Punk is a well known WWE star who also does broadcasting work for CFFC with a multi-fight BKFC competitor recently recalling his interaction with the former AEW and WWE champion after fighting on a past card for the New Jersey-based MMA promotion. Adam De Freitas has a history at the 2300 Arena even prior to his March fight in Philly for BKFC with a previous foray into the CFFC cage under his belt at the old ECW Arena.

    De Frietas touched on this subject while he appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker before eventually securing his first ever bare knuckle win with a first round knockout of Skyler Mauller at BKFC Edmonton on August 9th. When asked if there were interactions that were had with CM Punk while both did their thing for CFFC on that event from a few years ago, De Freitas said,

    “Actually yeah. So I’m trying to remember the name of the guy I fought. He was really good. We had a great fight. I thought I won. It was a split decision for him. He took me down a lot, but he did nothing on the ground. I lit him up, dropped him twice, almost had a submission. Even on the ground, I was hitting him with elbows.”

    “But I have to respect the fact that if he’s on top, even if he’s doing nothing, if he’s on top, in a lot of judges eyes, he’s winning, right? But I lost a split in Philly, which you know, you lose a split to the hometown guy, you can kind of walk away thinking you won that fight. But I went backstage. CM Punk did come up. He did say he thought I won. We probably have about a 5 minute conversation.”

    “I doubt he even remembers it because it was probably 5-6 years ago. But yeah, he honestly he seemed pretty cool. He didn’t act like this giant character or anything like that. He came up and told me, “Yeah, [I] thought [you] won that fight.” and it was kind of just like shooting the s**t with one of the gym bros. He was pretty laidback and seemed like a pretty humble guy. I don’t watch too much wrestling and I don’t know him from his character, but I seem to be a fan, man. I didn’t mind the guy, seemed pretty cool.”

    The Adam De Freitas-CM Punk Interaction at CFFC: “He didn’t have to do that”

    When recalling more of his CM Punk meeting that happened when fighting in CFFC, in a bout that saw the Canadian combatant lose to Ryan Rizco via split decision, De Freitas stated,

    “Yeah, I think he [Rizco] was same team as Eddie Alvarez. Decent boxing, but I was a way better boxer, but it was the wrestling. He kept taking me down and I made the mistake of thinking because I’m throwing up submissions and hitting him with elbows off my back that I didn’t have to stand up. So again another loss and I still think I won but I got to own it, man.”

    “I didn’t try to stand back up, so I lost a split decision to him. But yeah, I met CM Punk backstage he was like yes, a super cool guy you know. Came up and showed respect to the fighters backstage after. He didn’t have to do that, right, so I respect that.”

  • Khamzat Chimaev is looking to Make History at UFC 319 – Former UFC Champ Weighs-In

    Khamzat Chimaev is looking to Make History at UFC 319 – Former UFC Champ Weighs-In

    Khamzat Chimaev could make history for the Russian republic he comes from and a former UFC middleweight champion could see ‘Borz’ being a consistent competitor with defending his crown should he capture it. Chimaev will have that chance later this week on August 16th when he clashes with reigning 185 pound titleholder Dricus du Plessis at UFC 319 in Chicago.

    A member of the UFC’s middleweight title lineage weighed in on this looming matchup when Michael Bisping spoke about Saturday’s pay-per-view headliner via his personal YouTube channel. When touching upon the hype train that the title challenger has been riding leading into this weekend and what could potentially transpire thereafter, Bisping said,

    “It’s all well and good having a ton of potential. But if you don’t realize that potential, then none of it really matters. You come here, you have a few good wins, you dominate some people, you go viral for a few finishes, you pick up Li Jingliang and you have a conversation with Dana White, you just smoke all these people, but you don’t become the champion.”

    “Then you’re just going to be forgotten about in years to come. Khamzat Chimaev wants to be a champion. He wants to be the first Chechen champion, and he wants to defend the belt, and he wants to be active.”

    Khamzat Chimaev has his eyes on becoming a three division UFC champion

    Khamzat Chimaev is pursuant of the middleweight crown later on this week but it’s not the only weight category that he has designs of conquering in the octagon. The undefeated mixed martial artist began his UFC tenure as a welterweight and seems to have designs to one day return to that weight class with a peripheral focus on one day becoming a champion at 205 pounds.

    Addressing his future championship aspirations during an ESPN interview, Chimaev stated [via Sherdog],

    “I work with a new coach. I talk to him about going down again, back to my first fights at 170. He said if they give me a couple months, we’re gonna make it. This Australian guy [welterweight champ Jack Della Maddalena] would be a good fight for me. I go down, fight with him and could take the belt there.”

    “If I go up, and there is [Magomed] Ankalaev and Alex Pereira — they are fighting now. I can fight for that belt as well.”

  • BKFC Edmonton Victor on Lightweight Title Tournament: “Putting 2 Divisions on Hold”

    BKFC Edmonton Victor on Lightweight Title Tournament: “Putting 2 Divisions on Hold”

    BKFC has four hungry fighters ready to vie for the vacant lightweight title in a looming tournament and a fighter outside of that immediate field has some thoughts on matters. Hasan Al-Ghanim is now 4-0 inside of the BKFC ring after his victory over the weekend at BKFC Edmonton and he aims to go 5-0 before 2025 closes out. A lightweight title shot is an express goal for the surging Wolfhouse product someday and Al-Ghanim appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of his Zach Pannell fight recently in Enoch at the River Cree.

    Addressing the announcement of the four-man lightweight tournament for the vacated 155 pound championship after they had stripped Franco Tanaglia of the belt, Hasan Al-Ghanim said,

    “Honestly, I thought it was a good idea. Obviously they stripped him [Franco Tenaglia]. Ben Bonner fought for the interim [title] with, who was it? Was it [Tony] Soto?… Yeah, they fought for the interim [title]. It’s fine. The tournament is a good idea, but I think they should have opened it up from four-man to maybe an eight-man tournament.”

    “You know, there’s a lot of people who deserve their respect within the division. One of them being like HD [Howard Davis]. You know, he went five rounds with what’s his name? I forgot his name, f**k… He went five rounds with [Luis] Palomino, right?… He [Howard Davis] lost that fight because of a decision. But I feel like a person like him should have been thrown in there, you know, thrown in that mix.”

    “Then make it a six-man tournament, make it an eight-man tournament, and have potential up and comers like myself join in as well. Just to see if we can keep up, if we are part of the part of the top, you know what I mean? But to me, having the same four guys, one guy coming from ’65, one guy coming from ’45, and both champions coming in, you know, it defeats the purpose.”

    “You know, we’re putting the division on hold. We’re putting two divisions on hold. Obviously Austin Trout vacated his, but we have Kai [Stewart] still the champion of 145. He’s just holding up the division there. You know what I mean? I think they should have made it an eight-man tournament, but hey, I’m not in the seats, you know?”

    BKFC Lightweight Championship scene and where Al-Ghanim fits in

    With big name former as well as current champions in BKFC like Franco Tenaglia, Austin Trout, Luis Palomino, and interim champ Ben Bonner vying to become undisputed champion, it’s all about staying the course for ‘Hungry’.

    As the Iraqi-born combatant fighting out of Alberta was discussing his own route to his crack at the crown down the line while observing the tournament from the outside looking in following his dominant BKFC Edmonton win, Al-Ghanim stated,

    “Yeah, it’s a weird situation, but hey, you know, they decided a four man tournament. The rest of us just got to work our way up until we get a contender shot or a title shot or something like that.”

  • Roman Dolidze Will Be Hunting for Limbs against ‘Fluffy’ Anthony Hernandez – Legs or Arms “Anything I want to take from him”

    Roman Dolidze Will Be Hunting for Limbs against ‘Fluffy’ Anthony Hernandez – Legs or Arms “Anything I want to take from him”

    Roman Dolidze will be looking to collect any appendage that is available to him when he enters the cage this weekend in a battle of ranked middleweight contenders. During an interview with Mike Bohn of MMA Junkie, Dolidze covered multiple topics leading into his clash with Anthony ‘Fluffy’ Hernandez at UFC on ESPN 72 in the headlining bout for this Saturday’s card.

    Dolidze versus Hernandez will see a battle between the number nine ranked and number ten ranked middleweight contenders, respectively, in a clash that will meaningfully inform the divisional hierarchy for the coming months.

    With this being Dolidze’s third main event outing in the promotion, it seems like he is becoming more and more accustomed to five round fights as he continues to build himself up toward receiving a middleweight title shot someday. When touching upon his opponent Hernandez’s second last outing against Michel Pereira last October that saw him notch some massive ground and pound numbers and after being asked if that effort impressed the Georgia native, Dolidze said,

    “If you compare Michel’s grappling and my grappling, it’s different. I will not give him easy work on the ground and I will not just lay down there. I will attack submissions, I will attack legs—anything I want to take from him.”

    Roman Dolidze is set to be cornered by a dominant UFC champion here

    Roman Dolidze will have an elite level presence in his corner for UFC Vegas 109 with this individual carving out a path that has seen many refer to that fighter in question as the GOAT in his given weight category. That combatant being referenced is UFC bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili who has maintained a long held friendship with his fellow Georgian mixed martial artist.

    The 37-year-old revealed this information during an interview with Fighters Only and put it out there to the MMA world that Dvalishvili will be making the walk with him at the UFC Apex this weekend. ‘The Caucasian’ has also touted fellow Georgian MMA standout Ilia Topuria as a friend and perhaps the UFC lightweight champion could also end up cornering Dolidze for a future fight.

    Dolidze has been seen numerous times on Dvalishvili’s YouTube channel and the two compatriots have been close to one another for years after both moved to the United States to level up their fighting careers.

  • “I apologize” Keyshawn Davis Comes Cleans After Fight Controversy “I have to do better”

    “I apologize” Keyshawn Davis Comes Cleans After Fight Controversy “I have to do better”

    Keyshawn Davis is looking to address his issues and is embarking on a path towards rectifying those difficulties. This was expressed during a recent interview that Davis did on The Ariel Helwani Show and comes on the heels of some fairly tumultuous behaviour. Davis expects to take a one year break from the sweet science after a recent episode that saw him not only miss weight but engage in a backstage brawl to boot.

    Also the talented fighter has been stripped of his WBO lightweight title and it seems like Davis needs to allocate his focuses elsewhere. The 26-year-old has had a myopic focus on boxing since 2021 and David admits he wants to be transparent about his wrong doings to do better for himself as well as his son. Further getting into this when speaking with the aforementioned Helwani recently, Davis said,

    “Something in me was just like, ‘Keyshawn, you gotta change, bro. You gotta be better.’ Something in me was just like boom—like everything hit me, all my wrongs, everything that I thought was right that I could have just did better, start hitting me.”

    “I apologize to you, sir, for real. I honestly feel like it was that moment that made his promoter be like, ‘Nah, forget this kid.’”

    “I have to do better, man. I gotta get right. When I get back to boxing, just know that I am going to be a better Keyshawn. Just know that.”

    Keyshawn Davis and the details of his tumultuous time in June

    Keyshawn Davis was supposed to have a massive career moment with what was to be his first official defense of the WBO lightweight strap on June 7th. Davis was set to clash with Edwin De Los Santos in what was a hometown boxing showdown in Norfolk for the former but a weight miss of over four pounds left a throng of passionate partisan fans disappointed.

    Keyshawn’s brother Kelvin Davis also had an upset loss to Nahir Albright on that June card with Albright claiming that the two Davis brothers both jumped him and head butted him in his locker room. While Keyshawn adamantly denied this instance, video footage came out of a separate instance that saw punches and objects being thrown.

    The kerfuffle with Albright saw Keyshawn Davis escorted out of the building by police officers and the now former WBO champion has confirmed he is under investigation for these incidents from the state of Virginia.

  • Drew Stuve On Fighting Former Kevin Holland Foe at BKFC Edmonton: “I’m Going to Get The Job Done”

    Drew Stuve On Fighting Former Kevin Holland Foe at BKFC Edmonton: “I’m Going to Get The Job Done”

    Drew Stuve is teetering on the precipice of his biggest career moment as a professional fighter and is as confident as ever that he’ll secure his ideal outcome. Appearing on Bare Knuckle Bowker, Stuve covered multiple topics before his BKFC Edmonton return as he battles Will Santiago on August 9th in the main event showdown.

    The Wolfhouse fighter is returning to the BKFC squared circle after spending around a year away from bare knuckle fighting action with a brief gloved boxing detour late-last year. Michael Manno was slated to be his initial opponent for this card but a withdrawal from double M created this vacancy for Santiago to fill in the Stuve headlining bout.

    When describing his thoughts on the shift in opposition for this weekend, Stuve said,

    “I think it’s a better fight for me, man. He’s definitely a better fighter, he’s more accomplished, and it’s just gonna be a better win for me to have on my record after.”

    Drew Stuve is a small town kid ready to prove himself on a huge stage

    During the interview on BKB, Stuve offered up his thoughts on Santiago’s resume and skillset within bare knuckle which boasts multiple first round finishes with Santiago’s lone loss being to long time ranked BKFC middleweight Dakota Cochrane. Referencing that Santiago has previously fought Kevin Holland on Contender Series as well as Chris Curtis under mixed martial arts rules, Drew Stuve stated,

    “I’ve got a lot of respect to him for taking this fight on short notice. Look, I know I’m not an easy opponent. He’s obviously seen my last fights and watched them and he knows it’s not going to be an easy night. So I respect him for taking the fight and it’s pretty cool. He fought Kevin Holland on the Dana White Contender Series, you know [laughs], it’s pretty crazy to me.”

    “Like I’m a small town kid from Edson, Alberta about to fight a guy who basically fought in the UFC. So it’s pretty huge for me and I’m super confident that I’m going to get the job done… I’m super excited. He’s definitely the most experienced and the biggest name I’ve ever fought to date. I’m just going to continue to prove that I’m right exactly where I belong.”

  • Filipino BKFC Fighter on Salt Papi Beef, Knows “He’ll Beat Tony Ferguson” in Big MFB 22 Bout

    Filipino BKFC Fighter on Salt Papi Beef, Knows “He’ll Beat Tony Ferguson” in Big MFB 22 Bout

    A surging Filipino-Canadian BKFC fighter has engaged in a bit of a back and forth with Salt Papi and also offered his thoughts on the influencer boxer’s next fight against a former interim UFC champion. Chad Lucanas discussed this on Bare Knuckle Bowker ahead of his clash with Tim Tamaki at BKFC Edmonton on August 9th. Later this month, Salt Papi will throw down with Tony Ferguson under Queensberry Rules for the MFB interim middleweight title on August 30th in Manchester.

    Lucanas had previously called out Salt Papi with the influencer boxer eventually blocking the BKFC combatant on Instagram amid their back and forth. When describing his history with the Filipino influencer boxer and also giving his thoughts on the upcoming sweet science showdown with Ferguson, Lucanas said,

    “I thought it was kind of funny, but yeah, I know he’ll beat Tony Ferguson. Like I believe he will because to me like out of all them, out of all those little influencer YouTube f***ers, I think Salt Papi is one of the best like I’ve seen in that league per se. Like to me, he’s entertaining. He’s Filipino. He’s got some skills and I look at it as just like a, you know what, if me and him were to fight, it would be so cool for the culture. Like I feel like it would be such a cool clash because like he’s a Filipino kid that grew up in the UK.”

    “I’m a Filipino kid that grew up in Canada. Also, we’re both southpaws, have nice left hands. He’s not bad. I think the dude is really not bad and outside of boxing, he’s f***in hilarious. But just for me it’s like, I think me and this guy would make such a show if we fought. Like it would be so crazy. It would be so cool for like the whole Filipino culture all around the world. It’d be such a cool clash. But he blocked my ass.”

    Salt Papi did block Chad Lucanas, but the latter quipped “I totally get it”

    When further addressing what he sees as an almost inevitable clash with Salt Papi someday, Lucanas continued,

    “So, I’ll get there though. I’mma get it. No, I’mma get it. Like for me it’s like okay, you block me that, means you know who I am. With a lot of people calling you out on comments, tagging me, tagging you, telling you to fight me, I get it. You looked at my page and was like, I don’t know if I want to f**k with this guy [laughs]. So, I totally get it. But wait till I find you one day in person. I’m calling you out right then and there.”

  • Krzysztof Jotko Re-ignites Fire Post-Divorce, Eyes Illusive Gold Heading Into Oktagon 74

    Krzysztof Jotko will collide with Marek Mazuch at Oktagon 74: Bolander vs. Szabová on August 9th but that was not the initial dance partner the the former was supposed to clash with this weekend.

    Jotko appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts and touched upon this shift with his next in-cage assignment this Saturday. When asked how much, if at all, he had to alter his approach as he shifts his focuses from Vlasto Čepo, who fell out due to an injury, to now fighting Marek Mazuch here, Krzysztof Jotko said,

    “No, really. No, really. Mazuch and Čepo is like, you can say, similar opponents. They’re just brawlers with a good boxing, strong with a good boxing. The same is with the Mazuch. Only one difference is Mazuch, he’s different position, he is a southpaw. So this actually is very, very good because my friend Josh Silveira, he was preparating for the fight with Fabian Edwards.”

    “So I was training with him for eight weeks, before I even start my training camp. So I trained with southpaw for a long, long time and this was even even better for me, you know. Because I know the southpaw game a little better right now.”

    When asked if this change in Oktagon MMA opposition almost worked out in his favor in a certain regard, Jotko quipped,

    “Yeah. Yeah. I think it’s even better, you know, better opponents. I think Čepo was more experienced. He have more fights and I think that his opponents was a little better like Mazuch. Because if you check the fifth, six fight of Mazuch, he fight tomato cans and some bulls**t guys. So, this what it is. I fight little different people in my career and in the UFC and everywhere. So, we’re going to see. We’re going to see. We’re going to find out on August ninth.”

    Krzysztof Jotko is in a better place post-divorce, eyes Oktagon MMA title someday

    Krzysztof Jotko has overcome some massive turmoil in his personal life and finally finds himself in an optimal spot to achieve huge things professionally going forward. When it was mentioned that he seems like he’s in a good headspace right now with where he’s at in his career as he advances in this Tip Sport Game Changer tournament, Jotko stated,

    “I tell you this, I’ll be honest with you, I’m actually after divorce. I have a divorce this year with my ex-wife. So now I’m [in a] super good place. I’m very happy to do this sport again. I’m very happy to come yesterday for training and I can’t even wait to fight this guy. You know, it’s; my mood has changed.”

    “Everything changed like I’m very happy now and I’m very, very ready for this. I need this win. I need to win this tournament. You know, I was in the UFC for a long time and I don’t get the title. So before I finish my career, I’m going to get this title. You know, this is going to be probably Oktagon title.”

  • Karate Combat Victor on Viral Proposal, KC 56 Performance Breakdown

    Karate Combat Victor on Viral Proposal, KC 56 Performance Breakdown

    Alexander Krutskykh earned a decision win over Shokrukh Kholmuradov at Karate Combat 56 on July 19th but garnered a much bigger victory overall in the grand scheme of things after that W was recorded. Krutskykh appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to cover multiple topics after the victory and when offering up his thoughts on how he is doing a few weeks after improving to 2-0 in the Karate Combat pit, Krutskykh said,

    “Yeah, that was definitely [a] great fight, great experience, like good challenge for me. Yeah, there was something that’s brought me to that challenging rounds and where you have to switch into the more, you know; your mental strength in those last rounds. So that was good.”

    His first fight in Karate Combat transpired in January and when discussing how much he has demonstrably grown with this second KC contest in the context of if this sophomore contest under this promotional banner forced him to dig deeper than his debut effort, Krutskykh stated,

    “Yeah, definitely. Both fights was hard and and challenging, but this one was something that I have to, you know, turn on the different gear. Where I have to like really dig deep and it shows who is more mentally prepared for those last; even though we both was tired, but you know, I guess I wanted more in this night.”

    The Karate Combat Proposal and the Krutskykh’s “lifetime memory”

    When addressing the viral proposal from his Karate Combat 56 fight and how surreal it was to become engaged after securing a victory like that, Alexander Krutskykh quipped,

    “Yeah, there was something surreal, man. I still doesn’t feel this actually happen[ed]. Everything lines up perfectly as I imagine it in my head, as I visualize it. Everything went exactly. I was, even before the fight, I was already knowing that we will go to the fourth round and I know that I have to leave everything in there. When I’m seated after the third round and I heard the people started screaming like four round, four round, I was like oh s**t. But I know I that’s like it’s either now or or never.”

    “It popped in my head that say I still you know have the big, big plan to do after the fight. So I was like, I gotta go and leave it all in there. Yeah everything like after the fight I win. I was like, “Okay, now is the time.” I don’t think there’s a better moment to get the proposal. Yeah, that’s something for my fiance and myself, that will be something like lifetime memory. This is something we’ll both remember for a long time.”

  • Oleksandr Usyk’s “Beautiful Performance” in Dubois 2 Dispels Prior Low Blow Faking Controversy, per Ukranian Karate Combat Victor

    Oleksandr Usyk’s “Beautiful Performance” in Dubois 2 Dispels Prior Low Blow Faking Controversy, per Ukranian Karate Combat Victor

    Oleksandr Usyk has recently climbed the mountain once again and holds all of the major heavyweight hardware across the boxing landscape and a fellow Ukrainian combat sports athlete was impressed as he earned his own victory on the same night. Alexander Krutskykh earned a decision win over Shokrukh Kholmuradov at Karate Combat 56 on July 19th and is now 2-0 under the KC banner.

    Krutskykh appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts and touched on several subjects including Usyk earning his second win over Dubois, also on July 19th, and in even more emphatic fashion than their first fight. While he resides in Canada, Krutskykh proudly represents both Canada and also represents Ukraine in the Karate Combat pit. When offering up his thoughts on that Usyk victory over Dubois in their rematch to once again become boxing’s undisputed heavyweight champion, Krutskykh said,

    “Yeah, honestly like I wasn’t expecting nothing [other] than that, but yeah, I knew he going to finish it. A lot of controversy was [there] about the last fight that he was faking it. He was faking the low blow and a lot of people was hating on that. But I know what kind of person he is and he wouldn’t fake it. He proved that again and in such a beautiful performance. Putting him down like that with such a crazy left hook like that.”

    “That was beauty and you know [I’m] happy because he is Oleksandr and I’m Oleksandr. So it’s, you know, we both take the W this night and yeah, that was cool to be part of that. My teammates in my hometown here in Canada, they both streamed Usyk fight and then streamed my fight right after. So that was cool to see, how the gym was supporting me. A lot of people reaching out, supporting, and joining the live stream. So that was very, very special.”

    Oleksandr Usyk, Joseph Parker, and what could be next

    Oleksandr Usyk is on a generational run with many wondering what his next step could be. On an athletic meritocracy level, Joseph Parker stands out as the obvious next option for the kingpin of the four belt era.

    The former WBO heavyweight champion even went into the ring at Wembley Stadium following Oleksandr Usyk’s second win over Daniel Dubois as Parker simultaneously wanted to offer up congratulations to the decorated pugilist but to also drive the narrative around him being next up for Usyk.

    Joseph Parker has even used digital media to forward his cause as the New Zealand combatant has also done his own adapted cover of A-ha’s ‘Take on Me’ to fuel more discussion and want from the sweet science community for an Usyk throwdown.

  • Ben Rothwell’s “Skin Ripping” “Hammer” Strike: “Most Devastating Knockout I’ve Ever Seen in Bare Knuckle”

    Ben Rothwell’s “Skin Ripping” “Hammer” Strike: “Most Devastating Knockout I’ve Ever Seen in Bare Knuckle”

    Ben Rothwell once generated a knockout that was so disconcerting that a tenured BKFC heavyweight who was ringside for that KO swore he would never fight Big Ben in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Zach Calmus touched upon this moment on Bare Knuckle Bowker during the lead up to his fight with Corey Willis at BKFC 79 on August 2nd in Sturgis.

    During the interview, ‘Shark Attack’ discussed his own moment at BKFC KnuckleMania 5 and how much of a setback that January loss to Pat Brady was to him overall. Also of note from BKFC’s fifth annual tentpole event, Ben Rothwell secured an emphatic finish of Mick Terrill in front of a raucous Philadelphia crowd to capture the heavyweight crown on that same night that Calmus fell short to Brady.

    It wasn’t that performance though that imparted to Zach Calmus that he didn’t want the smoke, to use the parlance of our time, with the kingpin of BKFC’s heavyweight class. When getting into the specifics of his Ben Rothell anecdote in this context, Calmus said,

    “That’s a bad man. Ben Rothwell is a bad, bad man. A lot of people know that and a lot of people can stand by that, but not the way that I can. I was ringside when Ben fought Bobo O’Bannon. Now, his [O’Bannon’s] life has obviously gone the way it’s gone. That’s all I have to say about that. I’m not with that, [with] those people anymore.”

    “But what I am gonna say is that when he got hit by Ben, that was enough for me to never fight Ben Rothwell ever. I never want to fight Ben Rothwell. He’s a bad man. He’s champ for a reason. When he hit him [O’Bannon], I watched the earthquake go across Bobo’s head. You saw what Bobo did to me. Two of my teeth. He hit me pretty good. What I’m saying is what Ben did to Bobo was devastating.”

    Ben Rothwell and the most devastating bare knuckle KO that Calmus ever saw

    Further delving into this ruinous fight ending moment during the UFC vet’s debut in the space of heavyweight gloveless combat, Calmus stated,

    “It sounded like he hit him with a hammer, like a steel hammer. I was ringside walking by and I turned my whole head. I could hear the sound of his skin ripping open when Ben hit him. That was the most devastating knockout I’ve ever seen in bare knuckle, Ben Rothwell. So yeah, that’s something I wanted to share with people. That’s the champ for a reason. You don’t know how big he is and how fast he is. You’re around Ben, you’ll figure it out. He’s a great guy but don’t mess with the champ.”

  • Former Joaquin Buckley Defeater on Former Teammate Kamaru Usman’s Big UFC Atlanta Win

    Former Joaquin Buckley Defeater on Former Teammate Kamaru Usman’s Big UFC Atlanta Win

    Joaquin Buckley is looking to rebound after a recent loss to Kamaru Usman, and a previous opponent of Buckley’s who implemented a similar game plan to garner a victory over ‘New Mansa’ has offered his thoughts on that UFC Atlanta fight. This is also a combatant who has had prior instances of training at the same gym as Usman, with this former interim Bellator MMA welterweight champion training with the former UFC welterweight champion at Sanford MMA, now Kill Cliff FC, at certain points years back.

    Logan Storley appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to discuss that UFC Atlanta headliner among several other subjects and did so ahead of his PFL welterweight tournament title bid that saw him eventually fall short to Thad Jean. Storley’s wrestling pedigree is notable and with the Buckley connectivity, the context was presented on how the lack of anti-wrestling seemed to play a big role in that UFC Atlanta loss to the former welterweight titleholder.

    When asked if he could impart some advice to someone like Buckley if tasked with trying to help with rebuilding the UFC welterweight contender after the Kamaru Usman setback, Storley said,

    “Yeah, Buckley was very, very athletic, very strong. I did a great job with timing and control and beating him up on the ground, you know. That’s where; same thing Kamaru [Usman] kind of did, you know. Obviously, I’m not his coach. So I don’t know. [Joaquin] Buckley’s very, very talented. He looked great against Colby [Covington], but Kamaru’s, you know, one of the best to do it. He had a great game plan to get out there and just smother him and dominate him. So you know, it was tough for Buckley.”

    Joaquin Buckley and the story of his Logan Storley fight

    Logan Storley previously bested Joaquin Buckley and secured that victory over the surging UFC combatant back at Bellator 197. This transpired on April 13th, 2018, as Storley stepped into the cage with a 7-0 professional MMA record opposite Buckley’s pro mixed martial arts ledger of 8-1.

    After a wrestling-heavy performance that had many similar components to how Usman approached the Buckley fight, Storley would emerge with a unanimous decision victory over ‘New Mansa’ inside of The Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri.

  • “Leonardo Perdomo Is a Bad Mother F***ER,” Says BKFC 79 Heavyweight Stalwart

    “Leonardo Perdomo Is a Bad Mother F***ER,” Says BKFC 79 Heavyweight Stalwart

    Leonardo Perdomo continued to impress many with his recent win at BKFC Hollywood, and one of the stalwarts of the promotion’s heavyweight division has offered his thoughts on that recent performance from the man many call the bare knuckle Mike Tyson. Zach Calmus recently did battle himself against Corey Willis at BKFC 79 on August 2nd as the promotion returned to Sturgis, and Calmus covered several subjects during an appearance on Bare Knuckle Bowker.

    Leonardo Perdomo improved to 8-0 recently as a bare knuckle fighter and secured his biggest win yet over former two-time BKFC heavyweight champion Arnold Adams on July 12th at BKFC 78. When offering up his thoughts on that particular fight and how no one has been able to get out of the first round with ‘El Zambo’ in the BKFC squared circle so far, Calmus said,

    “Leonardo Perdomo is a bad mother f***er. Let me tell you something. That’s not a fight that they’re trying to line up for me… He’s going to be champ. Now, I’m going to be champ as well, but the facts are that I’m fighting in a weight division that I shouldn’t be fighting, okay. I don’t have a heavyweight body. I don’t have the size in bare knuckle at heavyweight.”

    Leonardo Perdomo set for Arnold Adams sequel clash in BKFC Hollywood return

    Leonardo Perdomo vaulted toward the number one contender spot with his win over Arnold Adams but some in the bare knuckle community seemed to think that the stoppage from their July bout was a bit on the premature side. The promotion has heard these sentiments from some within the fanbase and has responded by running things back for an immediate rematch.

    Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has announced Perdomo vs. Adams 2 on September 12th at BKFC 80 at Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida. This venue served as the location for their first fight and it will now be the location for the Perdomo vs. Adams sequel.

    Also, this card will feature the BKFC debut of Yoel Romero with many fans curious who will fight ‘The Soldier of God’ in gloveless combat. This speculation comes after promotional figurehead David Feldman hinted at some difficulties with locking in a dance partner for the former multi-division title challenger in both the UFC and Bellator MMA.

  • Zach Calmus on “Biggest Asset” in Bare Knuckle Ahead of Big Sturgis Return at BKFC 79

    Zach Calmus on “Biggest Asset” in Bare Knuckle Ahead of Big Sturgis Return at BKFC 79

    Zach Calmus showed out in his prior bare knuckle fighting foray in Sturgis and aims to keep that trend going in the promotion’s return to the market this weekend. Zach Calmus returns to fight in Sturgis for BKFC 79 with his prior BKFC Sturgis bout seeing him secure a sub-one minute knockout over Ryan Shough at BKFC 63.

    Appearing on Bare Knuckle Bowker to touch on this return to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally to fight Corey Willis on August 2nd, Zach Calmus said,

    “Yeah, I’ve training hard regardless. Regardless of who I’m fighting. Corey Willis is just a name, Zach Calmus is just a name. Then we put the work in behind us and I guess I just want to do the best that I can and that’s what God can allow me to do. So, I really just worked as hard as physically possible in this camp. I had a lot of great sparring with UFC-level fighters like Yuri [Panferov], the Russian Polar Bear. We were sparring… [also worked with a former] WBC world champion, he sparred with James Toney back in the day in California. Great coach.”

    “What I’m trying to tell you is, I’m getting knowledge that has been passed down through history. I work with some real, real fighters who have world championships, real lineage, real history. I’m with the best coach in all of Connecticut and all the world, in my opinion. He’s worked in famous camps. He’s worked with great fighters to get to that level of fame. To get to that level of fighting, you have to be a great coach.”

    “So that’s all l I have to say about that. I have the right people around me or nobody around me which is really the best when you’re all alone and you can just think about the game plan, ignoring all kinds of distractions. So that’s really what my biggest asset has been in this game is that I went back to our basics and just kind of like shut out the world after KnuckleMania because that was a tough loss. I didn’t want the fight to get stopped, but I’m not a referee. They saw something that I didn’t… I moved on. I drove home that day.”

    Zach Calmus and the road back to Sturgis post-KnuckleMania 5

    When delving into the process of rebounding from his disappointing setback last time out in January of this year at KnuckleMania 5 against Pat Brady, Zach Calmus stated,

    “Like, I got back to the hotel like late at night or whatever. But we got home, me and Paula. I was just happy that I got through it with my life. You know what I mean? I’m happy that I went out there and fought at Wells Fargo Center and I didn’t get knocked the f**k out. You know what I mean? The guy that I fought was a beast. I’m not taking nothing away from him either. Pat Brady is a savage and he’s no joke. So it was a tough loss for me, but I didn’t even throw any punches.”

    “I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. So I didn’t win the game. This is chess, not checkers. You have a game plan, you got to stick with it. That’s what I didn’t [do]. I just went out there and I fought like I was on the side of a bar. That’s not a good thing when you’re at that level because then you just go out there and you’re like I’ll take one to give one and you’re just f***ing rolling through a process. That’s dangerous.”

    “People get hurt that way. So the mindset is no matter what happens in my life, no matter what falls out, no matter what the f**k, I’m going to train every f***ing day. I don’t care how I feel, it’s what I do. That really worked well for me. I got back to the basics and I sparred. I sparred, like I lost count how many rounds.”

  • BKFC 79 Fighter on Her “Upper Hand” Over More Experienced Foe in Big Sturgis Bout

    BKFC 79 Fighter on Her “Upper Hand” Over More Experienced Foe in Big Sturgis Bout

    Marisol Ruelas will collide with Shyanna Bintiff at BKFC 79: Gogo vs. Lane on August 2nd and Ruelas appeared on Bare Knuckle Bowker to touch on several subjects ahead of her first fighting foray into the world of gloveless combat. Prior to Saturday night’s contest, Ruelas has had prior experiences in MMA, combat jiu jitsu, Power Slap, and Team Combat League.

    Upon being asked when bare knuckle fighting got on her radar to compete under that ruleset and the road leading up to this BKFC 79 contract being signed, Ruelas said,

    “I competed in MMA starting off for a very long time. When I got the offer for Power Slap, I think a few of the girls that were offered to me were on bare knuckle and I remember telling my manager like oh, this must be a sign. But I had a lot of people against it just because I’m still very young and I do a lot of other things. But I don’t know.”

    “I feel like an itch started growing in me and like it was actually very crazy. Like randomly I got a message about doing bare knuckle and if I was interested. So I talked to Tyler a little bit more and that’s about it. He just kind of gave me the option of whether or not I wanted to do it and he would look into an opponent and a match and all of the things. I just decided to take it [laughs].”

    BKFC 79, Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, and how Ruelas has “an upper hand”

    The 28-year old bare knuckle debutant is honoured to be part of this BKFC Sturgis card as BKFC 79 takes place at the nucleus of the iconic Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. While Ruelas ended up hitting the required 145 pound mark, her opponent Bintiff missed weight by over seven pounds heading into their contracted bout at featherweight.

    When asked for her thoughts on her BKFC 79 opponent who is also making their Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut but has some prior BKB bouts under her belt, Ruelas stated,

    “I mean I didn’t look too much into it. I think I’ve seen like one of her fights. My coaches do all of the research and they do focus on what I should work on for the fight. I did see that she is going to be a little bit taller. Probably a little bit heavier which is; I have no problem with it [laughs]. As far as her background with bare knuckle or fighting in that promotion, I feel like at least I got to see how she fights. On the other hand, she has not. She doesn’t know how I move, how I aim.”

    “It’s very different like with boxing or MMA or any sport like that. So I guess it was kind of an upper hand being able to see her last fight. I believe it was like in April or something. I’m not too worried about the experience. I’ve fought girls who had a lot less experience than me and did a lot better than me. I’ve fought girls with more experience than me and I did better. So as far as that, I’m not too worried about it. But again, it’s a fight and I know that I have to be ready for whatever comes to me.”