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BKFC FN PUEBLA: WHO TO WATCH

With so many making their debut, here is your BKFC Puebla survival guide!


(Photo Courtesy: BKFC)


This Saturday, on May 25th, BKFC returns to Mexico with something of a rookie showcase taking place in Puebla. 


We’ll be spoiled with ten bouts scheduled for just the second ever BKFC event in Mexico. With all but one fighter making their bare knuckle debut. 


Headlined by Rodolfo Rubio vs. Luis Rey Gallegos, the card is sure to entertain solely based on the amount of debuts being made. However, with so many new faces, fans may not know who exactly to look out for.


Not to fear, Jag Kang is here! 


The most unique aspect of this card is just how many newcomers are making the walk Saturday night. The potential for reckless combat is through the roof (let’s ignore the potential for sloppiness…for now). 


But, when you dive a little deeper, you’ll notice that these fighters are no stranger to combat. 


In the main event, two former MMA fighters will look to kickstart their bare knuckle careers in emphatic fashion, as Rodolfo Rubio takes on Luis Rey Gallegos. 


The all-Mexico showdown features Rubio, who went 19-13-1 in MMA, taking on Rey Gallegos, who went 9-8, in a bantamweight bout. On the surface, Rubio may seem to have an advantage in professional experience. In addition, his grappling prowess has potential to translate to bare knuckle’s clinch fighting. 


But the same can be said for Rey Gallegos. He himself has grappling experience, although not as much as Rubio. And yes, he has significantly less fights than Rubio. But that’s not the worst thing in the brutal world that is bare knuckle. 


Experience matters, but so does mileage. How much does experience help if you’ve been hit in the head countless times? 


This fight just might answer that question. 


And given the excitement surrounding bantamweight right now, a massive performance could put the winner on a title fight trajectory. Just ask Keith Richardson and Alberto Blas. 


In the co-main event, former 15-4 pro boxer Julian Fernandez sheds the gloves for the first time in his career when he takes on former 1-3 MMA fighter Lino Sanchez. Experience, size, and youth are all on the side of Fernandez who is fully expected to take this one. But hey, it’s bare knuckle after all. And in the light heavyweight division, all it takes is one punch to end it all. 


Another fighter I want to highlight is bantamweight Eduardo Meneses. At only 19 years old, Meneses ventures into the brutal sport at an age some may advise against. But when looking at his combat pedigree, you’ll notice every one of his MMA bouts ended in a stoppage. Win or loss, this kid comes to fight. And in bare knuckle, there’s always room for someone like that!


His opponent is Cesar Vazquez, also an MMA fighter, who enters the bout with a more promising resume. Having gone 6-4 in professional MMA, only being stopped once via rear-naked choke, Vazquez looks poised to come out on top here. But the unpredictability of Meneses will surely make this a firefight. And who wants to write off a 19 year old crazy enough to bare knuckle box?


Moving on to the only fighter on this card who has bare knuckle experience, Heriberto Tovar. Tovar’s only bare knuckle bout came on BKFC 4, which also took place in Mexico, losing a decision to Joe Riggs. His combat experience consists of MMA and Muay Thai, and has lost every one of his fights since his sole bare knuckle bout in 2019. His opponent is fellow Mexican Luis Castaneda, who last fought in MMA in 2019. 


BKFC Fight Night Puebla starts at 8PM/ET on Saturday May, 25th.

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