All you need to know about BKFC’s biggest show of the year on January 25th.
Close the doors, shut off the lights, order the pizza, stock the fridge, it's time for KnuckleMania! BKFC’s biggest event of the year goes down this Saturday, January 25th, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I’m going to try my best to keep it short for this survival guide, but there are so many great stories leading into this weekend! Here is everything you need to know leading into KnuckleMania V.
Main Event: Eddie Alvarez vs. Jeremy Stephens
Eddie Alvarez (1-1), a former UFC champion has shown up to bare knuckle and immediately established himself as one of the most skilled the sport has ever seen. His debut against Chad Mendes will go down as one of the best fights in BKFC history, which he won via. split decision. He would follow up that performance taking on Mike Perry, for the symbolic “King of Violence” title. To this day I don’t know if “The Underground King” has ever looked better than he did in the opening round of that fight, he tagged Perry with some clean shots that would’ve put down an elephant. But Mike Perry is Mike Perry and after fighting back in the second round he dealt a blow to Alvarez’s eye, closing it and forcing the doctor to stop the bout after the second. If not for that eye injury, Alvarez was well on his way to toppling one of the sports giants. Alvarez returns home to a sold out Philadelphia crowd to face Jeremy Stephens on the biggest stage BKFC has to offer, the main event of KnuckleMania.
Jeremy Stephens (2-0,1 KO), is the embodiment of a power puncher. Otherworldly power running through his veins has made him one of the most exciting fighters on the BKFC roster. A fellow UFC veteran like Alvarez, Stephens may not have won a world championship, he did however score eight knockouts and win 10 different Performance of the Night bonuses. Stephens stopped Jimmie Rivera in his BKFC debut, and if not for Bobby Taylor’s head being made of concrete would’ve added another knockout in his second fight as well. Undefeated with a knack for finishing fights, Stephens is the perfect opponent for Alvarez and the perfect other half of our main event.
Co-Main Event: Mick Terrill (c) vs. Ben Rothwell - BKFC Heavyweight Championship Fight
Mick Terrill (9-1, 8 KO) is the current heavyweight champion of BKFC, but is also one of the most accomplished heavyweight bare knuckle fighters of the modern era. His resume speaks for itself, just one of his wins has come by decision and that fight happened nearly a decade ago. Terrill despite standing at 6’3 250 pounds is very agile and light on his feet, he has fast, accurate hands and given his near perfect knockout ratio, obviously packs a punch.
His opponent Ben Rothwell (3-0, 3 KO) enters the BKFC squared circle, as one of the most physically imposing fighters in all of combat sports, 6'4 275 pounds. Rothwell spent most of his combat sports career in the UFC, before his transition to bare knuckle. His debut showed not only how big and strong he is, but how fast he is. A flurry of punches put down Bobo O’Bannon who slumped to the canvas in just 19 seconds.
This fight has been stewing for a very long time. At KnuckleMania IV, last year in April, both Terrill and Rothwell fought on the card, both winning by knockout, and both in a wild way. Terrill slipped a sweet uppercut on opponent Lorenzo Hunt who went crashing to the canvas dislocating his elbow. Rothwell knocked down his opponent Todd Duffee several times in the first round before it ended with Duffee signaling a shoulder injury.
Given the nature of both their bouts, it seemed like a slam dunk for this fight to be made on a quick turnaround, but nine months later, here we are. Both men have had their sights set on each other since then, blink and you’ll miss it.
Photo Courtesy: BKFC
Bec Rawlings vs Taylor Starling
Two of the pillars of women’s bare knuckle Bec Rawlings (3-3, 1 KO) and Taylor Starling (4-3,1 KO) are set to square off in one of the biggest fights in women’s bare knuckle history. While this one might not have title implications as of right now, with both women entering the bout coming off a championship loss, this is still two all-time greats throwing down in front of a huge crowd.
Rawlings was BKFC’s first superstar. Fighting on BKFC 1 and eventually winning the Police Gazette World Diamond Belt. She has been a star and an ambassador for bare knuckle since the very beginning, and she now makes her long awaited return at BKFC’s biggest show of the year. Starling entered the fray not long after Rawlings did. With her emphatic debut win at KnuckleMania I over Charisa Sigala and her 28-second knockout of Cassie Robb, she immediately became a crowd favourite. She has gone on to fight for two world titles, has made a name for herself as someone who never has a boring fight.
It’s only fitting that BKFC’s pioneer, Rawlings, faces off with someone who flourished in the spotlight that she brought to the sport, Starling. Rawlings vs. Starling, a fight for the ages.
Photo Courtesy: BKFC
Pat Brady vs. Zach Calmus
Pat Brady (1-0, 1 KO) didn’t take long to establish himself in the world of bare knuckle. After a start in MMA, Brady needed just one round to secure a knockout victory. However he has a tough challenge ahead of him with the streaking Zach Calmus (5-2, 4 KO).
Calmus, a crowd favourite, is coming into this one absolutely on fire, four straight knockouts. Given his streak and the heavyweight title up for grabs later in the card, BKFC matchmaker Nate Shook, is definitely watching this one with a magnifying glass. If Calmus is successful he could do enough to leapfrog current top contender Leonardo Perdomo for a title shot. While that would take quite the feat, he could at least force himself into a number one contender fight with Perdomo to earn the right for a shot at whoever is champion at the end of the night.
For Brady he can play spoiler to Calmus’ parade and if he played his cards right, could just replace Calmus in all these title talks, and why not, if you beat the man, you are the man…is that not how that phrase goes?
Rest of the card:
John Gabarino vs. Apostle Spencer - Gabarino is an undefeated MMA fighter making his debut in his hometown of Philadelphia. Spencer is still searching for his first BKFC win, and what better way than upsetting the home crowd?
Pat Sullivan vs. Kaine Tomlinson Jr. - Sullivan, another Philly guy, is a former pro hockey player known for dropping the gloves, he drops them again on Saturday when he faces the 1-1 Tomlinson.
Itso Babulaidze vs. Bryan McDowell - Babulaidze, a 5-0 MMA fighter with two wins coming in the PFL, faces the 1-0 Bryan McDowell who is coming off a stoppage victory in his debut.
Zedekiah Montanez vs. Brandon Meyer - Montanez is also an undefeated mma fighter with four stoppages on his record, losses the gloves against the 2-2 Meyer.
Dustin Pague vs. JD Burns - Pague was riding a three fight win streak before his loss last year to Carlos Trinidad-Snake. He looks to get back in the win column with an emphatic win over the experienced bare knuckler JD Burns. Burns holds a 3-4 bare knuckle record and is set to make his BKFC debut.
Travis Thompson vs. Zachary Pannell - 11-fight veteran Travis Thompson who even fought on BKFC 1, faces Zachary Pannell who looks to snap his two fight losing skid.
Joey Dawejko vs. Steve Banks - Dawejko enters his BKFC Debut, after a long boxing career that saw him collect 28 wins 16 coming by knockout! Banks started his BKFC run 3-0 but has since ran into stiff competition with losses coming to Mick Terrill and Leonardo Perdomo. Banks has a chance to right the ship while Dawejko looks to get his journey started on the right foot.
Cody Russell vs. Logan Tucker - Another undefeated pro MMA fighter Russell gets his start in bare knuckle against Logan Tucker who is still searching for his first professional combat sports win.
Phil Caracappa vs. Noah Norman - Former Ring of Combat Bantamweight Champion Caracappa faces undefeated boxing prospect Noah Norman to kick the night off in style!
Where You Can Watch (USA)
Top Photo Courtesy of BKFC.
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