At just 23 years old, Kai “Hefty Bag” Stewart (5-0, 2 KO), is not only one of the BKFC’s youngest competitors but is also one of its best. Unlike other top stars like Mike Perry, Luis Palomino, and Lorenzo Hunt, who cut their teeth outside the company, Stewart has spent almost all of his professional fighting career in BKFC, having joined in 2021. He has since proven himself as the promotion's biggest rising star.
The former college wrestler and amateur MMA fighter enjoyed immediate success in BKFC, starting off 3-0. This strong start earned him a fight against fellow Montana native Louie Lopez (3-3, 3 KO) to crown the inaugural BKFC Featherweight Championship. Lopez brought the fight to him trying to land big blows, but Stewart was able to make it a dirtier match, using the clinch to slow things down, and landing just enough shots to secure a unanimous decision. His first defence would come six months later this past December against Howard Davis (5-2-1, 4 KO), with David entering as the favourite. Despite this, Hefty Bag controlled the action, forcing Davis to work inside, and tiring him out, as he again won via UD. His wrestling background benefited Stewart in all of these matches, as he used his abilities as a clinch striker to dictate the pace and force his opponents to fight his way.
After a stellar first few years in the company, he’s established himself as one of the best in BKFC, and it still feels like there’s nowhere to go but up. With all of BKFC’s other champions coming from other organisations and being well into their 30s and even 40s, Stewart’s youth and the fact that he’s just getting started sets him apart from other competitors. He hasn’t allowed his early success to make him complacent though, saying that being the youngest champion has "put a chip on his shoulder", and pushes him to continue working hard.
The obvious question now is who should Stewart fight next? One potential candidate is Bryan “El Gallo” Duran (6-0, 6 KO), who is fresh off a knockout victory over number one contender, Louie Lopez, in February. Duran, who’s only 28 years old, is currently undefeated in BKFC since debuting in April 2022 and appears to be a legitimate contender at 145. Having taken down Lopez, it makes sense that El Gallo would be next in line for a shot at Stewart’s belt. Duran has even called out Hefty Bag and mocked his style, saying that if they fought they “wouldn’t wrestle”. He added further fuel to the fire predicting a first or second-round knockout should they meet. A meeting between the two would certainly be a clash of styles, with Stewart looking to force his opponent into the clinch, while Duran tries to keep his distance and land as many big shots as possible to end the fight early. Whether you think Duran has a chance or not, there’s no denying he has an excellent case to be the next to challenge for the gold.
Another possible challenger is Brandon Allen (4-1, 3 KO), who’s currently ranked second in the featherweight division by BKFC and is coming off three consecutive wins by stoppage. Despite being one of the older competitors in the weight class at 34, Allen has a very solid resume, and his ranking clearly suggests he’s viewed as a serious contender. Other highly ranked contenders, Louie Lopez and Howard Davis, have already faced Stewart and lost, which only serves to boost his case. Like Duran, Allen has also made his intentions known, saying he “wants Kai” and is already labelling himself the “145 King”. While Allen isn’t the most aggressive in the ring, he’s great at avoiding taking hits while landing explosive shots when he gets a chance. His strong uppercuts could work as a counter to Stewart's attempts to grapple which could force a more cautious approach from the champ.
One other matchup that could be interesting, albeit less likely, is against Jeremy Stephens (1-0, 1 KO). Stephens won his BKFC debut this past December, stopping Jimmie Rivera in the third round. Although he's currently competing in lightweight, he’s fought at 145 in the past and Stewart has said he would love the opportunity to take on the former UFC standout. Stephens was one of the best knockout artists in MMA at his peak and could end a fight at any moment, a direct contrast to Stewart, who's more than willing to wear his opponents out. While this isn’t the most likely matchup, it would certainly draw and could put Stewart on the biggest stage of his career.
So when can we expect to see Hefty Bag back in action? Stewart himself has said he would like to have his next fight in late April or early May, which just so happens to be when Knucklemania 4 is taking place. The event is scheduled for April 27th in Los Angeles and has a very open card at this moment, so adding a featherweight title match to it makes a ton of sense. With that timeframe rapidly approaching, expect some sort of announcement about Stewart’s next opponent soon, and be ready for a great fight no matter who it is.
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