BKFC DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT FOR THE AGES WITH GOLDEN TRIPLEHEADER IN HISTORIC DEBUT FROM MARBELLA, SPAIN AND LIVE ON DAZN
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Marbella, Spain (October 12, 2024) Three must-see Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World Championship bouts headlined BKFC on DAZN: Marbella Spain on Saturday night at the sold-out Marbella Arena, broadcast exclusively on DAZN.
Saturday night’s main event; Franco Tenaglia versus Tony “Loco” Soto for the vacant BKFC World Lightweight Championship will be remembered as one of the greatest fights in the history of BKFC, The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion.
Tenaglia sent Soto to the ground in the opening round before having to pick himself up off the canvas in the second frame. Tenaglia dug deep and rallied for the hard-fought, majority decision win after logging another knockdown in the third stanza.
Two judges scored the action-packed contest 47-45 in favor of Tengalia, who hails from Alicante, Spain by way of Buenos Aires, Argentina. One judge scored it 46-46, leading to the rare majority decision.
“I’ve been waiting 10 years for this,” Tenaglia said in his post-fight interview. “Look at me now. I’m a World Champion!”
Tenaglia is now 4-0 under the BKFC banner; Soto, who hails from Hickory, NC, is now 6-1 in his BKFC career.
Nobody loved Saturday’s epic main event battle more than BKFC Founder and President David Feldman and BKFC Partner and Combat Sports Legend Conor McGregor.
“We’re going to give bonuses to these gentlemen, as well as a multitude of other people on this card. But as well as the bonus for these two gentlemen, we’re going to double their purse,” a fired-up McGregor told the sold-out Marbella Arena.
Austin “No Doubt” Trout defended his BKFC World Welterweight Title for the first time in the BKFC on DAZN: Marbella, Spain co-main event, earning a unanimous decision over top contender Rico “Bon Bon” Franco.
All three judges scored it 50-43 in favor of the Las Cruces, NM native Trout. Trout logged both knockdowns of the fight, sending the Gainsborough, England-based Franco to the mat in the first and fourth rounds.
Trout, a former World Boxing Association champion, improved to 3-0 with the win.
“The most important thing for me is to represent BKFC as its first two-sport World Champion,” Trout told the sold-out Marbella Arena, adding, “I’m here to stay.”
Franco is now 9-3 in his bare-knuckle career.
David "The Redneck" Mundell successfully defended his BKFC World Middleweight Championship for the third time with a second-round technical knockout over English contender Danny “The Bastard” Christie in the BKFC on DAZN: Marbella, Spain feature fight.
The hard-hitting Oldsmar, FL fighter dropped the Carlisle, England-based Christie three times – once in the opening frame and twice in the second round. The bout was called to a halt 55 seconds into the second stanza.
Mundell, who entered fight night atop the BKFC Men’s Pound-for-Pound Rankings, is now 9-1 on the strength of seven straight victories in the squared circle. He has now finished five straight opponents. He wants to challenge BKFC King of Violence “Platinum” Mike Perry in his next trip to the ring.
“I want Perry next. I’ve been calling for it forever now,” Mundell told Marbella Arena. “Where you at? Where you at?”
Christie is now 5-2 in his BKFC career.
Undefeated Marbella featherweight Dan “Indian Spice” Chapman improved his bare-knuckle fighting record to 7-0 in his BKFC debut with an 86-second technical knockout victory over Mike "Hassby" Jurik of Pilsen, Czech Republic. Chapman logged three knockdowns in the fight. Jurik is now 3-4 in his bare knuckle fighting career.
Brazilian Felipe “Praguinha” Maia turned heads with his upset victory over former BKFC World Lightweight Championship challenger James “Lights Out” Lilley in their welterweight matchup. Maia scored the lone knockdown of the bout, leading to the victory 68 seconds into the first round. Maia’s BKFC record improves to 2-1 with the win. Lilley, who hails from Swansea, Wales, sees his bare-knuckle record move to 7-3-1.
Former World Boxing Association/International Boxing Organization champion Hannah “The Classical Warrior” Rankin defeated Deborah Melhorn of Cologne, Germany via split decision in Rankin’s highly anticipated BKFC debut. Two judges scored it 49-46 in favor of the Glasgow, Scotland featherweight, while one judge had it 48-47 for Melhorn, who was also making her BKFC debut.
"The One, The Only" Oscar Willis sent Ben "The Bane" Davis to the canvas four times en route to the first-round technical knockout victory in their lightweight matchup. The stoppage came with three seconds left in the opening stanza. Willis, who moonlights as a successful combat sports journalist in Las Vegas, is now 1-0 in his BKFC career. The Phoenix, AZ-based Davis, who is also a popular MMA media member, dropped to 0-1 in his BKFC tenure.
Turkish middleweight Yunus Batan upped his BKFC record to 2-1 with a second straight victory over Maxime "Orsu Corsu" Bellamy of Castres, France. Batan recorded two knockdowns and picked himself up off the canvas once in the action-packed matchup. All three judges scored it 48-44 for Batan. Bellamy’s bare-knuckle fighting record is now 2-1 following his loss.
Nico “The Iron” Gaffie turned heads in his BKFC debut as the Marbella featherweight dropped Radek “Mahusvi” Stadler twice en route to a second-round, TKO victory. Time of the stoppage was 1:04 in the second frame. Stadler, who hails from Pilsen, Czech Republic, was also making his BKFC debut.
Vienna, Austria’s Arbi "Borz" Chakaev was victorious in his BKFC debut, needing just 59 seconds to take out debuting Marbella fighter Jose Daniel "Jacare" Toledo Canellas via TKO in heavyweight action.
The debuting David Mora defeated Fran "Mi Vida Loca" Suarez via TKO in their battle of Madrid lightweights. The doctor called a stop to the bout at the conclusion of the fourth round. Suarez’s bare-knuckle record fell to 2-1 with the loss.
BKFC on DAZN: Marbella, Spain Results
Franco Tenaglia def. Tony Soto via Majority Decision (47-45x2, 46-46)
For vacant BKFC World Lightweight Title
(c) Austin Trout def. Rico Franco via Unanimous Decision (50-43x3)
Trout defends BKFC World Welterweight Title
(c) David Mundell def. Danny Christie via TKO in Round 2 (0:55)
Mundell defends BKFC World Middleweight Title
Dan Chapman def. Mike Jurik via TKO in Round 1 (1:26)
Felipe Maia def. James Lilley via TKO in Round 1 (1:08)
Hannah Rankin def. Deborah Melhorn via Split Decision (49-46x2, 47-48)
Oscar Willis def. Ben Davis via TKO in Round 1 (1;57)
Yunus Batan def. Maxime Bellamy via Unanimous Decision (48-44x3)
Nico Gaffie def. Radek Stadler via TKO in Round 2 (1:04)
Arbi Chakaev def. Jose Daniel Toledo Canellas via TKO in Round 1 (0:59)
David Mora defeated Fran Suarez via TKO (doctor stoppage) in Round 4 (2:00)
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About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.
In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.
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