They say you’re not the champ until you defend your belt.
Well, if that’s the case, then please say hello to BKFC World Featherweight Champion Kai Stewart.
On Saturday at the sold-out BKFC 56 in Salt Lake City, UT, Stewart defended his belt for the first time with a unanimous decision victory over challenger Howard “HD” Davis.
Fans, fighters and oddsmakers alike had counted Stewart out against the dynamic Davis, who entered fight night with a record of 5-1-1 and three straight victories.
“Everybody doubted me, and I’m happy to prove them wrong – again,” says Stewart, who’s now undefeated in his first five BKFC fights.
“I wasn’t going to be denied.”
Stewart has quickly established himself as one of the best stand-up strikers in the world, but he credits much of his success in bare knuckle fighting to his pedigree as a wrestler.
“I’m like a broken record because it always seems to come back to my wrestling, but I’m a wrestler. That’s my mentality, and I just wasn’t going to be denied. I put in the time, I put in the effort, I did everything right, and good things happen,” he says.
“Regardless of the result, I would’ve left the venue with a smile on my face because I know how hard I worked. But, that said, I worked so damn hard that I wasn’t going to be denied. It was just hard work and dedication.”
Stewart’s ideal scenario moving forward is simple.
“I want Dat Nguyen. He’s a big name, former BKFC World Champion, and I want to put him down. Once I put him down, there can literally be no doubt. There will be no doubt,” Stewart says.
“I’m going to beat the brakes off Dat Nguyen; he’ll have no answer for what I bring to the table.”
