After successfully holding the first legal, regulated, and sanctioned bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889—which took place in front of a sold out crowd in Cheyenne, Wyoming on June 2—Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship returns on Saturday, August 25th, with “BKFC 2: A New Era”, from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum, in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The event will be held under the auspices and control of the Mississippi Athletic Commission, headed by Chairman Jon Lewis.
“BKFC 2: A New Era” will see the return of UFC veteran, and now the “Queen of Bare Knuckle” Bec Rawlings, who will face pro boxer Britain Hart. The stacked card will also include the Semi-Final Round of the BKFC Heavyweight Tournament, with Sam Shewmaker vs Maurice Jackson, and Arnold Adams vs Joey Beltran.
A veteran of both the UFC and Bellator, Beltran won the Heavyweight Tournament alternate bout at BKFC 1, when he defeated Tony Lopez in what was widely considered “fight of the night” by both fans and media. Beltran replaces former UFC Heavyweight Champion Ricco Rodriguez, who has withdrawn from the Heavyweight Tournament due to injury, but will return on a future BKFC card. Tony Lopez meanwhile, earned a place on BKFC 2 through his outstanding fight vs Beltran, and will now face 26 fight pro boxing veteran Mike Bissett.
Set to make their make their BKFC debuts on this stacked card are Chris Lytle, who has a combined 44 victories as a pro MMA fighter and pro boxer, and who spent 8 years in the UFC; and Charles “Crazyhorse” Bennett, who has 70 career pro MMA fights, including 5 in Pride FC.
“With the overwhelming success of BKFC 1 in June, I know that the stakes are even higher for our second event,” said Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship President and former professional boxer David Feldman.
