BKFC 70 BRINGS OUT THE STARS IN HISTORIC THURSDAY NIGHT EVENT AT SOLD OUT HARD ROCK LIVE AND BROADCAST GLOBALLY ON DAZN
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Hollywood, FL (March 27, 2025) The stars were out in full force at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 70 on Thursday night — both inside the world-famous squared circle and ringside at the sold-out Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL, broadcast globally on DAZN.
Celebrities in attendance included BKFC Partner Conor McGregor, as well as fellow UFC superstars Amanda Nunes, Andrei Arlovski, and Rashad Evans. Also in attendance was basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal, streaming superstar Adin Ross, music superstar Lil Pump and Dion Dawkins, starting left tackle of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.
In the highly anticipated BKFC-70 main event, the legendary Luis “Baboon” Palomino added to his one-of-a-kind resume by winning the inaugural BKFC King of the Streets Championship with a hard-fought, unanimous decision victory over Howard “HD” Davis.
Two judges scored the action-packed contest 49-46, while one had it 48-47, all in favor of Palomino, who previously held the BKFC Lightweight World Championship and the BKFC Welterweight World Championship. Palomino is now 10-1 in his BKFC career.
The Peruvian-born Miami, FL fighter brought the jam-packed Hard Rock Live to a fever pitch when he called out current BKFC Lightweight World Champion Franco “El Rey de la Calle” Tenaglia in his post-fight interview.
“You did a great job claiming the throne. I’m proud of the job you did against Tony Soto, the only fighter I didn’t face before I moved up. But the truth of the matter is I’m 9-0 in this weight class, six-time defending World Champion. I’m daddy. These are my children. Come see me. You’ll see who the real Champion is.”
Davis, who represents Broward County, FL, is now 7-3-1 under the BKFC banner.
In the BKFC-70 co-main event, undefeated heavyweight sensation Leonardo “El Zambo” Perdomo needed just 13 seconds to steamroll former World Boxing Association champion Steve “Centurion” Herelius — good for the second fastest finish in the history of the BKFC heavyweight division.
Perdomo is now 7-0, with all of his victories coming by first-round finish. The fearsome Cuban-born Miami heavyweight attraction entered fight night as the #3 ranked contender in the fully loaded BKFC heavyweight division.
Perdomo had a simple message for undefeated BKFC Heavyweight World Champion “Big” Ben Rothwell — “Are you ready?”
The France-born Miami based fighter Herelius is now 1-2 in his BKFC career.
(Anthony “Lionheart” Garrett holds the record for the fastest finish in the history of the BKFC heavyweight division with his 12-second stoppage victory over Lavar Johnson at BKFC Fight Night: Los Angeles in November.)
Fighting in the BKFC-70 feature fight, Boca Raton, FL’s Justin “Joy Boy” Ibarrola cruised to 7-0 with a second-round knockout over Abdiel “The Nightmare” Velazquez in their action-packed bantamweight battle. Time of the stoppage was 1:27 into the second frame. Ibarrola logged a pair of knockdowns in the fight. The Puerto Rican-born, Spring Hill, FL product Velazquez is now 4-5 in his bare-knuckle fighting career.
Ibarrola, who entered fight night as the #1 ranked contender in the stacked BKFC bantamweight division, brushed aside the current BKFC Bantamweight World Champion Alberto “El Indio” Blas and declared himself as the top dog at 135 pounds in his post-fight interview.
“I’m the real (expletive) champion of this bantamweight division. I’m the most active fighter on the roster,” a fired-up Ibarrola told the sold-out Hard Rock. “I’m the first bantamweight to go 7-0. I’m undefeated. The real champ.”
Below are some highlights from BKFC Founder and President David Feldman and Conor McGregor at the post-event press conference with the media in attendance at Hard Rock Live.
Said Feldman: “I’m very, very happy about the result we had tonight. We sold out this venue for a record breaking tenth straight time. Perdomo wins knockout of the night again, the bare-knuckle Mike Tyson. He’s a new era in heavyweight combat sports.”
“Fight of the Night was the main event, with tremendous performances by Luis Palomino and Howard Davis.”
“This is as real as it gets”, stated McGregor. “This is the real game right here. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Nothing in combat sports comes close. BKFC is on top. We're on the rise. We've gone global. But make no mistake; Hollywood, FL is our home, and it's always great to be here on Thursday night.”
Fighter Awards for BKFC-70
Knockout of the Night: Leonardo Perdomo
Performance Bonuses: Justin Ibarrola and Peter Peraza
Fight of the Night: Luis Palomino vs. Howard Davis
Livonia, MI’s Justin “The Nightmare” Street earned his second BKFC victory with a technical knockout over the previously unbeaten Matt “Rambo” Russo in their bantamweight showdown. The doctor called a stop to the bout at the conclusion of the second round. Street is now 2-2 in the squared circle. The Broward County, FL product Russo is now 2-1.
Unbeaten Miami cruiserweight Julio “The Cuban Horse” Perez upped his BKFC record to 3-0 with a second-round stoppage over Lewis “Sweet Lew” Glover. Perez recorded a pair of knockdowns before the bout was stopped 1:15 into the second frame. Glover, who hails from Savannah, GA, is now 1-1.
Nicaraguan-born Miami featherweight Edgard “The Dream Killer” Plazaola smashed his way to 5-0 with a five-knockdown victory over former BKFC Featherweight World Title challenger Louie “El Loco” Lopez. The fight was stopped with 17 seconds left in the third round. The Missoula, MT-based Lopez is now 4-5.
Charleston, SC’s Roberto “El Gallo Negro” Armas scored his fifth BKFC victory with a hard-fought, unanimous decision over the previously undefeated Chris “Dynamite” Garcia in their highly entertaining bantamweight matchup. Two judges scored the fight 50-45 while one had it 48-47, all in favor of Armas, who was entering the BKFC ring for the ninth time. Garcia, who represents Clewiston, FL and entered the bout as the #4 ranked contender in the bantamweight division, is now 4-1.
Miami’s Peter “D2G” Peraza earned his second straight win and improved to 3-1 with a jaw-dropping knockout of Kaine Tomlinson Jr., in the third round of their action-packed welterweight matchup. Peraza sent Tomlinson Jr., to the canvas three times before the fight was stopped 37 seconds into the third frame. The Roanoke, VA-based Tomlinson Jr., is now 2-2.
Unbeaten Miami bantamweight AJ “The Biggest” Rodriguez improved to 3-0 with a third-round stoppage of Corey “Pitbull” Roberts. Time of the stoppage was 1:39 in the third stanza. The Omaha, NE product Roberts is now 1-2.
Ardmore, AL’s Bear “The Last Barbarian” Hill was victorious in his BKFC debut, stopping Nicholas “Chet Chino” Blume via technical knockout in their heavyweight matchup. Hill scored a knockdown in the second round before the ringside doctor called a halt to the bout at the conclusion of the third frame. Blume, who hails from Broward County, FL, is now 0-2.
Fort Myers, FL flyweight Jancarlos “Baby Hulk” Rivera turned heads in his BKFC debut with a unanimous decision victory over Albert “Trill Flight” Inclan. Two judges scored the contest 50-45 and one had it 49-46, all in favor of Rivera. Inclan, who represents Phoenix, AZ, moves to 1-4.
BKFC-70 Results
Luis Palomino def. Howard Davis via Unanimous Decision (49-46x2, 48-47)
Palomino wins inaugural BKFC King of the Streets Championship
Leonardo Perdomo def. Steve Herelius via KO in Round 1 (0:13)
Justin Ibarrola def. Abdiel Velazquez via KO in Round 2 (1:27)
Justin Street def. Matt Russo via TKO in Round 2 (2:00)
Julio Perez def. Lewis Glover via TKO in Round 2 (1:15)
Edgard Plazaola def. Louie Lopez via TKO in Round 3 (1:43)
Roberto Armas def. Chris Garcia via Unanimous Decision (50-45x2, 48-47)
Peter Peraza def. Kaine Tomlinson Jr. via KO in Round 3 (0:37)
AJ Rodriguez def. Corey Roberts via TKO in Round 3 (1:39)
Bear Hill def. Nicholas Blume via TKO in Round 3 (2:00)
Jancarlos Rivera def. Albert Inclan via Unanimous Decision (50-45x2, 49-46)
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Double B Sports
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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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