Two Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World Titles were on the line at BKFC 71 on Friday when the world’s fastest growing combat sports promotion broke historic new ground in The United Arab Emirates. 

Friday’s action from the sold-out Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium in Dubai aired LIVE worldwide on The BKFC App and sets the stage for BKFC 72, which takes place Saturday, also LIVE exclusively on The BKFC App from the legendary Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.

In the BKFC 71 Main Event, BKFC World Welterweight Champion Austin “No Doubt” Trout edged out the previously undefeated Carlos Trinidad-Snake with a split-decision victory, defending his belt for the second time and improving to 4-0 in the process.

Trout, who hails from Houston, TX, picked himself up off the canvas in the opening round. A very rare overtime round was needed to decide the hotly anticipated matchup after the action-packed bout ended as a draw after five rounds.

Two judges scored the six-round bout in favor of Trout (57-56, 58-55), while one had it 58-55 for Trinidad-Snake.

“I expected (a tough fight), but I didn’t think he was going to do it. Shoutout to Carlos, man. He came and fought his (expletive) off. He had a good game plan and made me change my game plan. All respect to him, but I’m still here. I’m still the Champion,” Trout, a former World Boxing Association champion, told the jam-packed Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.

Trinidad-Snake, who represents Omaha NE, is now 6-1 in his BKFC career.‍

Britain Hart added to her legendary resume by defending her BKFC World Women’s Strawweight Title for a fourth time with a hard-fought decision victory over Tai Emery in the BKFC 71 Co-Main Event.

Hart is now 10-3 on the strength of six straight wins in the BKFC Squared Circle. She is now tied with BKFC World Women’s Flyweight Champion Christine “Misfit” Ferea for most all-time victories amongst female BKFC combatants. 

“I’m the best. I did it. I’ve proven it, and I’ve earned it,” Hart told the sold-out Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. “I haven’t asked for anything; I’ve earned what I’ve got. I want to earn your respect and love; that’s why I’m here. I’m here for a reason!”

Two judges scored the contest 48-47 and one scored the bout 50-45, all in favor of the Danville, VA product Hart.

Emery, an Australian based in Dubai, is now 2-2 in her BKFC career.

The debuting Jonny “El Toro” Tello and the unbeaten Sabah “The Sleek Sheik” Homasi delivered a frontrunner for “Fight of the Year” with their middleweight barnburner in the BKFC 71 Feature Fight. 

After losing the opening two rounds, the Thailand-based Canadian Tello rallied with a pair of knockdowns that paved the way for a highly entertaining, come-from-behind win over Homasi. Two judges scored the fight 48-45 and one had it 47-46, all in favor of Tello.

“They call me ‘El Toro’ for a reason. I’m a bull, man,” Tello told the Dubai faithful. “I knew coming out here would change my life. I knew that I was going to leave this fight as a winner. Even if I lost, I knew it was going to be the Fight of the Night.”

Homasi, an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) vet out of Coconut Creek, FL, is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner.

BKFC Founder/President David Feldman and BKFC Partner Conor McGregor spoke with BKFC Presenter Cyrus Fees during the broadcast.

Feldman: “The Middle East has become a hub of combat sports, and we want to help make Dubai the capital of combat sports in the Middle East. The fans here in Dubai are crazy!”

McGregor: “Have you ever seen anything like this in your life? From the featherweights to the heavyweights, our fighters bring it. Knockout after knockout. This sport is incredible. The pace, the energy, the action; bare knuckle is unmatched.”

Brazi’s Geronimo “Mondragon” Dos Santos introduced himself in style to the BKFC heavyweight division with a jaw-dropping, first-round KO over 17-time UFC vet Alexey “The Boa Constrictor” Oleinik. Time of the stoppage was 1:49 in the first round. The Russian Oleinik is now 0-1 under the BKFC banner.‍

Adel “Kyokushin” Altamimi turned heads in his BKFC debut as the Los Angeles, CA-based Iraqi fighter sent the previously unbeaten David Mora to the canvas three times in their welterweight battle. The KO stoppage came at the 1:28 mark in the third round. Mora, who represents Spain, is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner.

Egypt’s Ahmed Khairy recorded three knockdowns en route to the TKO over Brazilian Leandro Martins in their lightweight showdown. The ringside physician called a stop to the bout at the 1:01 mark of the third round. Both fighters were stepping into the BKFC Squared Circle for the first time. 

Bulgarian middleweight Mladen Iliev smashed his way to 2-0 under the BKFC banner by knocking out debuting Algerian fighter Aboubkeur Houari. The stoppage came 23 seconds into the second round.

Egypt’s Mohamed “Flex” Aly dropped Jaskaran Singh twice en route to the first-round TKO victory in their heavyweight matchup. Time of the stoppage was 59 seconds into the first round. Both fighters were making their BKFC debut.

Egyptian bantamweight Mahmoud Ahmed improved to 2-0 with a split-decision victory over debuting Russian fighter Fuad “The Flash” Tarverdi. Each fighter scored a knockdown in the action-packed matchup. Two judges scored the fight 47-46 for Ahmed, while one scored it 47-46 for Tarverdi.

Azerbaijan’s Elnur “The Conqueror” Suleymanov was victorious in his BKFC debut, stopping Germany’s Lucas “The Dentist” Sontgen via KO in their middleweight showdown. The bout was called to a stop 14 seconds into the second round. Sontgen was also making his BKFC debut.

In the first BKFC bout in UAE history, Chechnya’s Islam Sizbulatov needed just 40 seconds and a single knockdown to stop Leang Cheng of Cambodia in lightweight action. Both combatants were making their BKFC debut.‍

BKFC 71 Results‍

(C) Austin Trout def. Carlos Trinidad-Snake via Split Decision (58-55, 55-58, 57-56)‍

Defends BKFC World Welterweight Title‍

(C) Britain Hart def. Tai Emery via Unanimous Decision (48-47x2, 50-45)‍

Defends BKFC World Women’s Strawweight Title‍

Jonny Tello def. Sabah Homasi via Unanimous Decision (48-45x2, 47-46)

Geronimo Dos Santos def. Alexey Oleinik via KO in Round 1 (1:49)

Adel Altamimi def. David Mora via KO in Round 3 (1:28)

Ahmed Khairy def. Leandro Martins via TKO in Round 3 (1:01)

Mladen Iliev def. Aboubkeur Houari via KO in Round 2 (0:23)

Mohamed Aly def. Jaskaran Singh via TKO in Round 1 (0:59)

Mahmoud Ahmed def. Fuad Tarverdi via Split Decision (47-46x2, 46-47)

Elnur Suleymanov def. Lucas Sontgen via KO in Round 2 (0:14)

Islam Sizbulatov def. Leang Cheng via KO in Round 1 (0:40)