Ja'Far Fortt feels right at home in the BKFC Squared Circle because he’s been fighting most of his life.

From slap boxing as a youngster on the streets of Stamford, CT, to battling it out on the gridiron and eventually entering the MMA cage, Fortt has always had an affinity for action and intensity. In other words, he’s a perfect fit for BKFC.

“Ever since I was a kid I’ve been a fighter, and that’s exactly what BKFC is – a fight,” the 33-year-old Fortt “Knox” says. “I’ve always been a standup fighter, so I fit in this sport perfectly.”

And that’s exactly what Fortt’s record indicates after his first two trips to the Squared Circle. He needed just 20 seconds to win his BKFC debut in November, and he followed that up with a third-round stoppage victory over fellow top prospect Tim Hester on Friday at BKFC 47 in Lakeland, FL.

Bare knuckle fighting is a far cry from slap boxing, football or even MMA. It takes a special type of person to climb the ranks in BKFC, and Fortt says that’s embedded in his DNA. The fast-rising welterweight also has an exceptional team at Shift MMA in Tampa, FL to help nurture it.

“Deep down I’m a dog,” he says.

“But that’s only one side of it – the other side of it is the support and the energy that I’m surrounded by.”

Fortt wants to keep the good times rolling and return to action as early as BKFC 48 on Aug. 11 in Albuquerque, NM or BKFC 49 on Aug. 25 in Miami, if there’s an opening on one of those cards.

He’s staying ready because he has big goals with BKFC, the world’s fastest growing combat sports promotion.

“I’m a champion. I believe I’m a champion," he says. "I’m going for the belt, and that’s exactly what I'm going to do."