TWO BKFC WORLD TITLE BOUTS STEAL THE SHOW AT SECOND HISTORIC EVENT IN DUBAI
Click Here for BKFC-72 Fight Photos / BKFC
Click Here for Jessica Borga's Devastating First Round Knockout of Hannah Rankin / BKFC
Dubai, UAE (April 5, 2025) A pair of thrilling Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World Title matchups headlined BKFC 72 on Saturday in the second night of BKFC’s ground-breaking, two-night Dubai premiere at the sold-out Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium.
BKFC 71 and BKFC 72 aired LIVE globally on The BKFC App.
The undefeated “King” Kai Stewart defended his BKFC Featherweight World Title for the fourth time and smashed his way to 8-0 with a dominant decision over previously unbeaten South African challenger Tommy “The Farmer” Strydom in the BKFC 72 Main Event.
All three ringside judges agreed on the 50-43 verdict after the Great Falls, MT product Stewart dropped Strydom twice.
“I’m going to do whatever I want to do,” the fan-favorite Stewart told the rocking Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium after his win, hinting at a possible title run in a different BKFC weight class. “I cleaned out the 145-pound division. I break everybody!”
Strydom is now 4-1 in his BKFC career.
The unbeaten Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga needed just 32 seconds to win the inaugural BKFC Women’s Featherweight World Title with a jaw-dropping, one-punch KO over Hannah “The Classical Warrior” Rankin in the BKFC 72 Co-Main Event.
The hard-hitting St. Petersburg, FL fighter is now 3-0 under the BKFC banner after defeating the Scottish superstar Rankin, a former professional gloved boxing champion under the World Boxing Association and International Boxing Organization banners.
“I’m the one and only Jessica Borga, and I’m only getting more dangerous. I don’t care who you are; send me anybody,” a fired-up Borga told the sold-out Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. “I’m here to stay, baby.”
Rankin is now 1-1 in her BKFC career.
Spain’s Nico “The Iron” Gaffie scored a major upset over the red-hot Brandon “Superman” Allen in the BKFC 72 Feature Fight. Now 2-0 after Saturday’s win, Gaffie sent Allen, the #2 Ranked Contender in the BKFC men’s featherweight division, to the canvas four times en route to the fourth-round technical victory. The bout was called to a stop with one second left in the fourth frame. The St. Petersburg, FL-based Allen is now 5-2 under the BKFC banner after bringing a five-fight winning streak into Saturday’s action.
BKFC Partner Conor McGregor spoke with Cyrus Fees during the broadcast.
“I’m so proud of our warriors and our combatants — win, lose or draw — who have put on an amazing spectacle across this two-day extravaganza in Dubai,” McGregor said. “I hope the people here enjoyed the show and (I give) maximum, maximum respect to the fighters who put it all on the line for our entertainment.”
Russian Vladislav Tuinov turned heads in his BKFC debut, needing just 26 seconds to knockout Sabri Ben Henia of Belgium in welterweight action. Henia was also making his BKFC debut.
Wales’ John Phillips was victorious in his BKFC debut, defeating fellow UFC veteran Fabio Maldonado in their cruiserweight matchup. Phillips sent Maldonado to the canvas twice before the bout was called to a stop 29 seconds into the second round. The Brazilian Maldonado was also making his BKFC debut.
Aaron Chalmers stopped Chasa Symonds in the third round of their battle of English welterweights. Chalmers sent Symonds to the canvas twice, paving the way for the stoppage victory 16 seconds into the third frame. Chalmers was making his BKFC debut; Symonds is now 0-2 under the BKFC banner.
Iran’s Hassan Yousefi kicked off the BKFC 72 Main Card with a hard-fought decision victory over Brazilian Guto Inocente in their heavyweight showdown. Two judges scored the contest 50-45 and one had it 49-46, all in favor of the debuting Yousefi. Inocente was also making his BKFC debut.
Kazakh featherweight Dilshat Nurym and Filipino lightweight Mark Angel Sadang kicked off the BKFC 72 Prelims with back-to-back, first-round stoppages over Russian Shamil Dzhakhbarov and Iranian Matin Safari, respectively. Nurym logged a pair of knockdowns before winning by technical knockout at the 1:23 mark. Sadang also recorded two knockdowns en route to the 87-second victory. All four fighters were making their BKFC debut.
BKFC 72 Results
Kai Stewart def. Tommy Strydom via Unanimous Decision (50-43x3)
Defends BKFC World Men’s Featherweight Title
Jessica Borga def. Hannah Rankin via KO in Round 1 (0:32)
Wins inaugural BKFC World Women’s Featherweight Title
Nico Gaffie def. Brandon Allen via TKO in Round 4 (1:59)
Vladislav Tuinov def. Sabri Ben Henia via KO in Round 1 (0:26)
John Phillips def. Fabio Maldonado via KO in Round 2 (0:29)
Aaron Chalmers def. Chasa Symonds via TKO in Round 3 (0:16)
Hassan Yousefi def. Guto Inocente via Unanimous Decision (50-45x2, 49-46)
Mark Angel Sadang def. Matin Safari via KO in Round 1 (1:27)
Dilshat Nurym def. Shamil Dzhakhbarov via TKO in Round 1 (1:23)
Media Contact/Credentials
Bernie Bahrmasel
Double B Sports
Phone: + 1 773 592-2986
Email: BernieBahrmasel@yahoo.com
Twitter: @BernieBahrmasel
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.
