Eddie Alvarez and Jeremy Stephens are about to show the “Metropolis of Brotherly Love” into the “Metropolis of No Gloves.”
(I’m so sorry.)
Philadelphia hosts the BFKC ring for the primary time when Wells Fargo Area hosts the promotion’s KnuckleMania 5 occasion, which airs stay on DAZN at 8 p.m. ET. Alvarez has waited years to struggle in his hometown once more, and he’s been given a recreation opponent in fellow former MMA standout Jeremy Stephens. “The Underground King” has the house crowd behind him, however Stephens is thought for his ferocious knockout energy and he appears to be like to go 3-0 underneath the BKFC banner.
MMA Preventing’s bare-knuckle boys Alexander Okay. Lee, Damon Martin, and Jed Meshew bought collectively to foretell the highest 3 fights on the cardboard, which additionally consists of heavyweight champion Mick Terrill defending in opposition to Ben Rothwell, and flyweight stars Taylor Starling and Bec Rawlings squaring off.
Eddie Alvarez vs. Jeremy Stephens
Martin: This simply appears like a basic BKFC struggle with pleasure written throughout it. Eddie Alvarez hardly ever engages in a boring struggle and always remember Jeremy Stephens is the true hardest-hitting fighter within the sport. These two are going to get loopy, in all probability in a rush, and there’s an opportunity this turns right into a five-round brawl or maybe doesn’t make it previous the primary minute of the opening spherical.
That stated, Alvarez is combating at dwelling in Philadelphia for the primary time in practically 15 years, and with restricted time left in his profession, it’s robust to think about him shedding in entrance of this crowd. Alvarez has the scale, energy, and sturdiness to throw palms with nearly anyone, and it’s doubtless he places Stephens away following a bloody battle.
Choose: Alvarez by way of KO, Spherical 4
Meshew: One in all my favourite issues about BKFC is how little I’ve to consider it. BKFC is that man you already know who every time he’s within the group, he’s a good time, however you by no means hang around with individually. All of us love that man, he’s the lifetime of the social gathering, and a key participant to good instances. However we don’t need to dive deep into his psyche.
That’s BKFC for me. I don’t need to suppose too laborious about bare-knuckle fights between previous canines, I simply need the vibes. And the vibes on Saturday in Philly are undoubtedly going to be for town’s favourite son, “The Underground King,” Eddie Alvarez. Eddie by basic Eddie knife-fight.
Choose: Alvarez by way of TKO, Spherical 3
Lee: Put these two in an MMA struggle, it’s Alvarez all the way in which. Naked-knuckle guidelines, although? Give me Stephens over just about anyone.
Stephens was born for this. Whereas he wasn’t terrible at mixing the martial arts, my assumption has all the time been that he solely did it as a result of the pay was good, he may additionally kick folks within the head, and he may additionally punch folks on the bottom. Naked-knuckle boxing may solely fulfill a type of itches in the intervening time, nevertheless it’s additionally the purest type of punching folks actually laborious, and Stephens is all about that.
Alvarez may get forward on the playing cards early with a extra tactical method, however when it comes right down to it, this one goes to return down to wreck and Alvarez can’t outlast Stephens in that division. Search for Stephens to have a breakthrough third spherical, additional put on Alvarez down within the fourth, after which end within the ultimate body.
Choose: Stephens by way of TKO, Spherical 5
Mick Terrill vs. Ben Rothwell
Lee: We stay in a lovely world the place 40-plus heavyweights Mick Terrill and Ben Rothwell have a outstanding place on a significant struggle card. BKFC, you might be giving life.
The champ has a mountain to climb within the hulking and unorthodox Rothwell. Like Stephens, Rothwell has discovered a house for himself in bare-knuckle, although he doesn’t have the identical fame for one-punch knockouts. Moderately, he makes use of his size properly, he has good timing, and he’s bought first rate cardio for man his measurement, particularly while you’re speaking two-minute rounds.
However let’s give Terrill his respect. He’s been grinding away at this bare-knuckle factor since 2016 and has seemed like a deserving champion in his two title fights up to now. He has the sting in motion, which can make all of the distinction as he frustrates Rothwell whereas choosing him aside early, ready patiently to unleash the heavy artillery. And when he does, Mount Rothwell goes down.
Choose: Terrill by way of knockout, Spherical 2
Martin: Rothwell has been champing on the bit for this struggle since he arrived in BKFC and now he’s lastly getting it. Making the transfer to bare-knuckle has been nothing however useful for the 43-year-old heavyweight as a result of he’s not placing his physique by way of hell for an MMA coaching camp and the outcomes have proven. Rothwell is 3-0 in BKFC with three stoppages, however he hasn’t confronted anybody with Terrill’s expertise but.
Terrill is a real veteran of the bare-knuckle recreation with 11 fights on his résumé, however he by some means stays one of the vital unassuming champions on the roster. He’s deceptively quick, and hits like a truck, plus he’s proven superb endurance for a heavyweight. However Rothwell nonetheless has extra huge struggle expertise and he’s been clamoring for this chance for therefore lengthy it’s robust to see him letting this title slip by him. Nothing goes to return simple, however Rothwell has no downside taking a punch to present again two of his personal.
Choose: Rothwell by way of KO, Spherical 2
Meshew: Once more, I’m right here for the vibes, and few males in fight sports activities deliver higher vibes than Large Ben. The person just isn’t solely the King of Kenosha, he’s the king of our hearts. Rothwell has excessive teddy bear power, even when he’s cackling maniacally like Darth Vader, and whereas Terrill is the extra completed BKFC fighter, he’s nonetheless only a man. What kind of man may fist struggle a bear and win? Khabib retired, so nobody is the reply.
Rothwell by way of lummoxing.
Choose: Rothwell by way of KO, Spherical 2
Taylor Starling vs. Bec Rawlings
Meshew: I do know Bec Rawlings is fashionable however, uh, is she truly good? She underachieved in MMA after which coming over to BKFC it appeared like this ought to be an ideal match, besides after her robust begin she’s misplaced three in a row. Certain, it’s to good opponents however you already know what we used to name individuals who misplaced three in a row rising up? Losers.
That being stated, Taylor Starling isn’t precisely lighting the world on fireplace both. Although she has gained not too long ago not less than, she’s additionally been run over by the identical ladies who stomped Rawlings. To me that signifies it is a coin flip contest, so I made a decision the violence gods may select: I flipped a coin and Starling got here up heads.
Choose: Starling by way of unanimous determination
Martin: It appears like a lifetime in the past that Rawlings was touted because the “Queen of Naked-Knuckle” as a result of she was arguably BKFC’s first actual star after she signed there following a profession spent primarily within the UFC. Rawlings amassed a stable following, however then a dispute with the promotion led to her exit and he or she successfully pale into obscurity once more whereas the ladies’s division flourished with fighters like Christine Ferea and Britain Hart main the way in which.
However anytime she’s set foot within the BKFC ring, Rawlings likes to placed on a present. Starling is greater than able to doing the identical, however a lot of her largest fights have been marked by the immense quantity of harm she absorbs. Starling is harder than a $2 steak so she will preserve this shut however Rawlings has historically proven to be the higher bare-knuckle boxer. That ought to make the distinction on this one.
Choose: Rawlings by way of unanimous determination
Lee: “Rowdy,” it’s time to finish this hunch.
As Damon factors out, Starling tends to get pierced up one thing fierce in her fights and a scrap with Rawlings isn’t more likely to buck that development. Rawlings doesn’t have the facility of Ferea, however she loves closing the gap and making fights soiled, which hasn’t all the time labored out nice for Starling. “Killa Bee” is at her greatest when she will work her jab to arrange more durable photographs, a method that Rawlings gained’t give her room to implement.
Rawlings ought to be on the offensive from minute one, leading to a enjoyable back-and-forth contest, with Starling finally having to be saved by a physician within the third.
Choose: Rawlings by way of reduce stoppage, Spherical 3
