Jeremy Stephens embraced taking part in the spoiler within the BKFC KnuckleMania 5 predominant occasion after he scored two knockdowns and ended Eddie Alvarez’s homecoming after the previous UFC champion’s nook stopped the combat following the third spherical.
Realizing he was going to be the villain, Stephens leaned into that position all week lengthy, however as soon as the motion began, he confirmed that he was actually constructed for bare-knuckle preventing. Stephens confirmed no concern throwing down with Alvarez and his persistence paid off after he linked with a stiff punch within the third spherical that despatched the 41-year-old veteran all the way down to the canvas.
Alvarez received again to his ft however he was clearly rattled from the knockdown and Stephens smelled blood within the water. Simply earlier than the third spherical ended, Stephens blasted Alvarez with one other punch that dropped him to his knees.
It appeared momentarily that Alvarez would proceed however then his coaches determined sufficient was sufficient and stopped the combat with referee Dan Miragliotta waving off the primary occasion the official finish time coming at 5:00 following the third spherical.
Stephens threw his fingers up in celebration and admitted that it felt like the entire world was in opposition to him heading into Saturday evening.
“Years of being damaged,” Stephens answered when requested about what led him to this victory. “I misplaced so many instances within the UFC, like a thousand instances however I put myself again collectively like a 1,003 instances.
“My very own promoters have been in opposition to me. The entire metropolis was in opposition to me. [Conor] McGregor was in opposition to me. Mike Perry, everyone doubted me. Have a look at me now! Pay me my f*cking cash! Let’s go!
With over 50 skilled MMA fights on his resume, Stephens has seen all of it and completed nearly every little thing but it surely nearly appears like he was simply ready for the possibility to compete in bare-knuckle. The win on Saturday moved him to 3-0 in BKFC, however no efficiency was larger than stopping Alvarez in entrance of his hometown crowd at BKFC KnuckleMania V.
A second after he completed talking on the microphone, Stephens received the possibility to come back face-to-face with BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor, who has acknowledged quite a few instances that he plans on competing in bare-knuckle earlier than his preventing profession is over.
After all these two have a shared historical past after Stephens referred to as himself the true hardest-hitting featherweight within the sport in the course of the UFC 205 press convention in 2016 and McGregor answered again with a hilarious response saying “who the f*ck is that man?”
That second has adopted these two ever since however now it seems McGregor may truly wish to learn the way exhausting Stephens truly hits after the in-ring confrontation.
“Who the f*ck is that this man?” McGregor mentioned to Stephens. “Let’s set a date. Who’s going to cease me man to man? Nobody’s going to cease me. Dave [Feldman], make a date, let’s do it. I’m down for it bro.”
As a lot as McGregor may need the combat, he stays underneath contract to the UFC, and the promotion only in the near past nixed his plans to pursue a boxing match in opposition to Logan Paul so it appears extremely unlikely Dana White would log off on a bare-knuckle brawl with Stephens.
That mentioned, McGregor’s presence instructions an viewers and his faceoff with Stephens ended up stealing the present on maybe the largest evening in BKFC historical past.
