This Friday night, BKB Bare Knuckle returns to the Welsh capital of Cardiff.
The “City of Arcades” plays host to BKB for the third time in 2025.
Headlining the BKB Bare Knuckle 49 fight card is Wales’s own Liam “Rocky” Rees.
Rees, the reigning BKB World Super Welterweight Champion, makes his second title defence against top contender Rolando Dy.
The Swansea fighter won the title with a stoppage win over Scott McHugh last year. In April, Rees successfully defended the belt in Cardiff with a sixth-round TKO over veteran Martin Refell. The win improved Rees’s record to 5-0(3 KOs).
Dy (4-1, 4 KOs) made his BKB debut in September 2023 with a win over George Hillyard at the Indigo at the o2 in London.
The Filipino was outpointed by Refell in his next outing, but has rebounded with wins over Hayden Sherriff and Roberto Duran Jr to earn a title shot.
A veteran of 29 pro MMA fights including four in the UFC, Dy has shown a strong clinch game and solid punching power in his BKB appearances. Rees will have to be well prepared if he wants to retain his title in front of the Wales faithful.
Wales Well Represented at BKB 49
The BKB 49 co-main is a battle of unbeatens.
Wales’s Keiron Harding (2-0) takes on David Winiarski (3-0), a Pole fighting out of Scotland in a super middle/light heavy contest. Harding debuted with a first-round stoppage over veteran Jonny Lawson earlier this year.
Other Welsh standouts include former title challenger Kallum Skhane (2-1). Skhane will try to rebound after a title fight stoppage loss to BKB Junior Welterweight Champion Harry Giglotti. He’ll face veteran Simey Doherty (7-2).
Another former BKB title challenger and also a UFC veteran, Jack Marshman, fights in what is likely his last-ever professional fight. Marshman (2-2) collides with hardened vet Paul “The Soulsnatcher” Hilz (10-8).
Boxing veteran and chronic bleeder Dorian “Darkfruits” Darch (3-5) takes on prospect Troy Palmer (3-1). Both men have a common opponent in Ukraine’s Volodymyr Skurtu. Skurtu defeated Darch by infamous ear stoppage in the inaugural Cardiff Brawl event-covered by the tabloid The Sun. The Ukrainian stopped Palmer in one round this past February.
For updated fight card information, visit the BKB website.
How to Watch BKB 49: Dance of the Dragons
UK fans can catch the prelims on BKB’s YouTube Channel.
The Talksport Boxing YouTube Channel will stream the event live and free for UK fans. U.S. fans can watch on the Vice Sports channel.
Fans in the Cardiff area can catch the action live at the Vale Arena starting at 7pm. Tickets are available via Eventbrite.
