UFC veteran Chris Camozzi spectacularly knocked out Sawyer Depee to win the BKFC Cruiserweight Title before a lively hometown crowd. The bout headlined BKFC 67 Friday at the Denver Coliseum in Denver, USA.
Camozzi (3-1, 3 KOs) had the edge early in the first and final round, landing a couple of good right uppercuts in the clinch.
Depee pressed the action, with the taller southpaw Camozzi looking to time him.
Around halfway through round one, the fighters exchanged. Camozzi followed Depee out and connected with a huge right hook that turned Depee around. The onetime Montana collegiate wrestler crashed to the canvas face-first, with referee Andrew Glenn waving off the bout as Depee lay prone. The blow caught Depee square on the nose, explaining his dramatic and painful reaction.
“Denver, I’m a world champ,” yelled Camozzi in the postfight interview with BKFC’s Cyrus Fees.
“No, I can’t put it into words, man. This is probably the best night of my career ever,” said Camozzi.
Camozzi was joined in the postfight interview by UFC legend Chuck Lidell, who was part of his corner team.
It was a feelgood moment watching the 37-year-old bask in the cheers of the hometown crowd. Camozzi has fought professionally since 2006, competing in the UFC, PFL, Glory Kickboxing and of course BKFC, an upstart league that is rapidly growing.
VanCamp Jumps Up Welterweight Ladder with Win over Girtz
In the BKFC 67 co-main event, Cameron “Jumpman” VanCamp leaped into title contention with an upset split decision over fellow MMA veteran Brandon Girtz.
Conventional wisdom was the hard-hitting Girtz would get to VanCamp sooner or later. But VanCamp had other ideas.
Girtz had the edge early, rushing forward with powerful right-left combinations. A Girtz right grazed VanCamp’s jaw in the first round.
VanCamp settled into the fight, and scored well at long range, timing Girtz on his entries at times.
Both men were cut, with Girtz’s face indicating he was getting the worst of the battle.
Girtz pressed in round five looking to sway the fight in his favour. VanCamp answered back, and probably stole the round with some clean punches before the final bell.
Two judges scored the fight 48-46 for VanCamp. The dissenting judge seemed off the mark with a 49-46 tally for Girtz.
BKFC 67 Results
Hasan Al-Ghanim def. Dusty Spark-Unanimous Decision
Nash Diederichs def. Ruben Arroyo-TKO Round 1
Andrew Yates def. Jordann Christensen-Unanimous Decision
Andrew Strode def. Chancey Wilson-TKO Round 3
Kat Paprocki def. Sydney Smith-TKO Round 4
Dylan Schulte def. Derek PerezTKO Round 2
Ramiro Figueroa def. Ishiah Carson-TKO Round 1
Marcus Edwards def. Pat Casey-Unanimous Decision
Cameron VanCamp def. Brandon Girtz-Split Decision
BKFC 67 Main Event
Chris Camozzi def. Sawyer Depee-KO Round 1 (Camozzi Wins BKFC World Cruiserweight Title)
All Photos Courtesy of Phil Lambert/BKFC
