Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship returned to Edmonton, Canada for a BKFC Prospects event.
It was an entertaining night of bare knuckle action, with local Edmonton fighters shining.
Robert Desharnais (2-0) defeated Glendel Futrell(0-4) in the featherweight opener in just 23 seconds.
The two fighters worked their jabs before clinching. Futrell’s left shoulder looked to have popped out of place during the clinch. He complained to the ref, and the the fight was stopped on the ringside doctor’s advice.
Matt Socholotiuk (2-0) def. Nash Diedrichs (0-0)-KO Round 1 (Body Shot)
Diedrich started fast, looping right hands to close the distance.
Socholotiuk crashed a right into his face while they exchanged, dropping the newcomer.
The heavily tattooed Socholotiuk smelled blood. He attacked, dropping Diedrichs twice more with body shots. Diedrichs couldn’t beat the referee’s ten count after the second knockdown. Official time was 1 minute 50 seconds of round one.
Kimani Crawford (1-0) def. Danasabe Mohammed (0-2)-Unanimous Decision
Crawford, a local fighter with an amateur boxing background, grinded out a unanimous points win over the tough Mohammed. Official scores were 49-46 twice and 50-45.
Crawford & Mohammed just THREW DOWN 😱 #BKFCEDMONTON | STREAMING FREE on BKFC App NOW! pic.twitter.com/K39DEktFuQ
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) September 1, 2024
Kayden Giroux (0-0) def. Trevor Bozniak (0-1)-TKO Round 1 (Injury)
Next up was a cruiserweight match up between debuting locals. Bozniak resides in nearby Calgary, while the 20-year-old Giroux is from Edmonton.
Seconds in, Giroux dropped Bozniak with a right hook to the chin. Bozniak’s ankle popped out of place as he landed. Giroux checked his hair on the arena big screen as the referee counted.
The ref waved off the count at the 10-second mark, after Bozniak told him he was hurt.
How did he just snap his foot back like nothing happened 🤔#BKFCEDMONTON | STREAMING FREE on BKFC App NOW! pic.twitter.com/szyFJXeDmB
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) September 1, 2024
Alexandra Delgado Lopez (1-0) def. Jessica Ruiz (0-1)-TKO Round 2
The debuting female strawweights fought an intense battle.
Much of the fight took place in the clinch, with the stronger Delgado Lopez getting the better of the action. She landed some hard fists to the body on the inside.
In round two, the inside war continued. Both womens’ faces showed the effects of battle. Ruiz had a hematoma on her forehead while Alexandra Lopez’s face swelled under her right eye.
Alexandra Lopez started teeing off on a tiring Ruiz. With Ruiz not returning fire, referee Andy Social stepped in to save her at the 1 minute 32 second mark.
Caeden Scott (1-0) def Daniel Godoy (0-1)-Unanimous Decision
Edmonton teenager Scott shined in his BKFC debut. The 19-year-old showed good boxing skills in outpointing the tough Godoy. Official scores were 48-46 twice and 49-45.
Most of the bout was fought on the outside. Scott did the better scoring although Godoy landed some clean jabs. Scott dropped Godoy in round four.
Taylor Bull (2-0) def. Christopher Hamlett (0-1)-KO Round 1
The Edmonton crowd roared with delight after hometown lad Bull’s devasting knockout over visiting American Hamlett.
Bull is unusually tall for a light heavyweight, towering above opponents at 6 feet 5 inches (195.58 cm).
Hamlett tried to get inside. He was dropped by a Bull right during an early exchange.
Bull finished him off with another right, taunting Hamlett as he crashed to the canvas. Official time was 1 minute and 5 seconds of round one.
GOOD LORD 😳 TAYLOR BULL Made the Forged Irish Stout Crafted Replay with that!! #BKFCEDMONTON | STREAMING FREE on BKFC App NOW! pic.twitter.com/qKXIQqY4ta
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) September 1, 2024
Bohdan Kotok (1-0) def. Jonathan Miller (2-2)-KO Round 1
Miller crashed distance against the taller Kotok, a Ukrainian now residing in Canada.
He soon got caught and knocked down. Kotok dropped Miller again, and the American fighter was counted out after 1 minute and 2 seconds of round one of the heavyweight bout.
Chad Lucanas (2-0) def. Zach Pannell (1-2)-KO Round 1
Lucanas is another local fighter who impressed.
A southpaw, Lucanas landed a good left to the body. The two fighters traded rights, with Lucanas’s right hook dropping Pannell.
Pannell was still hurt when he got up. A Lucanas left downstairs dropped Pannell again. He told the referee he’d had enough.
Hasan Al-Ghanim (2-0) def. Ryan Ibsen (1-1)-TKO Round 1
Height isn’t everything.
Montana’s Ibsen had an eight-inch height advantage over Al-Ghanim, an Iraq native fighting out of Edmonton.
Al Ghanim had advantages in quickness and skill, knocking Ibsen down three times before the fight was stopped.
Official time was 1 minute 13 seconds of the first round.
Drew Stuve (2-0) def. Sonny Smith (2-2)-TKO Round 2
The BKFC Edmonton main event between Stuve and Smith thrilled attending fans and the global viewing audience.
The two welterweights traded bombs early. Smith went down from a Stuve counter right.
Seconds later, a Smith right caused Stuve’s knee to touch the canvas.
The action continued, with Smith knocking Stuve down late in the round with a three-punch combination.
Stuve landed some good punches before the round ended. The two fighters smiled and touched hands as they walked to their corners.
In round two, Stuve took over, knocking the game Smith down 3 times before the fight was called off.
Stuve improved to 2-0 in BKFC. The Edmonton fighter may have earned a bout with a ranked contender after the impressive win.
THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT FOR DREW STUVE 📝#BKFCEDMONTON pic.twitter.com/jduHXsRuOS
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) September 1, 2024
