Sam Shewmaker Secures Split Decision Victory Over Maurice Jackson 

Arnold Adams Stops Joey Beltran in the Fifth Round

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Credit: Phil Lambert/BKFC

BILOXI, MS (August 25, 2018) – “Queen of Bare Knuckle” Bec Rawlings defeated Britain Hart by split decision (50-45, 49-45, 48-47) as Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) returned on Saturday with “BKFC 2: A New Era” from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi and live on pay-per-view.

“I don’t think it was a split decision,” said Rawlings. “When I signed on to fight for BKFC they sent us the rules and they said you can’t run from your opponent. You have to engage. You have to toe the line. That’s where they want the action to happen and you’ll lose points if you don’t obey those rules. So, I definitely was the one pushing the pace tonight. I was in the center the whole time and I landed the harder shots.”

After her win over Alma Garcia at BKFC 1, Rawlings was rewarded the National Police Gazette women’s bare knuckle boxing belt. With the win on Saturday, Rawlings retained her title.

“Capturing my bare knuckle title and now defending it has been such an honor,” added Rawlings. “When I first got into bare knuckle I had no idea the history and everything. I just thought it was a new and fun way to test myself. Then I got this belt after my win at the first show and I found out what a huge deal this is.”

Rawlings concluded, “I’m healthy thankfully. My hands were actually more swollen after my first bare knuckle fight. I’ll probably be good to go again in December, but I’m the champion and I’m here to fight whoever they put in front of me.”

The first of two heavyweight tournament semi-final bouts saw thunderous exchanges as Arnold Adams stopped Joey Beltran :09 into the fifth frame. An extremely calm and collected Adams controlled much of the action.

“I knew I would get the win. I wasn’t really worried about Beltran, he’s had a lot of battles,” said Adams. “I just don’t think he has this in him anymore, but he has heart and he showed it tonight that he wants to compete. I’m hungry though, he’s been to the top and competed on some big shows. I haven’t quite gotten there yet, but this is my time and I’m going to seize the moment.”

In the opening round, Adams cut Beltran over his left eye. As the end of the fourth round neared, Adams landed another devastating blow that further opened the cut, forcing the ringside doctor to stop the fight.

“I cut him in the first round, but that last jab that cut him I saw the blood pouring out around his eye,” added Adams. “Like a shark, I locked in on him. I was licking my lips, my eyes got big and I did what I needed to get the win.”

In the second heavyweight tournament semi-final, Sam Shewmaker defeated Maurice Jackson by split decision (49-45, 48-45, 48-46).

“I was trying to get inside and go to work, but he just wanted to keep wrapping me up,” said Shewmaker. “His style really prevented me from using my game plan. Every time I went inside he’d clinch. It was very frustrating. And it’s hard to work from a distance with a guy that’s so tall.”

Jackson did manage to land some clean shots, catching Shewmaker with a left hook that dropped him in the second round.

“He got me with some good shots, one kind of behind my head that knocked me down, but I just popped back up and kept fighting,” added Shewmaker. “The knockdown didn’t really bother me, just knocked me a little off balance. I felt fine shortly after.”

The wins by Adams and Shewmaker set up the finals of the heavyweight tournament with the pair expected to face each other at BKFC 3.

“It’s time to turn it up,” said Adams. “Sam Shewmaker has power in both hands, but I’m ready for anyone.”

“I expect fireworks when I face Adams,” said Shewmaker. “He has a good jab, but I have a good jab too and I like to bang. So, it should make for a great matchup in the finals.”

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About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

On June 2, 2018, Philadelphia-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made combat sports history when it promoted the first legal, sanctioned and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. “BKFC 1: The Beginning” took place in Cheyenne, Wyoming and featured 10 professional bouts, all under the auspices and control of the Wyoming Combative Sports Commission.

BKFC uses only established fighters who have previously competed professionally in boxing, MMA, kickboxing and/or Muay Thai. All BKFC bouts are sanctioned and regulated by ABC member Athletic Commissions.

For more information visit www.bareknuckle.tv or follow on Twitter at @BareKnuckleFC, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/bareknucklefc and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bareknucklefc.

BILOXI, MS. (August 23, 2018) – After successfully holding the first legal, regulated and sanctioned bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889 in June, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) returns this Saturday, August 25 with “BKFC 2: A New Era” from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi and live on pay-per-view.

Fighters entering the ring for Saturday’s event spoke to media Thursday at Harrah’s Gulf Coast in Biloxi to talk about BKFC, their respective showdowns and more two days before the monumental fight night.

Saturday matchups will feature “Queen of Bare Knuckle” Bec Rawlings and pro boxer Britain Hart, who meet in a 125-pound clash, “Ultimate Fighter” season three winner Kendall Grove and Bruce Abramski, who compete in a 185-pound bout and pro MMA and boxing veteran Chris Lytle and Drew Lipton, who will square-off in a 175-pound fight.

BKFC 2 will also see the semi-finals of the BKFC heavyweight tournament featuring Sam Shewmaker taking on Maurice Jackson and Arnold Adamsfacing Joey Beltran. In addition, fans will be treated to local attraction and Gulfport Police Officer Harris Stephenson, who battles Jorge Gonzalez in a 170-pound match.

Tickets are available now exclusively at www.bareknuckle.tv ranging from $35 to $250. “BKFC 2: A New Era” will be broadcast across the United States and Canada, exclusively on pay-per-view through MultiVision Media, Inc., on all major television and streaming distribution outlets for $29.95.

Here are what press conference participants had to say Thursday:

BEC RAWLINGS

“Training in California was great to just get acclimated to the time change and the weather, because it’s winter in Australia. We went back to my old gym, Alliance MMA, and just finished off camp there. It was a really good finish to the camp. We had time to not feel rushed and get into fight mode.

“My opponent is very confident, just from what I’ve seen of her today she’s very confident in her skill set. But, I feel like confidence sometimes is the downfall of people. I don’t think she realizes this is bare knuckle boxing. This is not professional boxing, we don’t have gloves on and you can’t get away with the stuff that you can get away with in normal boxing. I think it’s going to take me punching her in the face to realize that.

“I definitely feel like I have the edge, I have the experience not only in MMA with the small gloves but experience with having my debut on BKFC 1. I don’t think it’ll make it past the third round.

“Having the bare knuckle experience is a huge advantage. I went into that last fight with a lot of unknown. I had so much fun out there and saw how my style really suits this sport. I’m taking that into this fight. I’m relaxed, I’m ready to go and I’m excited to get in there.

“I think she fancies herself a boxer, so I think she might stick behind her jab, stick and move that kind of thing. I’m ready for either style. I thought that my last opponent was going to do that but she came out swinging. I’m ready either way. You’re always guaranteed fireworks when I’m fighting. It doesn’t matter who I’m put in front of, you know it has to be a fight, and that’s what you can expect Saturday night.

“It’s been really awesome to be a trailblazer for BKFC. I knew I would get some news and some press and that people would like what I’m doing. The support has really been amazing. I’ve gotten so many fans and so much new respect from other fighters as well. It’s definitely taking off, and it’s really cool to be at the forefront of the whole thing.”

KENDALL GROVE

“I don’t really know what to expect. I’m a fighter and I’m of course coming to fight. But we’ll see if I’m going to be a smart fighter like I said I’d be. I could jab and pick my spots and put him away. But then again brawling has got me to where I am and got me a lot of notoriety. So why can’t I do both? Of course, once you get hit, everything goes out the window. Ego gets involved and sometimes you just go for it.

“There might be some more stinging and burning than I usually feel in a gloved fight. I sparred without gloves a while ago because I was curious and I felt some of that. My hands felt alright but there is that slightly different sensation from the bone on bone contact.

“This is going to be a real fight. I respect my opponent and I know he’s coming to give me his best. He’s going to come for me. But I’m going to do me and figure out how to get the win.

“I’m very excited to be a part of BKFC. This is a great organization and I’m going to try to make a great impression on everyone.

“It’s definitely been an interesting 48-hours trying to get here from Hawaii. Luckily I was able to take care of everything at home and make sure my family is prepared for the hurricane. Now I’m here and ready to go.”

CHRIS LYTLE

“I think no matter what you’re going to see two people who are trying to knock each other out. I don’t believe in decisions. If you got two really tough guys and they land a lot of punches and nobody goes down, you’re going to have a great fight and people are going to like it.

“My goal is to go out there and hit him as hard as I can and I think he’s going to have the same strategy against me. So I anticipate a really exciting fight. You’re not going to be bored during our fight.

“Here’s the thing, I’ve had a lot of fights, probably 100 of one form of combat sports or another, so I know what I’m getting in to. I fought many times. There’s going to be a little bit of moving around and me trying to be a little bit smarter. With bare knuckles you can’t do the same things as with gloves on.

“This is so cool for me. I always get people talking to me saying: ‘Why don’t you come back for one more fight?’ ‘I want to see you fight.’ It seems to be the first point of conversation always. So just being able to do this again, I’m very excited. I’ve talked to a lot of people who are very excited for me to come back and do something. I look forward for them being able to watch on the pay-per-view level.

“I’m really looking forward to being out there and getting the feel of being in the ring again. I’ve had a lot of boxing matches, but I haven’t been able to box in an awful long time, as I was mainly doing UFC. So to be back in the boxing ring is going to make me very happy.

“We’re both going to throw hard punches. I think somebody’s going to land a better one and I think somebody’s going to get hurt.”

SAM SHEWMAKER

“It was an honor to be a part of the first event. It’s history in the making. It’s also a humbling experience and a lot of fun. The fans, the promotional team, and everyone that put it all together just made it a great time.

“To be able to have a victory like that, a highlight-reel finish, was amazing. I had never fought on a stage that big and it was just awesome to have the exposure and to be able to put on a good show for the fans.

“There’s going to be fireworks Saturday night. It might not be as quick of a finish, but I can tell you it’s not going to be a decision. Somebody is going down I can promise you that.

“This is going to be a brawl. He wants to stay on the outside, he’s going to want to use his jab and his straight right to keep me to the outside. I want to get chest to chest with this guy and just bang him up on the inside. So I’m expecting it to be a dog fight and I’m predicting a first-round knockout.”

HARRIS STEPHENSON

“I just want to say that I’m happy to be here and I can’t tell you how special this promotion has been. I’m so thrilled that my home has accepted BKFC with open arms and I hope we can have several more events here.

“Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum is a huge venue and I think we’re going to pack it. I’m happy that I’m going to be fighting early on the card, because I want to see these fights myself. These are action-packed bouts and I assure you that you don’t want to miss it.”

DAVID FELDMAN, Founder and President of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

“It’s my great pleasure to be here in the great state of Mississippi, which is officially the second state to allow bare knuckle fighting in the history of the United States. I’m very excited about the response we’ve gotten from the fans here and I know the fighters can’t wait to put on a show for them.

“It gives me chills to say that we’re here for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 2. The first BKFC show was titled ‘The Beginning’, because it was truly the beginning of something special. Now we’ve named this show ‘A New Era’, because we really are officially ushering in a new era in combat sports.

“We have some of the best fighters in the world and fighters who have fought on really big stages. They’re all excited to be a part of this growing sport. We have fighters from all around the world stepping into the ring for a slew of sensational matchups.”

# # #

About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

On June 2, 2018, Philadelphia-based Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made combat sports history when it promoted the first legal, sanctioned and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. “BKFC 1: The Beginning” took place in Cheyenne, Wyoming and featured 10 professional bouts, all under the auspices and control of the Wyoming Combative Sports Commission.

BKFC uses only established fighters who have previously competed professionally in boxing, MMA, kickboxing and/or Muay Thai. All BKFC bouts are sanctioned and regulated by ABC member Athletic Commissions.

For more information visit www.bareknuckle.tv or follow on Twitter at @BareKnuckleFC, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/bareknucklefc and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bareknucklefc.