Will "The Thrill" Shutt just wants to live up to his nickname at BKFC 26

Will "The Thrill" Shutt just wants to live up to his nickname at BKFC 26

Thursday, Jun 16 2022 by Ed Kapp

Will “The Thrill” Shutt isn’t concerned about climbing the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship rankings. Instead, he’s focused on putting on the most exciting fights possible. Shutt evened his BKFC record to 1-1-1 with a 40-second KO over Cody Land in May. He battles Freddy Masabo in featherweight action at BKFC 26 on June 24 in Hollywood, FL, LIVE on the new BKFC app.

EK: Your last fight, of course, ended by KO in 40 seconds. Were you anticipating such an early finish to that one?

WS: Absolutely not. I was expecting that to be Fight of the Night. I thought we’d brawl it out for five rounds. When it was over, I was pretty surprised. I wasn’t expecting that.

EK: Obviously you can’t be too upset about a first-round KO, but was it at all anticlimactic for you?

WS: A hundred percent, a hundred percent. I stepped into that ring with the intention of going to war and giving it everything I’ve got, leaving it all on the table. After 40 seconds, I knew I had so much more to give. That’s why I wanted to fight right away, that’s why I’ve been harassing BKFC Matchmaker Nate Shook to get me back in there as soon as possible (laughs). I didn’t really get that fight that I was training for, so I wanted Nate to get me back in there right away. Fortunately this spot came up, and I jumped at the opportunity.

EK: Do you know a lot about your opponent?

WS: A little bit; about as much as you ever really know about your opponent. I don’t look too much into past footage, because they could be a completely different fighter on fight night. I’ve focused on film heavily in the past, then a totally different fighter shows up in the ring. I don’t really focus too much on my opponents heading into my fights.

EK: Are you anticipating a short or long night of work at BKFC 26?

WS: Well, in Art of War, they say if you go into war with the intention of dying, you’ll kill all your enemies. If you go out there with the intention of living, you’re going to go out there and die. I go out there with the intention of war, no matter what. If I land a good shot and lend it early, that’s great. Whatever happens will happen, but I expect a grueling, five-round fight every time, no matter what.

EK: This victory will make it two wins in a row. How important is it for you to win this fight?

WS: It’s very important. I want everyone on their feet this whole fight. I want this to be a war, a dogfight. I want an opponent who will go toe to toe with me start to finish, so I want to fight the toughest guys I can. But it’s not about climbing the rankings; I just want to fight the best opponents possible so I can put on the best fights possible. 

Set your calendars: Our next action-packed event, BKFC 26, goes down June 24 in Hollywood, FL. Tickets are still available. As always, you can catch all the action on the new BKFC app.