GORJAN ‘GOGO’ SLAVESKI MAKES HISTORY IN BKFC 49 MAIN EVENT

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MIAMI, FL (August 25, 2023) Gorjan ‘GoGo’ Slaveski became the third BKFC Welterweight World Champion on Friday night defeating the previously unbeaten ‘Gypsy’ Jake Lindsey to win the vacant title in the main event of BKFC-49 at the Miami-Dade Fairgrounds in Miami, FL, and broadcast globally on the BKFC App.

Slaveski captured the belt with a unanimous decision victory over Lindsey after five grueling rounds. The judges scored the hard-fought bout 49-46, 48-47, 49-46 for Slaveski. With the win, the Macedonia-born Miami based fighter elevated his status from #1 contender to the champion and improved his BKFC record to 6-0 (4 KOs). The Manhattan, KS product Lindsey, who entered the fight night as the #2 contender, saw his record drop to 4-1 (4 KOs) as the battle-tested UFC vet left the squared circle in a state of disbelief.

With the victory, Slaveski became the first Macedonian to win a BKFC World Championship. “I’m on top of the world, baby!” the elated Slaveski said post-fight. “Macedonia, stand up! We are a small country and it’s so rare that you see a Macedonian on top of the world, but I made history tonight.”

In the BKFC-49 co-main event, Bryce ‘Baby Yaga’ Henry proved once again he’s one of the top lightweight prospects on the planet, emphatically improving to 3-0 with a dominant win over longtime fan-favorite Tom ‘A Gentleman of Violence’ Shoaff, the #4 contender in the 155-pound division. The sensational Broward County, FL product needed just 89 seconds to stop Shoaff via TKO (corner stoppage), earning his third finish in the process. Shoaff, of Lawton, OK, saw his record drop to 4-5 (4 KOs). After the win, Henry called out undefeated BKFC World Lightweight Champion Luis Palomino, “I want Palomino next! Bring that damn money … I’ve been ready. Put me in there with a tough opponent and I went out there and straight out-classed him. Let’s do it.”

In the BKFC-49 feature fight, Miami’s Bryan ‘El Gallo’ Duran cruised to 5-0 with a 48-second KO over Dakota Highpine in their highly anticipated featherweight showdown. With the victory, the Cuban-born Duran’s fifth finish in as many fights, he staked his claim as one of the top 145-pound prospects on the BKFC roster. Highpine fell to 1-2 with the loss.

Justin Ibarrola of Delray Beach, FL improved to 2-0 in his BKFC career with a unanimous decision over Quintan Foye of Greenville, NC. The judges scored the back-and-forth bantamweight bout 48-47, 49-46, 48-47. With the competitive loss, Foye’s record fell to 1-1.

Matanza, Cuba’s Alberto ‘El Indio’ Blas floored Joao Pedro Guerra of Gainesville, FL twice in under a minute to up his spotless BKFC record to 3-0. After tonight’s TKO win which was called in just 51 seconds, all of the fast-rising bantamweight’s BKFC victories have come by stoppage in under a minute. The Brazilian-born Guerra is now 0-1.

Broward County, FL’s Howard ‘HD’ Davis, the #2 contender in the stacked BKFC featherweight division, scored his third straight stoppage in the squared circle, knocking out ‘Hungry’ Jeff Chiffens of Wilmington, DE 72 seconds into the first round of their fight. Davis’ record is now 5-1-1 (4 KOs), and he repeated his callouts of the undefeated BKFC World Featherweight Champion Kai Stewart (4-0) after his big win in Miami. Chiffens, dropped to 4-6 (4 KOs).

Miami welterweight Joshua ‘The Heartbreak Kid’ Famez scored his second straight win with an 89-second KO over the debuting Aaron ‘The Joker’ Sutterfield of Yellville, AK. Famez is now 3-3 with a pair of KOs under the BKFC banner.

In the sole female fight of the night, Laddy Mejia dug deep in her BKFC debut for a split decision nod over Boston’s Sarah ‘Mocha Madness’ Click. The Peruvian-born Miami strawweight edged Click 49-46, 48-47, 47-48 according to the judges. Click’s BKFC record is now 0-2.

Kicking off the BKFC-49 main card in destructive fashion, Matt ‘Rambo’ Russo required just 76 seconds to score a KO victory over the debuting Jaymes Hyder of Spokane, WS. The fast-rising Broward County, FL bantamweight prospect is now 2-0, with both of his wins coming by first-round stoppage.

Miami’s Freddy ‘Spider-Man’ Masabo got even with Bovar ‘The Gladiator’ Khanakov of Mariupol, Ukraine by defeating him via unanimous decision in their highly anticipated rematch at 145 pounds. Masabo and Khanakov first met at BKFC-38 in April, when Khanakov earned the unanimous decision over the Cuban-born Masabo. The judges scored tonight’s action 48-47x3 in favor of Masabo. Masabo is now 3-1 (2 KOs) after his return to the win column, while Khanakov’s BKFC record dropped to 1-1.

JoMi ‘The BKFC Hitman’ Escoboza of Tamarac, FL kicked off the BKFC-49 prelims with a back-and-forth, majority decision victory over Grand Rapids, MI’s Esteban ‘The Mohawk’ Rodriguez. The judges scored the cruiserweight matchup 47-47, 48-46x2. With the win, Escoboza improved his BKFC record to 2-1 (1 KO), and Rodriguez fell to 2-1 (2 KO). Escoboza’s overall bare knuckle fighting is now 8-1 (4 KOs).

BKFC 49 Main Card Results

Gorjan Slaveski def. Jake Lindsey via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)

*for the vacant BKFC Welterweight World Title

Bryce Henry def. Tom Shoaff via TKO in Round 1 (1:29)

Bryan Duran def. Dakota Highpine via KO in Round 1 (:48)

Justin Ibarrola def. Quintan Foye via Unanimous Decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47

Alberto Blas def. Joao Pedro Guerra via TKO in Round 1 (:51)

Howard Davis def. Jeff Chiffens via KO in Round 1 (1:12)

Joshua Famez def. Aaron Sutterfield via KO in Round 1 (1:29)

Laddy Mejra def. Sarah Click via Split Decision (49-46, 48-47, 47-48)

Matt Russo def. Jaymes Hyder via KO in Round 1 (1:16)

BKFC 49 Preliminary Card Results

Freddy Masabo def. Bovar Khanakov via Unanimous Decision (48-47x3)

JoMi Escoboza def. Esteban Rodriguez via Majority Decision (48-46x2, 47-47)

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About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.

In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.