BKFC 45, which takes place Friday in Hollywood, FL, could go down as the most exciting event of the year when it’s all said and done. An epic Main Event and Co-Main Event are just the start as we list our Top 3 storylines heading into this weekend’s action, LIVE on The BKFC App.
Somebody's "0" Has Gotta Go
It doesn’t get any bigger than Friday’s Main Event. The two best undefeated bare knuckle fighters in the world – Luis “Baboon” Palomino (8-0) and James “Lights Out” Lilley (7-0-1) – clash with the BKFC World Lightweight Championship at stake. The champ Palomino’s accomplishments are too many to list, but he’s the only fighter to ever start their career with eight straight victories, and he’s the only athlete to ever hold the top spot in the BKFC Pound-for-Pound rankings. He also holds the BKFC World Welterweight Championship, for good measure. The challenger Lilley doesn’t (yet) have a historic resume like Palomino, but he’s been just as destructive in the Squared Circle, albeit for a shorter time. He’s 3-0 with a pair of knockouts since signing with BKFC in 2022. Will Lilley pull off the epic upset for the ages, or will the legendary Palomino’s legacy grow on Friday night in Florida? Anything can happen when it’s time to knuckle up.
Co-Main Event Madness
It’s unlikely the judges will be needed for Friday’s Co-Main Event showdown between “Brutal” Jake Bostwick and Erick “El Travieso” Lozano as they clash in light-heavyweight action. Bostwick's battle-tested record is 2-2-1 after most recently fighting to a highly competitive draw with title challenger Isaac Doolittle. In the parlance of today, Lozano has that dog in him. He lost his short-notice BKFC debut to none other than Lorenzo “The Juggernaut” Hunt and followed that up with a jaw-dropping 54-second KO over former champ Francesco Ricchi on the same card as Bostwick’s most recent bout. Bostwick and Lozano both bring extensive MMA experience into this must-see fight, combining for over 60 pro MMA matches, and both are eager to smash their way into the BKFC Top 5 light-heavyweight rankings.
Star-Studded Undercard
As always, BKFC Matchmaker Nate Shook has done what he does best – setting up a must-see event from start to finish. Friday’s hotly anticipated Feature Fight has Guillermo “The Cutman” Perez looking to improve to 3-0 with a third KO against Ryan Carroll (0-1) in the bustling bantamweight division. Also in the 135-pound weight class, Alberto “El Indio” Blas (1-0) takes on Robert Armas (1-1). Earlier on Friday is a cruiserweight showdown between Steve "Tomahawk" Townsel (3-2) and Dillon Winemiller (1-1), and Rene “White Boy” Rodriguez (4-2) takes aim at his fifth victory against James “Knucklehead” Dennis (1-1) in the welterweight division. Fans are counting down the seconds until Howard "HD" Davis (3-1-1), the BKFC’s No. 2 featherweight contender, and undefeated 145-pound prospect Bryan Duran (3-0) return to the Squared Circle.
