Austin “The Animal” Lewis’ first BKFC victory was worth the wait.
At BKFC 59 at the sold-out Tingley Coliseum in Lewis’ hometown of Albuquerque, NM, he earned a unanimous decision victory over Joshua Richey in their flyweight showdown.
“It feels pretty cool,” he says with a smile.
“It was an awesome experience to go five rounds for the first time, and I’m really happy with how the fight played out.”
Lewis, 30, was initially set to make his Squared Circle debut in 2022, but it was delayed after his opponent withdrew due to injury. In 2022, a younger family member died unexpectedly due to illness. A year later, at BKFC 48, Lewis’ BKFC debut resulted in a no contest after he was struck with an illegal blow after the bell from opponent Justyn Martinez at the conclusion of the first round.
“Everything I’ve been through made this victory that much sweeter,” Lewis says. “I’ve been working towards that moment for a few years, so it really meant a lot.”
Lewis wants to add a lot more wins to his resume now that he has his first victory under his belt.
“I can’t wait to get back in there.”
