Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, the world’s fastest growing combat sports promotion, debuted in Manassas, VA with an action-packed BKFC Prospect Series event at the sold-out Salisbury Center on Friday, Feb. 16.
The BKFC Prospect Series features a loaded slate of established bare knuckle fighters and fresh-faced rookies competing for a life-changing BKFC contract from BKFC Founder/President David Feldman.
In the Main Event, Brandon "The Shredder" Shavers defeated Stanislav Grosu in the fourth round of their highly anticipated middleweight matchup. The Jena, LA product Shavers picked himself up off the canvas in the second round before dropping Sterling, VA’s Grosu twice in the fourth frame. Time of the stoppage was 1:32. With the win, Shavers improved to 2-1 in the Squared Circle, while Grosu saw his record drop to 3-3.
"We've been in the gym putting in work every single day, and we want to stay active. I'm only getting better when I'm getting in here more,” Shavers told the jam-packed Salisbury Center.
In the Co-Main Event, Indianapolis, IN’s Cameron "Jumpman" VanCamp brought home his first BKFC victory with a knockout over Micah "See Me" Terrill of Millersville, MD in their middleweight showdown. The fight was stopped 25 seconds into the second round.
"I've just got to keep working,” the UFC vet VanCamp told the sold-out Salisbury Center. “Everything is starting to click now. I came here, I beat him in his hometown up a weight class ... I'd say that's worth a bonus."
Gloucester, MA’s Zach "Shark Attack" Calmus earned his second straight BKFC victory with a TKO over Washington, DC’s Josh "The Predator" Freeman. The fight was stopped at the conclusion of the third round after Freeman injured his hand and couldn’t continue. Calmus is now 3-2 in the BKFC heavyweight division, while Freeman’s record falls to 0-1.
Russian Murat Kilimetov dropped Tre "The Truth" Cook of Winchester, VA four times before their cruiserweight battle was stoppage nine seconds into the second round.
James “Get Down” Brown is now 3-0 in the Squared Circle after the Wilmington, NC featherweight stopped Ukraine’s Bovar "The Gladiator" Khanakov via TKO in their featherweight matchup. The highly entertaining bout was called to a halt by the ringside physician at the conclusion of the third round. Brown entered fight night as the No. 4 contender in the BKFC featherweight division. Khanakov is now 1-2 in the Squared Circle.
Joe "Ruthless" Ray of Martinsville, VA sent Bellefontaine, OH’s Paul "The Zombie Cowboy" Shough to the canvas three times en route to the second-round KO in their back-and-forth heavyweight bout. Time of the stoppage was 1:50. Ray is now 1-0 under the BKFC banner, while Shough’s record drops to 1-2.
Waldorf, MD middleweight prospect Shawn “The Midnight Express” Brooks turned heads in his Squared Circle debut with a third-round KO against Las Vegas’ JorDan "The Haymaker" Christensen. Brooks, a former Marine, dropped Christensen twice in the third round. Christensen’s record fell to 2-4 with the loss.
Crystal “The Lovely” Van Wyk dug deep to earn a unanimous decision victory over "Crazy" Cristina Crist in their action-packed women’s flyweight showdown. Van Wyk, who hails from Rock Hill, SC by way of Cape Town, South Africa, is now 1-0, while the Rockwall, TX product Crist is now 0-2.
In the Van Wyk-Crist matchup, Michelle Myers made history as the first female referee in BKFC history.
Atlanta’s Nathan Rivera smashed his way to 2-0 under the BKFC banner with a first-round KO at the expense of Murphy, NC’s Dustin "Elmo" Garrett. Time of the stoppage was 1:22 of the opening frame. Garrett’s record fell to 0-1 with the loss.
Laurel, MD’s Cary "Cap Vs. The World" Caprio improved to 2-1 in the Squared Circle with a physician stoppage TKO over St. Louis, MO’s “Savage” Mike Livingston. The bantamweight bout was called to a halt at the conclusion of the second round.
BKFC Prospect Series Results
Brandon Shavers def. Stanislav Grosu via KO in Round 4 (1:32)
Cameron VanCamp def. Micah Terrill via KO in Round 2 (0:25)
Zach Calmus def. Joshua Freeman via TKO in Round 3 (2:00)
Murat Kilimetov def. Tre Cook via KO in Round 2 (0:09)
James Brown def. Bovar Khanakov via TKO (physician stoppage) in Round 3 (2:00)
Joe Ray def. Paul Shough via KO in Round 2 (1:50)
Shawn Brooks def. Jordan Christensen via KO in Round 3 (0:52)
Crystal Van Wyk def. Crystal Lawson via Unanimous Decision (50-45, 49-46x2)
Nathan Rivera def. Dustin Garrett via KO in Round 1 (1:22)
Cary Caprio def. Mike Livingston via TKO (physician stoppage) in Round 2 (2:00)
