BKFC will return to Biloxi MS for another night packed with action at BKFC 15 ‘The British Are Coming.’ Mark Godbeer and Tyler Goodjohn, both British fighters were set to make their debut in America, unfortunately Godbeer was forced to pull out due to COVID. Bobo O'bannon steps in to face Sam Shewmaker for the main event and Tyler Goodjohn will face the well-known Charles ‘Felony’ Bennet in the co-main event. The KnuckleKnockouts team will be at the Biloxi Civic Center bringing the best content to you.
IT’S FIGHT WEEK! let's take a look at each fight on the card and break them down one by one. I also pick who is the favorite to win each fight and why I think that way. Don’t hesitate to comment below your thoughts, whether you agree and or disagree with me.
Jenny Savage (debut) vs Sheena Starr (1-1)
Sheena Starr welcomes Jenny Savage to BKFC where the women like Christine Ferea, Britain Hart and ultimately Paige Vanzant have been taking the spotlight. Both fighters come from MMA, Savage holding the better record. Although Starr has the experience advantage, Savage is the young hungry fighter riding the hype at BKFC and I believe she will push forward and take the fight. It could all depend on how Savage reacts to being punched bare knuckle in the face, something that Starr has experienced before. Although Starr has been unsuccessful in her MMA career she has earned a KO victory at BKFC, the veteran knows time is catching up and BKFC could be her last chance to earn a significant belt in combat sports. The girls never disappoint at BKFC and this could once again be another great fight in the women’s division.
Adam Pellerano (1-1) vs Rusty Crowder (2-1) 135lbs
The 135lbs division is definitely the most dense division at the moment in BKFC and this fight just adds on more spice to it. Pellerano vs Crowder will be a very technical fight between two skilled fighters and it’s just so hard to make a prediction. Pellerano is coming from a knockout loss at BKFC 9 and is looking for his second win inside the squared circle, while Crowder is looking to extend his record to 3-1 and establish himself as a top 5 in the division. Crowder in my opinion is the slight favorite, he is coming from a good performance at BKFC 12 and has beaten Dillard Pegg, Pellerano’s only loss, but a Pellerano win will not be seen as a surprise or an upset. Both guys have what it takes to win this fight.
Brad Kelly (debut) vs vs Kaine Thomlison (0-1) 175lbs
These two warriors will be facing each other I believe at 175lbs. Brad Kelly will be making his BKFC debut and Kaine Thomlison his second bare knuckle appearance - this time for BKFC as he is coming from a loss to Noah Cutter at ‘Toe The Line.’ In my opinion Thomlison is the favorite since he has more experience in both MMA and bare knuckle fighting. Kelly on the other hand is only making his debut and we never know how fighters react coming into this sport. Looking forward to this one!
Dakota Cochrane (2-0) vs Tyler Vogel (0-1) 185lbs
This is the fight I am looking forward to the most, no disrespect to the guys headlining the event! Keep your eyes on this fight, both guys will bring power, aggression, skills and technique to deliver a treat for the fans. Tyler Vogel is coming off a historic bout at BKFC 14 where he fought not 5 but a 6 round loss to Jake Bostwick in a fight that could have gone either way and Vogel truly believes he won. I am surprised how fast Vogel was able to heal both his swollen hands from fighting Bostwick less than a month ago in Miami Fl. Dakota Cochrane on the other hand has been off for over a year now having a couple fights called off through the year due to COVID. Ring ‘rust’ should be no problem for the experienced MMA veteran who has more than 40 professional fights to his name. In bare knuckle fighting Cochrane has faced two legends so far, Chris Leben and Johnny Hendrix and both times he was victorious, proving to be a dangerous man at 185lbs. Although Cochrane has been away for almost a year and half I still see him being the favorite for this fight since he has not lost yet in bare knuckle fighting, he also has faced big names both in MMA and bare knuckle and is the more experienced fighter. Vogel has to take advantage of any signs of ‘ring rust’ (if any) by Cochrane and push the pace from the beginning, especially considering he fought less than a month ago and is familiar in the ring. It took Vogel a couple rounds to figure out his opponent in his fight at BKFC 14 and he can’t allow this to happen again; starting strong and aggressive could be the path to a W.
Who do you got?
Harris Stephenson (2-2) vs Christopher Lavant (0-1)
Harris Stephenson will make his way back to the squared circle for the 5th time as he faces Christopher Lavant who will be making his BKFC debut and fighting bare knuckle for the second time. Looking for his first win in this sport, Lavant will have a tough opponent ahead of him in Stephenson, one of the most experienced guys in the organization. Stephenson mentioned on his instagram account that this fight will be at ‘new’ weight class for him, I am guessing 165 instead of 175. Stephenson should be the favorite here considering Lavant’s negative record and 9 fight losing streak. The ‘Sandman’ has proved he has knock out power but can go all 5 rounds and earn a decision as well. Lavant is not to be counted out of this however, the persistent fighter is still finding himself in the fighting world and bare knuckle could be it.
Quentin Henry (1-0) vs Jason Fann (debut) Heavyweight
Quentin Henry will make a return to the squared circle at BKFC 15 and he welcomes Jason Fann to bare knuckle fighting. Quentin’s only fight in BKFC ended with a scenic knockout which should give Henry plenty confidence coming into this bout. This is a heavyweight fight, hard to make predictions as we know one punch could end the fight. Both guys have little to no ring time fighting for BKFC, it’s unpredictable to know whether there will be a ‘feel out’ first or if fighters will engage right away. Henry is the favorite for this fight, he is coming from an impressive debut knockout victory and has a better record overall as a combat sport fighter. But as always don’t count Fann out, he has heavy hands and could finish the fight with a single punch.
Chris Sarro (2-0) vs Josh Burns (4-4 BKB - BKFC debut) Heavyweight
This is going to be a great heavyweight fight to bring some leverage plus heat to the division; the winner of this fight could be one fight away from being a title contender considering the division is still shallow. Chris Sarro is a huge prospect in BKFC overall, he is an athletic heavyweight who moves constantly through his fights and possesses a powerful right hand. Both of Sarro’s wins in BKFC were right hand punches. Josh Burns is an American pioneer of bare knuckle boxing, he fought in England at BKB and earned himself a title shot for the heavy-weigh world title. It seems like some fans don’t know that and there has been some talk on social media where people are counting Burns out of this fight. I find that quite disrespectful for a man who has faced many great fighters through his combat sports career. I do agree Sarro is favorite for this fight considering his great momentum - I am a big believer that momentum is important in every sport but it is only up to Burns to stop Sarro’s rise. Burns is a very experienced fighter and overall an experienced bare knuckle boxer who is eager to step into the BKFC squared circle. He could run into problems if he stands still in front of Sarros who should bring a fast pace from the get-go. Burns has fast hands considering his size and Sarros needs to be careful not to get caught up in an exchange, however it is Sarros who should dictate the pace of the fight. Keep your eyes on this one!
Tyler ‘El Tornado’ Goodjohn (BKFC debut) vs ‘Felony’ Charles Bennet (0-2)
This should be a fun fight for the fans; it is always a fun fight for the fans when Charles Bennet is fighting! Bennet will be fighting Tyler Goodjohn the BKB world champion in England coming to the USA to make some noise in the lightweight division. Goodjohn is a technical fighter who does not like the clinch. Expect great head movement and punches from many different angles from Goodjohn who likes to mix it up the body and head. Bennet is a fighter we know a lot about, he always walks forward, is not afraid to exchange and has a strong right hand. At BKFC ‘Felony’ fights with a low guard which can be dangerous against Goodjohn who likes to pick his shots, but keeping his hands low has not been the reason for losing his first two fights at BKFC - Bennet broke his hands in both fights. He looked great fighting the p4p king Johnny Bedford and now will test himself at 155lbs. Goodjohn wants to prove to the haters he is the best 155lbs bare knuckle fighter in the world and his climb to the top begins on Friday and he is the favorite to win this fight. Felony is coming from an overall 14 fight losing streak and I don’t see Goodjohn being the fighter to change that. It might take Bennet a different strategy than one of his previous fights to beat Goodjohn. El Tornado will use his superior boxing to slowly pick Bennet apart but needs to be careful not to engage in big exchanges which could result in a knockout or a knockdown. Make sure to subscribe to the BKFC TV app and watch this fight. It will be interesting to see how Goodjohn debuts in America and also watch Bennet once again give us the fans a show!
Bobo O’bannon (2-0) vs Sam Shewmaker (3-1-1) Heavyweight
Another heavyweight bout for the fans to watch! Sam Shewmaker is a fan favorite at BKFC and he returns to the squared circle for the 5th time after taking on a couple boxing bouts. Bobo O’bannon steps in to replace the British Mark Godbeer who tested positive for COVID being forced to step out. This fight could really go either way, both guys possess heavy hands and are similar fighters. Shewmaker has been at BKFC since day 1 when he knocked out Eric Prindle at BKFC 1. He is one of the most experienced fighters in the organization and wants to reestablish himself as the most dangerous heavyweight The experience Shewmaker carries could be a decisive factor to win this fight especially if it goes 5 rounds - he has been in 4 decision fights so far. O’bannon will just have to do what he has done in both fights he won, although I don’t see Shewmaker retiring or throwing the towel here, O’bannon might just have to find the knockout in order to win this fight!
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