On Saturday, Jessica “The Black Widow” Borga needed just 32 seconds to score a one-punch knockout over ex-champion Hannah Rankin in a BKFC bare knuckles fight. Borga captured the vacant BKFC 145-pound championship with the KO, which was part of the second BKFC show in two days held at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. Borga, from St. Petersburg, Floirda, is now 3-0 under the BKFC banner after defeating Rankin, a former 154-pound champion recognized by the WBA and IBO in 2021. Rankin is now 1-1 in her BKFC career.

 

“I’m the one and only Jessica Borga, and I’m only getting more dangerous. I don’t care who you are; send me anybody,” a fired-up Borga told the sold-out Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium. “I’m here to stay, baby.”

 

Undefeated “King” Kai Stewart defended his BKFC 145-pound championship for the fourth time and smashed his way to 8-0 with a dominant decision over previously unbeaten South African challenger Tommy “The Farmer” Strydom in the BKFC 72 main event. All three ringside judges agreed on the 50-43 verdict after the Great Falls, MT product Stewart dropped Strydom twice.

 

“I’m going to do whatever I want to do,” the fan-favorite Stewart told the rocking Dubai Duty Free Tennis Stadium after his win, hinting at a possible title run in a different BKFC weight class. “I cleaned out the 145-pound division. I break everybody!”

 

Strydom is now 4-1 in his BKFC career.

 

Spain’s Nico “The Iron” Gaffie scored an upset over Brandon “Superman” Allen. Now 2-0 after Saturday’s win, Gaffie sent Allen, the #2 contender in the BKFC 145-pound division, to the canvas four times en route to the fourth-round TKO victory. The bout was called to a stop with one second left in the fourth frame. The St. Petersburg, FL-based Allen is now 5-2 under the BKFC banner after bringing a five-fight winning streak into Saturday’s action.

 

Russia's Vladislav Tuinov turned heads in his BKFC debut, needing just 26 seconds to knockout Sabri Ben Henia of Belgium in welterweight action. Henia was also making his BKFC debut.

 

Wales’ John Phillips was victorious in his BKFC debut, defeating fellow UFC veteran Fabio Maldonado in their cruiserweight matchup. Phillips sent Maldonado to the canvas twice before the bout was called to a stop 29 seconds into the second round. The Brazilian Maldonado was also making his BKFC debut.‍

 

Aaron Chalmers (1-0 in traditional boxing) stopped Chasa Symonds in the third round of their battle of English welterweights. Chalmers sent Symonds to the canvas twice, paving the way for the TKO victory 16 seconds into the third frame. Chalmers was making his BKFC debut; Symonds is now 0-2 under the BKFC banner.

 

Iran’s Hassan Yousefi kicked off the main card with a hard-fought decision victory over Brazilian Guto Inocente in their heavyweight showdown. Two judges scored the contest 50-45 and one had it 49-46, all in favor of the debuting Yousefi. Inocente was also making his BKFC debut.

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In the prelims, Kazakh featherweight Dilshat Nurym and Filipino lightweight Mark Angel Sadang registered first-round stoppages over Russian Shamil Dzhakhbarov and Iranian Matin Safari, respectively. Nurym logged a pair of knockdowns before winning by TKO at the 1:23 mark. Sadang also recorded two knockdowns en route to the 87-second victory. All four fighters were making their BKFC debut.‍

 

BKFC 72 Results‍

 

Kai Stewart def. Tommy Strydom via Unanimous Decision (50-43x3 (retains BKFC featherweight title‍);

 

Jessica Borga def. Hannah Rankin via KO in Round 1 (0:32)‍ (wins inaugural BKFC featherweight title‍);

 

Nico Gaffie def. Brandon Allen via TKO in Round 4 (1:59);

 

Vladislav Tuinov def. Sabri Ben Henia via KO in Round 1 (0:26);

 

John Phillips def. Fabio Maldonado via KO in Round 2 (0:29);

 

Aaron Chalmers def. Chasa Symonds via TKO in Round 3 (0:16);

 

Hassan Yousefi def. Guto Inocente via Unanimous Decision (50-45x2, 49-46);

 

Mark Angel Sadang def. Matin Safari via KO in Round 1 (1:27); and

 

Dilshat Nurym def. Shamil Dzhakhbarov via TKO in Round 1 (1:23).