Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) made its Scottish premiere with BKFC 96 on Saturday at the sold-out OVO Hydro in Glasgow. With combat sports legend/BKFC Partner Conor McGregor front and center, undefeated local light heavyweight (185 pounds) Sean “The Butcher” Weir took just 101 seconds to improve to 4-0 at the expense of Leigh “The Boom” Cohoon. Wishaw sent Cohoon to the canvas three times en route to the first-round TKO victory. Cohoon, who hails from Manchester, England, is now 4-2. “I want the 185-title and I want it right now,” Weir said to the uproarious approval of his hometown crowd in his post-fight interview.

 

At 175 pounds (which BKFC refers to as middleweight) Danny “The Bastard” Christie stopped former mixed martial arts (MMA) standout Stevie “Braveheart” Ray in the second round. Christie floored Ray twice before their fight was called to a halt with just one second left in the second stanza. Christie, who hails from Carlisle, England, is now 6-3. The Kirkcaldy, Scotland product Ray, an eleven-time UFC vet, was making his BKFC premiere. Christie was asked in his post-fight interview. “That’s up to Mr. Feldman and Mr. McGregor,” he replied. “I just want to go over and hug my kids. I’ve got five kids and I love all of you. I’m a grandad now. Let’s (expletive) go!”

 

Former World Wrestling Entertainment star Gzim Selmani climbed to 2-0 with a hard-fought decision against Reece “The Giant Slayer” Heer in heavyweight action. Selmani, known as “Rezar” during his professional wrestling days, recorded a pair of knockdowns in the fight, leading all three judges to score the contest 50-43 in his favor. The Blackpool, England fighter Heer was making his BKFC debut. “I’m on my way to the most prestigious championship in combat sports — the BKFC world heavyweight title,” Semani yelled in his post-fight interview. “This is just the start. I’ll take out all of you (expletives) one by one.”

 

Dundee, Scotland’s Scott “Boom Boom” Malone shined in his BKFC debut, overcoming a pair of knockdowns to edge out Kieron Sewell for the decision victory in the sudden-death overtime round of their back-and-forth bantamweight battle. All three judges agreed on the 10-9 verdict for the winner Malone, who logged one knockdown on the night. Sewell, who represents Carlisle, England, is now 1-2.

 

Glasgow’s Barry “The Pitbull” Boyle earned his first victory by knocking out Kaseem Saleem in the second round of their heavyweight clash. Boyle, now 1-1, floored Saleem twice before the fight was stopped 44 seconds into the second round. The Dumfries, Scotland product Saleem is now 1-3.

 

Northumberland, England fighter KJ Metcalfe cruised to 3-0 by stopping Doalty “Roadhouse” Torrance in the second round of their welterweight matchup. Metcalfe recorded a pair of knockdowns before the fight was stopped 74 seconds into the second round. Torrance, who hails from Glasgow, Scotland, is now 1-1.

 

Middlesbrough, England’s Cory “El Chapo” Chapman needed just 40 seconds to surge to 3-0 with a one-punch knockout over Lewis “Dynamite” Dixon in the bantamweight division. Chapman, who hails from Carlisle, England, is now 1-1.

 

Wishaw, Scotland featherweight Dan “The Man” Morel climbed to 3-0 with a come-from-behind stoppage victory over Owen “Bam Bam” Webster. Morel picked himself up off the canvas and notched five knockdowns of his own en route to the TKO finish at 1:17 of the fourth round. Webster, who represents Rochdale, England, is now 0-2.

 

Edinburgh’s Lewis “The Leith Warrior” Knox climbed to 6-2 with a fourth-round TKO at the expense of Tommy “Chaos” Carus in the featherweight division. Knox logged three knockdowns before Carus’ corner called a stop to the fight at 1:27 of the penultimate round. Carus, who represents Liverpool, is now 0-2.

 

Ayrshire, Scotland’s Rhys “Crazy Horse” Pagan smashed his way to 2-0 by taking out Danny “The Destroyer” Moir in the opening round of their light-heavyweight matchup. Pagan previously fought for a World Boxing Organization European championship in his gloved boxing career. The Scarborough, England fighter Moir is now 8-3-1.

 

Carlisle, England’s Charlie “The Hitman” Thomson climbed to 5-1 in his bare knuckle fighting career with a fourth-round TKO over Ian “Jock” Mulroy in middleweight action. Thomson picked himself up off the canvas and floored Mulroy six times before the fight was stopped at 1:26 of Round 4. Mulroy, who hails from Inverness, Scotland, was making his BKFC debut.

 

BKFC 96 Results

 

Sean Weir def. Leigh Cohoon via TKO in Round 1 (1:41);

Danny Christie def. Stevie Ray via TKO in Round 2 (1:59) (performance of the night;

Gzim Selmani def. Reece Heer via unanimous decision (50-43 on three scorecards);

Scott Malone def. Kieron Sewell via unanimous decision after overtime round (Fight of the Night);

Barry Boyle def. Kaseem Saleem via KO in Round 2 (0:44);

KJ Metcalfe def. Doalty Torrance via TKO in Round 2 (1:14); 

Cory Chapman def. Lewis Dixon via KO in Round 1 (0:40) (KO of the night);

Dan Morel def. Owen Webster via TKO in Round 4 (1:17);

Lewis Knox def. Tommy Carus via TKO in Round 4 (1:27);

Rhys Pagan def. Danny Moir via TKO in Round 1 (1:22); and

Charlie Thomson def. Ian Mulroy via TKO in Round 4 (1:26).