The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is back and better than ever. The upcoming BKFC 41 event brings two major fights for the fans this Saturday, April 29. Two former UFC athletes will compete live from the 1st Bank Center in Broomfield, Colorado. Former UFC middleweight champ Luke Rockhold makes his promotional debut against Mike Perry.
The highly anticipated event is stacked with a total of 11 bouts. This includes 8 main card fights and 3 preliminary card fights. In the co-main event, Former UFC lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez, The Underground King will debut in a high-octane fight with former UFC title challenger, Chad Mendes.
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The main card also boasts a female flyweight title bout between the challenger, Bec Rawlings, and the champion, Christine Ferea. UFC’s fan favorite Ben Rothwell will lock horns with Denver’s own Josh Copeland
BKFC 41: Predictions
With the Saturday night event almost upon us, fans are excited to witness some of the most fun matchups the promotion has put together in a while. As such, let’s take a closer look at our predictions for some of the most highly anticipated fights for the April 29 main card.
Mike Perry vs Luke Rockhold: Luke Rockhold wins via KO/TKO
The main event is a very difficult one to pick for several reasons. Firstly, the size disparity is visibly evident. Mike Perry walks around 185, while Rockhold has to cut down to the same. Luke had his last Octagon outing against a formidable opponent in Paulo Costa last year. Despite a 6-inch height disadvantage against Luke, Perry has always proven to be game for any fight.
The most obvious advantage Perry has in this one is that he has previously competed under the BKFC banner. Even if it was only two fights, it’s still two more than the former middleweight champion. Rockhold has previously stated that he will be head-hunting the second the match starts. If Luke can avoid Mike’s heavy-hitting shots, he might surprise fans by putting Perry’s lights out.
Chad Mendes vs. Eddie Alvarez: Eddie Alvarez wins via Decision
Aside from the main event, this bout excites fans the most. The co-main event will see two UFC veterans go it from the second the match starts. Alvarez has held the UFC gold prior, however, he has no experience under the BKFC banner yet. Chad Mendes, on the other hand, is moving up in weight for this one, who is known to have some real pop in his hands.
Broomfield, CO famously sits at an elevation of 5,420 feet. Thus, if Mendes doesn’t catch Eddie early on, then his gas tank is going to be tested. If Alvarez can get through the barrage in the early rounds, he can slow down Chad in the process. And if it does happen, then perhaps Eddie can brawl his way into things for a classic comeback.
Christine Ferea vs. Bec Rawlings: Christine Ferea wins via Decision
Considering how seemingly unprepared Ferea proved to be as an MMA athlete, she has shocked the critics with her BKFC performances. The 40-year-old possesses scary power in her hands, even in the bouts she doesn’t win. Due to her excellence in Muay Thai, Ferea has gone on to become a hellacious striker.
Rawlings, on the other hand, has proven her toughness in the past. However, the former Australian MMA athlete is at a power disadvantage in this one. She will try to put her proven mobility and volume of punches to make up for it. Mix in her tenacity and willingness to push the pace and she may be able to survive the first few rounds. However, if Ferea chases Bec down, the latter will be more prone to get hurt while against the ropes.
Josh Copeland vs. Ben Rothwell: Ben Rothwell wins via KO
Former UFC veterans Josh Copeland and Ben Rothwell will lock horns during the main card of the BKFC 41 event. Rothwell was initially scheduled to fight Josh Watson, however, an injury replaced the latter with Copeland. ‘Cuddly Bear’ will make his 2nd appearance in the promotion after a successful debut in October.
While Josh has proven to have KO power, he is going up against someone whose most wins have come out of finishes in the UFC. Colorado’s high altitude is a daunting challenge for many fighters in the upcoming event, however, Ben isn’t one of them. The seasoned vet made a strategic move by taking his training camp to Denver at the famous Team Elevation.
Due to this, fans expect the 41-year-old to have an added advantage and a newfound confidence over his opponent.
Brandon Girtz vs. Christian Torres: Christian Torres wins via Decision
Longtime Bellator vet and current BKFC standout, Brandon Girtz will be taking on the Christian Torres. Among the two, the latter has fought 5 times for the company so far, compared to only 1 for Girtz. However, the 38-year-old has started the year on a positive note after the arrival of his newborn last year.
Come Saturday, Girtz will be fighting a strong opponent in Christian, who has already beaten up a Colorado opponent not too long ago. Although Torres did face a knockout loss in February this year, but, having 5 BKFC fights behind his back will surely have their advantages shown tomorrow night. Girtz, who last fought in an MMA bout in 2020 is looking to make a statement in this newer yet exciting realm, having spent 8 years in Bellator prior.