…Seriously, even Florida said no.
It feels like it was just a few months ago that Florida’s commission gave the okay for Triller’s exhibitions disguised as professional boxing matches.
Well Florida is putting its foot down when it comes to Bare Knuckle FC’s upcoming Knucklemania 2 event.
BKFC indefensibly booked former UFC fighter Melvin Guillard for this show, even though he’s 0-4 with the promotion and has otherwise suffered a slew of knockout losses over the years in MMA and a couple more in bare knuckle. Well guess what? His fight with Ulysses Diaz isn’t happening anymore. Florida is not interested in overseeing another potentially bad Guillard fight.
Here’s the statement (via MMA Fighting) from the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC):
“In checking the the certified ABC record sourced, BoxRec and the MMA database, it was determined Guillard is suspended and requires a neurological exam,” the release states. “But even if he cleared that, Guillard has lost the past four BKB bouts and lost nine mixed martial arts events in a row.
“His last fight was at an unsanctioned event in the State of Montana which does not have an operating commission.”
Guillard is without a win over his last 10 MMA fights, having had his KO of David Rickels in Bellator wiped out due to a failed drug test. That aforementioned unsanctioned event in Montana was a 59-second KO loss to Joe Riggs on a BKFC card this past October. There is no justifiable reason to license him to compete when he’s not won a fight of any sort since 2017.
ABC president Mike Mazzulli also urged BKFC to look at its roster again.
“We can only hope and pray BKFC will reevaluate their rosters and make a very entertaining sport safer for all combatants,” Mazzulli said. “If not, the ABC and the member commissions will be ready to hold their feet to the fire.”
It’s not often we say this, but… kudos to Florida!
KnuckleMania 2’s main event is a matchup between former UFC welterweight Mike Perry and Julian ‘Let me bang, bro!’ Lane. Ex-UFC title challenger Chad Mendes also makes his BKFC debut on this February 19th show.