Jorge Masvidal may be a polarizing figure in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, having sparked feuds with the likes of Nate Diaz, Chael Sonnen, Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington, among others, just to name some of his adversaries/enemies. However it’s hard to deny that the promotion he owns (and that bares his nickname) has done a consistently admirable job showcasing some of the biggest names from this world who are outside the confines of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Tonight (Sat., March 2, 2024), starting at 8 p.m. ET live from the Kia Center in Orlando, Fla., the seventh edition of Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA takes place … and the story is no different.
Alan Belcher and Junior Dos Santos will fight in the main event for the inaugural Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA Heavyweight Championship
Former BKFC Heavyweight Champ vs. Former UFC Heavyweight Champ!
( :Gambred FC/Instagram) #GamebredBareknuckle pic.twitter.com/TTpsFWMMuR
— COMBAT SPORTS TODAY (@CSTodayNews) March 1, 2024
Former UFC Heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos, and former UFC Middleweight contender, Alan Belcher, will duke it out for the promotion’s inaugural Heavyweight belt. For “JDS,” this has been a slow burn comeback since his fall from grace in UFC. To recap his journey, he took 1.5 years off after his last UFC loss at the hands of Cyril Gane in Dec. 2020. Few could argue with that break, as it was his third technical knockout loss that year. Finally, in 2022, he came back, only to suffer a shoulder injury to Yorgan de Castro and lose in his return (watch highlights). He finally got back into the win column in a rematch against the man who shot him to stardom, Fabricio Werdum.
Meanwhile, his opponent, Belcher, has had a truly remarkable combat sports run since he left UFC after suffering from eye problems during his match with Michael Bisping all the way back in 2013. Seven long years later, Belcher would finally start striking again, taking up boxing in both gloves and of the bareknuckle variety. He has gone a combined 11-0 in the past three years across the two boxing styles and one MMA match against Roy Nelson back in Nov. 2023.
An astonishing second-life track record of success that is rare in Heavyweight combat sports, regardless of the discipline.
In other bouts, we’ve got former UFC fighters galore, including the co-main between Alex Nicholson vs. Chase Sherman. We’ve got MMA OG’s in Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett, Anthony Njokuani and more!
The event will air live on KICK streaming beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 7 Quick Results:
265 lbs.: Junior dos Santos def. Alan Belcher — TKO, 4:39, Rd. 2
265 lbs.: Chase Sherman def. Alex Nicholson — KO, 3:57, Rd. 1
145 lbs.: Joe Penafiel def. Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett — TKO, 3:49, Rd. 3
170 lbs.: Jesse Ronson def. Anthony Njokuani — Kimura, 4:26, Rd. 1 — HIGHLIGHTS!
155 lbs.: TJ Brown def. Joshua Weems — Arm triangle, 0:59, Rd. 2
185 lbs.: Karl Roberson def. Handesson Fierreira — Decision, 30-27 x3
170 lbs.: Brandon Jenkins def. Tyler Hill — TKO, 2:12, Rd. 3
145 lbs.: Anvar Boynazarov def. Marlon Gonzales — KO, 0:13, Rd. 1
Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA 7 Full Play-By-Play and Results:
Junior dos Santos vs. Alan Belcher for the Inaugural BKMMA Heavyweight belt:
Round 1: Belcher on the front foot immediately. Fakes a shot, but eats a low kick for it. Belcher lands a lunging right hand. Belcher with a leg kick of his own, dos Santos pops a jab. They clinch and Belcher lands a right on the break. JDS whips his big lunchbox fists at Alan’s dome, and while he blocked most of it, enough landed to open a cut on the forehead. Junior being controlled, but moving forward now. That left jab is doing damage. They trade spinning back kicks to the body.
10-9 JDS
Round 2: Junior dos Santos’ nose is busted up again. Belcher head kick. JDS right hand lands clean. Belcher catches JDS off-balance and he lands a series of right hands as JDS is trying to get upright and with a guard. Good elbow by Belcher, too. He’s bleeding badly as well, now. Belcher with a nice elbow. And a takedown for good measure. JDS scrambles and now he’s on top. JDS is painting the canvas red, but he’s getting in some work on Belcher. Belcher tries a deep half sweep, but can’t get it. Junior in half guard and he’s got Belcher flat on his back. Decent GNP from the big former champ. Belcher kicked dos Santos back and stood up, but he didn’t have enough separation and JDS absolutely blasted him with a left hand. JDS is following up, and the ref stops it.
Final result: Junior dos Santos defeats Alan Belcher via punches
Alex Nicholson vs. Chase Sherman
Round 1: Nicholson with a liver kick as the first connection. Gets in a right hand as well. Nicholson got up on his tiptoes for a second just as Sherman went for a takedown, and that’s a bad combination for Alex. Chase not able to do too much with his top position so far. Nicholson gets to a knee, but is wearing a very heavy backpack. He eventually gets up, take a knee to the gut for his troubles. Nicholson lands a right, as does Sherman. Nicholson landing a bunch of jabs. Chase to the body, Nicholson pops him in the mouth and out comes the mouthpiece. Nicholson is polite enough to wait until Sherman picks it up and puts it back in.
That might’ve been a mistake, because about 15 seconds later, Sherman lands a nuclear bomb of a left hook that puts Nicholson out. A couple follow-up shots weren’t even needed.
Final result: Chase Sherman defeats Alex Nicholson via left hook
Jesse Ronson vs. Anthony Njokuani
Round 1: Njokuani with a pair of kicks to open up. Ronson trying to close the range, but with little success early. There we go, Ronson catches a kick and uses it to power forward into a big takedown. Side control. Njokuani doesn’t concede the position and gets his back to the cage. He works his way up, despite eating a knee on the way. Njokuani with a right and a knee. Ronson clinches and gets a trip into half guard. Njokuani elevates Ronson who tries for a weird standing heel hook. The low-percentage move does not succeed. He does get back on top into half guard. Njokuani stands, mat return for Ronson who immediately looks for a kimura, and gets it!
Final result: Jesse Ronson defeats Anthony Njokuani via kimura
Anvar Boynazarov vs. Marlon Gonzales
Round 1: Left-right by Gonzales and Boynazarov responds with an ENORMOUS flying knee that sits Marlon down. Anvar is raining down punches and the ref can stop this any time now… there it is.
Final result: Anvar Boynazarov defeats Marlon Gonzales via flying knee and punches
OH SHIT. Beautiful 13 second flying knee KO by Anvar Boynazarov #GamebredBKMMA pic.twitter.com/id4yf8vi39
— caposa (@Grabaka_Hitman) March 3, 2024
Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett vs. Joe Penafiel
Round 1: Technical difficulties made me miss all of the first round. Thanks, Xfinity.
Round 2: Bennett circling away from Penafiel. Joe pops him with a hook and that puts Charles on his butt. He’s bloodied. Penafiel trying for some ground and pound, switches to a front choke at the end of the round, but Bennett saves to the bell.
10-9 Penafiel
Round 3: They trade right hands. Bennett goes for a takedown, gets stuffed on and winds up on bottom. Half guard for Penafiel. He’s advancing and Charles gives up the back to get away. Charles is scrambling well, but Penafiel maintains his balance on top. Bennett regains half guard. He’s getting beaten on now. It looks like Penafiel got a handful of hair for a second, but the ref doesn’t do anything and “Felony” continues to eat punishment. A little over a minute to go and the ref is looking close… he steps in and it’s over.
Final result: Joe Penafiel defeats Charles Bennett via ground & pound
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