Just this past week, Leah Gotti took out Amber Fields, defeating her opponent in an impressive TKO victory. However,…
Just this past week, Leah Gotti took out Amber Fields, defeating her opponent in an impressive TKO victory. However, one thing that shocked the model and influencer Gotti was how weak her opponent hit.
Leah Gotti vs. Amber Fields
In Misfits Boxing, performer Leah Gotti was booked to take on model Amber Fields in a boxing match with 16 oz gloves. Gotti does not do anything halfway. She committed herself to boxing and trained with serious intent. She moved her life to Colorado to have a dedicated training camp in preparation for this fight.
Additionally, Leah Gotti is no stranger to hard work in athletics. In college, she received a scholarship in wrestling. Plus, she was competitive in both softball and football. In addition to her boxing fight, she is currently preparing for a half marathon.
Leah Gotti was disappointed when she stepped in the ring against Amber Fields as she was ready for war. Speaking with LowKickMMA’s Tim Wheaton on MMA After Dark, Leah Gotti explained:
“I trained so hard. I took this seriously for it to turn out to be the worst sparring match I’ve ever had. I was sparring with girls who are actual fighters, so they weren’t treating me like a princess. They’re f*ing me up. They were really giving it to me—bloody noses, black eyes, and punches that had me falling to the ground, feeling like I was dying, especially in the stomach. They weren’t just shoulder-checking me or light sparring; they were really going at it.”
Leah Gotti
Then, when she faced Amber Fields:
“When she hit me in the first round, I was like, ‘Is this for real right now? Is she joking?’ She hit me so lightly that I don’t even have to block this. I could just throw punches wildly if I wanted to because this isn’t going to hurt me; this isn’t going to cause any real damage.’”
“When I finished the fight, I wasn’t even really sweating it. I was like, ‘Damn, this just feels like I trained so hard.’ That’s what it felt like.”
Leah Gotti was victorious with a TKO in her Misfits Boxing debut. Now, she is speaking with various organizations to book her next fight which could be in boxing or MMA. See the full interview below:
Just this past week, Leah Gotti took out Amber Fields, defeating her opponent in an impressive TKO victory. However,…
Just this past week, Leah Gotti took out Amber Fields, defeating her opponent in an impressive TKO victory. However, one thing that shocked the model and influencer Gotti was how weak her opponent hit.
Leah Gotti vs. Amber Fields
In Misfits Boxing, performer Leah Gotti was booked to take on model Amber Fields in a boxing match with 16 oz gloves. Gotti does not do anything halfway. She committed herself to boxing and trained with serious intent. She moved her life to Colorado to have a dedicated training camp in preparation for this fight.
Additionally, Leah Gotti is no stranger to hard work in athletics. In college, she received a scholarship in wrestling. Plus, she was competitive in both softball and football. In addition to her boxing fight, she is currently preparing for a half marathon.
Leah Gotti was disappointed when she stepped in the ring against Amber Fields as she was ready for war. Speaking with LowKickMMA’s Tim Wheaton on MMA After Dark, Leah Gotti explained:
“I trained so hard. I took this seriously for it to turn out to be the worst sparring match I’ve ever had. I was sparring with girls who are actual fighters, so they weren’t treating me like a princess. They’re f*ing me up. They were really giving it to me—bloody noses, black eyes, and punches that had me falling to the ground, feeling like I was dying, especially in the stomach. They weren’t just shoulder-checking me or light sparring; they were really going at it.”
Leah Gotti
Then, when she faced Amber Fields:
“When she hit me in the first round, I was like, ‘Is this for real right now? Is she joking?’ She hit me so lightly that I don’t even have to block this. I could just throw punches wildly if I wanted to because this isn’t going to hurt me; this isn’t going to cause any real damage.’”
“When I finished the fight, I wasn’t even really sweating it. I was like, ‘Damn, this just feels like I trained so hard.’ That’s what it felt like.”
Leah Gotti was victorious with a TKO in her Misfits Boxing debut. Now, she is speaking with various organizations to book her next fight which could be in boxing or MMA. See the full interview below:
Chingiz Allazov is a decorated fighter in ONE Championship who holds the Featherweight Kickboxing World Title, but he is…
Chingiz Allazov is a decorated fighter in ONE Championship who holds the Featherweight Kickboxing World Title, but he is looking to leave it behind. After capturing gold in K-1 and ONE, ‘Chinga’ Allazov holds the top rank as the best pound-for-pound kickboxer on earth, but wants to step away from ONE.
Chingiz Allazov
Allazov has taken the kickboxing world by storm. The aggressive kickboxer has highly impressive wins against the likes of K-1 MAX Champion Yasuhiro Kido, GLORY Champion Sitthichai Sitsongpeenong, the top-ranked Jo Nattawut, all-time great Superbon Singha Mawynn, and K-1 and GLORY titleholder Marat Grigorian. With these notable victories, Chingiz Allazov is ranked among all-time greats and is the top pound-for-pound kickboxer right now.
In an IG live interview, Marat Grigorian recently said that Allazov has vacated his kickboxing world title in ONE and is stepping away from the organization. In a conversation with Chingiz Allazov, we can update his side of the story.
Chingiz Allazov Leaving ONE
Speaking to the world champion Chingiz Allazov, he explained:
“Yes, it’s true. Before the fight between Marat Grigorian and Superbon, I told ONE Championship that I would leave my belt for this fight, but they said no … They offered me the fight with Superbon before Marat Grigorian, and I said, ‘If I fight Marat, I will finish my career.’”
Over five rounds, Allazov defended his title against Grigorian in 2023. Grigorian then defeated Sitthichai before losing to Superbon for the interim title. ‘Chinga’ was hoping that the Superbon vs. Grigorian fight would be for the undisputed championship.
Allazov continued, after his win over Grigorian he wanted either the Muay Thai Champion Tawanchai in kickboxing or a rematch to avenge a prior loss to Giorgio Petrosyan. He added:
“After that, I asked for a fight with Tawanchai, or even Giorgio Petrosyan again. But Petrosyan is done fighting in ONE Championship, and Tawanchai doesn’t seem interested in a kickboxing match with me. But now, I have a different plan. My own plan for my life and future, not the same plan as ONE Championship.”
Chingiz Allazov continued:
“But this news is true … I’m done fighting in ONE Championship, and I said I would leave my belt for Marat and Superbon to fight for. Before, Superbon won the interim title fight, but after this fight, they offered me another contract. However, I told them no, I’m finishing my career. I have different plans for my life. Maybe in the future, Inshallah, I’ll return to fight other fighters, but for now, I train every day, focus on my life, and focus on my family. Inshallah, always.”
Despite leaving the organization and leaving his illustrious title behind, he has nothing to say but good things about them. Allazov said:
“I wish all the best to all the fighters in ONE Championship, and I want to thank ONE Championship. I have a lot of respect for the whole ONE Championship team and Chatri.”
Chingiz Allazov has had public issues with ONE in the past. It’s not clear what’s next for either party. ONE has not yet officially removed the title from Allazov. ‘Chinga’ may move into fighting with K-1 or somewhere in central Asia. He said he is not yet done with kickboxing as a whole and he will continue to fight.
Shannon Knapp provides optimistic outlook for Invicta FC’s future.
For months, there was fair reason to be concerned about Invicta FC’s future. The women’s MMA promotion, which had long been known for giving major stars in the sport a platform on their way up to the UFC, went more than half a year without announcing an event.
Many started to worry if the decade-long fixture on the U.S. regional scene had met its demise. However, the public recently learned that the idea of the promotion folding was far from the truth. The months of radio silence wasn’t Invicta FC slowly fading away, but instead their quiet behind-the-scenes pursuit of making a strong return. Work from recent weeks by the promotion will all come to a culmination very soon when they host an event in Kansas City.
The absence of Invicta FC will come to an end this Friday when the promotion kicks off a five-event tour which will take place in the second half of 2024. The series of events comes along with a new distribution deal, airing events live on American TV channel CBS Sports Network.
“It’s always hard when you know you’re working on something but you can’t say anything,” said Shannon Knapp, the President of Invicta FC. “You see the speculation, you know. Everybody wants to know what’s going on. So when you can make that announcement and let the world know what you’ve been working on, it’s a very exciting moment.”
Invicta FC Returning Amid A Women’s Sports ‘Evolution’
The deal is Invicta FC’s first major partnership since being acquired by Anthem Sports & Entertainment in 2021. It guarantees five events this year, with Knapp mentioning the possibility of further shows on the channel in 2025. After years on UFC’s online subscription service Fight Pass, the promotion briefly was hosted on Anthem-owned channel AXS TV. Knapp said that they were always in pursuit of a new media deal and that they are satisfied with the one which kicks off this week.
“I think it’s great for CBS Sports,” Knapp said. “They embrace more women’s sports, and I think it’s great for Invicta. We have the opportunity to possibly connect with maybe a potential fan base that didn’t have that opportunity before.”
Invicta FC’s return comes amid a big moment for women’s sports. The rise of popularity for college and pro-level women’s basketball—coined by some as “The Caitlin Clark Effect” due to a highly successful popular Iowa-born player leading the charge—has put women’s athletics under a big spotlight. Other rising leagues, like the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), have also received a rise in popularity as of late. Knapp sees the importance of making sure every sport is involved in the current rise of women’s sports, including MMA.
“I think it’s very exciting to see the evolution that’s happening right now for women’s sports,” she said. “But I think that everybody’s part of that movement. If you’re an all-female [league] you’re part of that movement. I think it’s really important that we embrace that, and we help lift it up, not only for Invicta or for combat sports, but for all sports.”
Talita Bernardo, Kay Hansen Among Spotlighted Talents
Friday’s card will include a mix of returning Invicta FC names, plus a wave of new talent who debut with a fair amount of buzz. The main event will see bantamweight champ Talita Bernardo hunt for her fourth consecutive win in the promotion, taking on rising ex-Bellator fighter Olga Rubin.
After having an unsuccessful UFC run that came to an end in 2022, Bernardo has found a second wind in her career through Invicta FC. After scoring back-to-back submission wins in 2022, she went five rounds against Taneisha Tennant to take a decision victory and capture the division’s 135-pound belt.
Earlier in the night, Kay Hansen will come back to Invicta for the first time since her two-year UFC run. At just 24 years old, Hansen will be looking to reboot her career by performing in the promotion that previously got her to a big stage in the sport.
“Having Kay [Hansen] back is amazing,” Knapp explained. “You know, this is where it all began for her, she was very young. If memory serves me right, I think she was like 18 when she came in, or somewhere in that vicinity. She was very young.”
Atomweight Division Continues To Receive Attention
Earlier in the night, an atomweight (105-pound) fight will see Japanese prospect Saori Oshima take on Andressa Romero. Oshima has put together a stellar record in Japan’s regional scene and has won four fights in notable promotion RIZIN.
Among the top MMA promotions (UFC, PFL & Bellator), none currently host fights at the atomweight limit. Knapp explained the importance of putting a spotlight on these divisions at Invicta, even if they aren’t exactly stepping-stone bouts to get into bigger promotions.
“It’s important that we embrace all the divisions,” she said. “Currently. we have five divisions. Could we expand on that at some point in time? There is a good potential. But yeah, I think it’s hugely important. I especially the lower weights for women. You find a lot of women that compete in those weight classes.”
Back up and running, Invicta FC is optimistic about what lies ahead. After months where fans might have felt worried about the promotion’s future, Knapp wants the public to know that they are working hard to provide the best product possible.
“We’re moving, and we’re super excited about the opportunity that’s in front of us,” she said. “I think that what fans can expect right now is I’m gonna do my best. My team’s gonna do their best to put on world-class matchups, entertaining matchups and to really fine-tune everything and give them the best that we can give them.”
John Dodson didn’t always love the idea of bare-knuckle boxing. Now, he’s the BKFC champ. How did that happen?
It might be hard to believe now, but John Dodson’s current bare-knuckle boxing run almost didn’t even come to fruition. What started as a deed for a family member has evolved over the years, and now sees him headlining a card this weekend with a title in the mix.
The 39-year-old UFC vet currently holds the BKFC Flyweight Championship, which he earned with a first-round stoppage of JR Ridge last year. He has previously stopped two other fighters under bare-knuckle boxing rules and is scheduled to put his belt on the line against standout Dominican Republic pro boxer Dagoberto Aguero this Friday.
John Dodson talks BKFC journey
Knowing all of that, you might be shocked about what happened when he was first asked about competing in fighting sans the gloves.
“To be honest with you? I said no,” Dodson said in a recent interview. “I told them absolutely not.”
The visuals of bare-knuckle boxing were off-putting for Dodson. While he has seen the studies that suggest bare-knuckle boxing, albeit still a dangerous sport, could have a lower rate of concussions than other forms of combat, nasty “skin on skin, bone to face” contact in matches gives him pause to this day.
“I still have that sense that ‘I don’t want to do this,’” Dodson joked. “Every time I’m at a BKFC event, I’m hearing people get hit in the back and it sounds so painful, man!”
Brotherly Love
Mandatory Credit: BKFC
So what brought Dodson into BKFC? Stepping up for a family member and showing brotherly love, believe it or not.
It was John’s brother, Eric who first expressed interest in competing for BKFC. John said his brother, known as the “Thuggy Bear,” went to a tryout hosted by the promotion and earned an opportunity to compete. However, fights kept falling through. John wanted to give his brother a shot at competing in BKFC, so he accepted a fight when they came to his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and made sure his Eric would get on the undercard.
“Ultimately I had to do my brother a solid,” Dodson said. “Be a good big brother and put on a hell of a show.”
Both of the Dodson brothers have found success since then. Dodson won his BKFC debut in just 40 seconds, putting away fellow UFC alum Ryan Benoit. “Thuggy Bear” picked up his last victory just a couple of months back. While he may have hesitancy about bare-knuckle fights, Dodson believes he’s in a period of his career that he is truly loving.
A Post-UFC Dodson
Four years removed from the end of his UFC run, a time in the promotion that lasted nearly a decade and included two different title fights against Demetrious Johnson, Dodson says he’s simply having fun. The pressure of being in the top MMA promotion is gone, allowing him to do so much more.
“When I was in UFC at 135 [pounds], I was still trying to secure a job and I wasn’t having fun anymore … I was playing the safe game, I wanted to ensure I had a next fight scheduled. Once those next fights stopped coming through, I had to change up my mentality. Back into having fun, making sure I can go and do what I always love.”
When his UFC career initially came to an end, Dodson remembers feeling lost. “Oh s***, I need to get a real job,” he remembers thinking. But it wouldn’t end up being the end of the road for him. What helped him regain focus was coaching at United Fit, where the Nobody’s Villains MMA team trains. Coaching is something that he wants to do even after his time as a fighter has come to an end.
“I always love coaching my team. Those guys keep me motivated … They push me to a new limit. When I was let go from the UFC, I needed something else to motivate me. I keep on training their guys, making sure that they can get better. And not only that, it helps me put the best foot forward.”
Dodson says he wants to keep competing to set an example for his students: “I don’t want to sit there and be telling them, ‘Hey you guys should do this, this is how you really become a champion’ without ever being one at all.”
While competing in bare-knuckle boxing, Dodson is no doubt still fully in the MMA world. He has been balancing his time as of late in between BKFC and Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN. He won his RIZIN debut in late 2022, stopping veteran talent Hideo Tokoro. He had a three-fight winning streak in MMA snapped late last year when 2021 RIZIN Bantamweight Grand Prix winner Hiromasa Ougikubo beat him on scorecards. While nothing has been announced, he hopes to return to Japan sometime soon.
Not Afraid of Aguero
Mandatory Credit: Mike Roach – Zuffa LLC
Friday will be a different challenge compared to previous BKFC fights that Dodson has been in. He has previously faced MMA fighters under bare-knuckle rules or fighters like former champ Ridge, who have experience strictly in BKFC. But this weekend he’ll be facing a talent who comes from a more traditional boxing background.
Aguero made his BKFC debut last year with a third-round win over Chance Wilson. He had a 17-fight pro boxing record before then, mainly building up wins in the Dominican Republic. He switched over to bare-knuckle competition after suffering a pair of losses, dropping a decision to Aram Avagyan and getting stopped by former Rey Vargas opponent Azat Hovhannisyan.
The different matchup doesn’t bother Dodson, as he seems to have the same confident mindset no matter who is across from him.
“I mean, he can have as many experiences all he wants,” he said. “15-2 doesn’t mean anything to me when it comes to being the more dynamic striker. I’ve solidified myself being one of the most dangerous strikers and one of the most decorated ones out of all of them.”
If the story about Dodson coming around on competing for BKFC didn’t prove that he’s still a changing and transforming fighter, a glance at his career makes a solid case as well. When looking at his success recently, it’s clear that he is having one of the strongest runs of his entire career. Before his close loss in RIZIN just a few months ago, he had a six-fight stretch of victories between MMA and bare-knuckle boxing, a run that hasn’t been seen since the start of his UFC campaign. Dodson competed a total of four times last year, a level of activity that was last seen more than a decade ago in his career.
A win this weekend would continue Dodson’s recent career resurgence and keep his champion status. And who knows, maybe it will keep him in the bare-knuckle sport that he still has second thoughts about for one more fight.
BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) boss, David Feldman has claimed promotional poster boy, Mike Perry is nothing short of…
BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) boss, David Feldman has claimed promotional poster boy, Mike Perry is nothing short of a “major star” across the combat sports sphere, as he gears up for an end-of-year clash with former UFC lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez in Utah.
Embarking on a perfect three-fight winning run since landing in the above-mentioned, Feldman-led promotion, Michigan native, Perry most recently turned in an impressive second round win over former UFC and Strikeforce middleweight champion, Luke Rockhold back in April.
The victory came off the back of consecutive decision wins for Mike Perry over both former Bellator MMA welterweight title challenger, Michael Page, and The Ultimate Fighter veteran, Julian Lane – in what has proven to be a hugely successful venture for UFC alum, Perry.
David Feldman heaps praise on BKFC star, Mike Perry
And sharing his thoughts on the recent surge in stardom of Mike Perry, BKFC leader, Feldman claimed that while both the promotion and Perry helped each other rise, the former has cast himself into a new stratosphere as a definitive combat sports star.
“You know, I think – and Mike (Perry) will say it, we helped each other,” David Feldman told LowKick MMA during a recent interview. “As we resurrected him from the UFC and we were able to help him become a – really I think, he’s a major, major star in combat sports now. At the same time, he talks very good about us. He knows what to say [and] when to say it. He’s just a walking, you know, a walking drop, he knows what to drop and when to drop it. And he does good, and talks good about the organization.”
“He’s a great guy, he’s a great family man,” Feldman explained. “So, I think – look, I always say this, whether I’m talking to sponsors, whether I’m talking to tv networks, whether I’m talking to fighters, I say, ‘Listen, we have to establish a great partnership.’ And if we establish a great partnership, then it works for everybody. And if it doesn’t work for everybody, it doesn’t work for anybody.
Also featuring on that previously mentioned April card in Colorado, incoming BKFC 56 headliner, Alvarez debuted in the rising promotion with a close, split decision win over fellow former UFC star, Chad Mendes, following his departure from Singapore organization, ONE Championship.
Chingiz Allazov is a decorated fighter in ONE Championship who holds the Featherweight Kickboxing World Title, but he is…
Shannon Knapp provides optimistic outlook for Invicta FC’s future.
John Dodson didn’t always love the idea of bare-knuckle boxing. Now, he’s the BKFC champ. How did that happen?
BKFC (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship) boss, David Feldman has claimed promotional poster boy, Mike Perry is nothing short of…