
3 Must-See Fights Headline BKFC KnuckleMania 5
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship lands inside the Wells Fargo Center in the city of brotherly love, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. KnuckleMania 5 bills almost half of the lineup with hometown fighters. The main event features former UFC and Bellator lightweight champion, Eddie Alvarez. He clashes with hard-hitting UFC veteran, Jeremy Stephens. Meanwhile, the co-main event features BKFC heavyweight champion Mick Terrill. He puts his belt on the line as he faces former UFC heavyweight, Ben Rothwell.
If you’re a fan and unsure which fights to watch, focus on the final three fights of the night. They promise intense action with the most at stake, and will deliver bloody, hard-hitting violence to fans around the world.

Middleweight Bout
Eddie Alvarez vs. Jeremy Stephens
It’s only fitting that Eddie Alvarez, Philadelphia’s most prolific MMA fighter, stops in his hometown. This happens before the end of his time with BKFC. The 41-year-old headlines KnuckleMania 5 in a tough challenge. He faces former UFC Featherweight 38-year-old Jeremy Stephens.
Alvarez comes into this fight after a year away from competing. He suffered a second-round loss via TKO to BKFC superstar Mike Perry in December 2023. This is Alvarez’s third BKFC fight. He debuted with the company in April 2022. He defeated former UFC Featherweight Chad Mendes via split decision. Stephens, on the other hand, debuted in 2023. He is undefeated in the company. He has wins over Bobby Taylor and former UFC Featherweight Jimmie Rivera.
The names involved in this high-octane main event speak for themselves. Former two-promotion Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez will fight in front of a home crowd. He faces the battle-tested former UFC Featherweight Jeremy Stephens. Both men are known for displaying actual toughness and grit inside the octagon. However, their presence in the BKFC has been ringing bells as of late. Fans can expect the two fighters to meet in the middle of the ring. They will look for a highlight-reel finish as they exchange wild punches. The Philadelphia crowd did not hold back. They let the visitor know how they feel. Stephens faced plenty of insults and trash talk at the press conference.

Heavyweight Bout
Mick Terrill vs. Ben Rothwell
The co-main event of KnuckleMania 5 showcases two ferocious giants battling for a World title. BKFC Heavyweight champion Mick Terrill defends his title against former UFC Heavyweight Ben Rothwell.
Terrill, 41, comes into this title fight riding a four-fight TKO winning streak. He lost his debut with BKFC in 2021. Rothwell, 43, is undefeated in just three fights with the company after making his debut in 2022.
This fight is a must-see. The stakes of the Heavyweight championship are on the line. There is a stark difference in their journeys in the sport. Terrill started professionally bare-knuckle fighting in 2016 and joined BKFC in 2021. Rothwell comes from the UFC and is undefeated in BKFC (3-0-0) after transitioning to the sport in October 2022. Both men did not need the judges’ scorecards throughout their time at BKFC.

Flyweight Bout
Taylor Starling vs. Bec Rawlings
The final main card bout before the two featured fights includes a violent matchup. BKFC pioneer and former UFC fighter Bec Rawlings faces the young and tough former title challenger Taylor Starling.
Rawlings, 35, is on a three-fight losing streak. She is headed into this bout with her last appearance being back on Dec. 2, 2023, when she unsuccessfully challenged the dominant champion Christine Ferea for her belt. Starling, 28, has a record of 1-2 in her last appearances. Her most recent appearance was a losing effort in 2024 against World champion Britain Beltran Hart.
This is a must-see fight, given the approaches of Starling and Hart inside the ring. Not to mention, both fighters have championship experience under their belts. Rawlings became the first-ever BKFC champion after she defeated Britain Hart via split decision at BKFC on Aug. 25, 2018. Starling got her championship experience when she challenged Britain Beltran Hart for her title on August 3, 2024.
Average Rating