Hollywood, FL – March 20, 2026 – “King” Kai Stewart successfully defended his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World Featherweight Title for the sixth consecutive time at the completely sold-out Hard Rock Live in Hollywood, FL. This victory in the BKFC 87 Main Event equaled a promotional record for title defenses.
Stewart, hailing from Great Falls, MT, secured his championship with a hard-fought unanimous decision against the previously undefeated Nico “The Iron” Gaffie, who was ranked #3 in the featherweight division. The judges’ scores were 49-46 (twice) and 48-47, all favoring the reigning world champion.
In his post-fight interview, Stewart confidently declared, “I am the King of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. I’m the best bare knuckle fighter in the world. I will keep improving, keep growing, and continue to represent the most exciting sport globally as the King!”
Stewart now boasts an impressive 9-0 record in the Squared Circle. His opponent, Nico Gaffie, the first BKFC European Featherweight Champion from Marbella, Spain, now stands at 3-1 within the BKFC organization.
Stewart joins an elite group, alongside Christine “Misfit” Ferea and Luis “Baboon” Palomino, as only the third fighter to defend a BKFC World Title six times.
BKFC 87 was broadcast live globally via The BKFC App and marked the promotion’s fifteenth consecutive sold-out event at the renowned Hard Rock Live venue.
In the Co-Main Event, undefeated Cuban heavyweight sensation Leonardo “El Zambo” Perdomo extended his dominant streak, improving his record to 11-0 with his tenth first-round stoppage. He dispatched UFC veteran Rashad “Daywalker” Coulter in just 67 seconds. Coulter entered the bout with a 2-1 bare-knuckle record.
Following his swift victory, Perdomo, the #1 ranked BKFC heavyweight contender, directly challenged current BKFC World Heavyweight Champion Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski, declaring, “Arlovski, where are you? Come at me! Don’t be scared. The belt is mine, and everyone knows it!”
In Friday’s Featured Fight, Miami’s Cuban-born Bryan “El Gallo” Duran secured a rapid 19-second TKO victory over Derek “Rage” Perez. Duran, a former BKFC World Featherweight Title challenger and the #5 ranked contender, now holds an 8-1-1 record, while Perez from Belem, NM, falls to 4-5.
Duran reiterated his aspirations for the BKFC World Featherweight Title, stating in his post-fight interview, “I apologize for letting you down [in my previous title fight against Stewart]. But I promise you that when I fight for the belt again, I’m bringing it home to Miami!”
Highlights from BKFC Founder/President David Feldman’s Post-Event Press Conference:
- Fight of the Night: Kai Stewart vs. Nico Gaffie
- Knockout of the Night: Bryan Duran
- Performance of the Night: Jancarlos Rivera
On BKFC 87:
Feldman commented, “We asked the fighters to deliver, and they certainly did tonight. The crowd was incredibly vibrant, bringing amazing energy. It was a fantastic night, and I’m extremely pleased with the event.”
On Kai Stewart’s next fight:
Discussing Kai Stewart’s future opponent, Feldman emphasized fan preference: “We need to consider what’s next. What do the fans desire? I always prioritize what the fans want. It’s not solely about rankings; if the fans aren’t interested, then I must provide them with what they want to see.”
On Leonardo Perdomo’s performance:
Feldman praised Leonardo Perdomo’s performance, stating, “He was in excellent shape and achieved a first-round knockout. I believe this was his most devastating showing yet. His punches were concise, and he delivered a truly outstanding knockout against a formidable veteran.”
In a significant career victory, Anderson, IN’s strawweight Shelby “Boom Boom” Cannon handed Rosalinda “Venom” Rodriguez her first professional loss via split decision. Two judges scored the fight for Cannon (48-46, 49-45), while one favored Rodriguez (49-46). Cannon’s record improves to 2-1, while Fort Lauderdale’s Rodriguez, previously undefeated and ranked #4 in the women’s flyweight division, drops to 3-1.
Miami’s Leo “Lionheart” Carrera claimed victory in his light-heavyweight bout against UFC veteran Sabah “Sleek Sheik” Homasi. Homasi was disqualified in the second round (1:06) for throwing an illegal spinning back fist. Carrera’s record now stands at 3-2, while Coconut Creek’s Homasi is 1-2.
In a highly anticipated rematch, Johannesburg, South African cruiserweight Jeremy “Pitbull” Smith secured a hard-fought split-decision win over former BKFC World Middleweight Title challenger Donald Sanchez. Smith now holds a 4-3 record and is 2-0 against Sanchez. Following the loss, which dropped his record to 4-3, Albuquerque’s Sanchez announced his retirement.
Charleston, SC’s Roberto “El Gallo Negro” Armas, competing in his tenth BKFC bout, delivered a stoppage victory against the previously undefeated AJ “The Biggest” Rodriguez in their bantamweight clash. Rodriguez’s corner halted the fight at the end of the third round. Armas now holds a 5-5 record, while the Venezuelan-born Miami fighter Rodriguez drops to 3-1.
Fort Myers, FL’s undefeated bantamweight Jancarlos “Baby Hulk” Rivera improved his record to 3-0 with a dramatic first-round stoppage victory over Samuel “Ace O’ Spades” Samples. Rivera recovered from an early knockdown to secure the finish with just one second remaining in the first round, marking his second consecutive first-round win. Samples, from Madison County, GA, now stands at 3-5.
Clewiston, FL’s Chris “Dynamite” Garcia effortlessly moved to 6-1, securing his second consecutive stoppage victory with a second-round TKO over Chancey “Supaflyy” Wilson. Garcia scored two knockdowns before the fight was called just 19 seconds into the second round. Wilson, representing Wichita, KS, now has a 3-6 record in BKFC.
Supported by BKFC Women’s World Strawweight Champion Britain Hart in his corner, Broward County, FL’s Chino Blume earned a hard-fought split-decision victory over Alex “The Rhino” Davis in a heavyweight bout. Two judges scored the fight 30-27 for Blume, while one judge saw it 30-27 for Davis. Blume’s record improves to 2-2 with consecutive wins, and Davis, from Coal Mountain, WV, is now 1-3.
Cuban-born Miami fighter Ernesto “Las Manos Benditas” Suarez dominated his bantamweight debut against “Slick” Vic Flor, knocking him down three times in the opening round before the fight was stopped with just four seconds remaining. Suarez now holds a 2-0 record, with both victories coming via first-round finishes. Flor, from Broward County, FL, was making his BKFC debut.
BKFC 87 Full Card Results:
- Kai Stewart (C) def. Nico Gaffie via Unanimous Decision (49-46, 49-46, 48-47) – Retains BKFC World Featherweight Title
- Leonardo Perdomo def. Rashad Coulter via TKO in Round 1 (1:07)
- Bryan Duran def. Derek Perez via TKO in Round 1 (0:19)
- Shelby Cannon def. Rosalinda “Venom” Rodriguez via Split Decision (48-46, 46-49, 49-45)
- Leo Carrera def. Sabah Homasi via Disqualification in Round 2 (1:06)
- Jeremy Smith def. Donald Sanchez via Split Decision (48-47, 48-47, 47-48)
- Roberto Armas def. AJ Rodriguez via TKO in Round 3 (2:00)
- Jancarlos Rivera def. Samuel Samples via TKO in Round 1 (1:59)
- Chris Garcia def. Chancey Wilson via TKO in Round 2 (0:19)
- Chino Blume def. Alex Davis via Split Decision (30-27, 30-27, 27-30)
- Ernesto Suarez def. Vic Flor via TKO in Round 1 (1:56)
