Brisbane, Australia (October 3, 2026) Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, returned to Australia with an incredible night of knockouts on Saturday, October 3 at the sold-out Eatons Hill Hotel in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The entire BKFC Fight Night Australia event was streamed globally on The BKFC App.
In Saturday’s must-see Main Event, Josh “Kamikaze” Kuhne smashed his way to 2-0 under the BKFC banner with a lightning-fast knockout at the expense of “Fighting Irish” Shaun Curran in the welterweight division. Kuhne, who hails from Gold Coast, Australia, sent Curran to the canvas three times before their fight was stopped after just 58 seconds. Curran, who represents Adelaide, Australia, was making his BKFC debut.
Both of Kuhne’s wins have come by stoppage, and he said in his post-fight interview that he hopes Saturday’s win earns him a spot on the BKFSea Bruise Cruise 2027, January 22-25: “I’m happy, I’m healthy, and I’m going to sell those tickets for the Bruise Cruise, baby! Get the kids, we’re going to Miami, we’re going to The Bahamas! Let’s go!”
In Saturday’s Co-Main Event, Brisbane, Australia’s Mark “Bam Bam” Flanagan knocked out Kaylib Heke in their hotly anticipated heavyweight showdown. Flanagan, who fought for a World Boxing Association (WBA) title in his previous career as a professional gloved boxer, is now 1-1 under the BKFC banner, while the Auckland, New Zealand Heke is 0-1 after accepting this fight earlier this week as a short-notice replacement.
Flanagan said in his post-fight interview that he hopes his impressive stoppage victory Saturday is enough to earn him a spot in BKFC’s highly anticipated World’s Baddest Man Tournament: “I’m going to (expletive) them up!”
Sudanese-born Victoria, Australia fighter Santo “King Cowboy” Joma was victorious in his BKFC debut in Saturday’s Featured Fight, defeating Viktor “The Impaler” Lyall via technical knockout in middleweight action. The stoppage came at 1:26 of the second round. Lyall, who represents Brisbane, Australia, was also making his BKFC premiere.
Gold Coast, Australia’s Mick “Warhorse” Whitehead stopped Ryan Winnett in the fourth round of their lightweight battle. Whitehead is now 1-1, and the Brisbane, Australia fighter Winnett is also 1-1.
Sudanese-born Brisbane, Australia product Mario “Hand Grenade” Loga was spectacular in his BKFC debut, dropping Alvin “Aychpapi” Kanehailua three times before their middleweight bout was called to a halt after just 47 seconds. Kanehailua, who hails from Honolulu, HI, is now 0-2.
Logan, Australia’s Hunter “Coca Samoa” Ioane improved to 2-0 by stopping Luke “Bam Bam” Bampton in the opening round of their lightweight matchup. The bout was stopped with just one second left in the opening round. The Adelaide, Australia product Bampton is now 0-2 in the Squared Circle.
Brisbane, Australia heavyweight Mel “The Revenant” Tolone only needed 41 seconds to win big in his BKFC debut after he steamrolled “The Rat Man” Ricky Rowles-Brown. Rowles-Brown, who represents Bundaberg, Australia, was also making his first trip to the Squared Circle.
Brisbane, Australia’s Timothy Randel was victorious in his BKFC debut in the opening bout of the night, knocking out Ahmad “The Mauler” Muhtaseb in welterweight action. The stoppage came at 1:12 of the first round. Muhtaseb, who hails from Melbourne, Australia, was also making his BKFC debut.
BKFC Fight Night Australia
Josh Kuhne def. Shaun Curran via TKO in Round 1 (0:58)
Mark Flanagan def. Kaylib Heke via KO in Round 2 (0:43)
Santo Joma def. Viktor Lyall via TKO in Round 2 (1:26)
Mick Whitehead def. Ryan Winnett via TKO in Round 4 (0:50)
Mario Loga def. Alvin Kanehailua via KO in Round 1 (0:47)
Hunter Ioane def. Luke Bampton via TKO in Round 1 (1:59)
Mel Tolone def. Ricky Rowles-Brown via KO in Round 1 (0:41)
Timothy Randel def. Ahmad Muhtaseb via KO in Round 1 (1:12)
Social Media
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Website: www.BKFC.com
Media Contact
Bernie Bahrmasel
Double B Sports
Phone: + 1 773 592-2986
Email: BernieBahrmasel@yahoo.com
Twitter: @BernieBahrmasel
About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.
In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.
