Conor Cooke comes out on prime in BKFC Struggle Night time Derby principal occasion
Derby, United Kingdom (Dec. 13, 2025) – Naked Knuckle Combating Championship (BKFC) made a smashing first impression in its extremely anticipated premiere in Derby, United Kingdom on Saturday with BKFC Struggle Night time Derby on the sold-out Vaillant Dwell.
In Saturday’s Essential Occasion, Antrim City, Northern Eire’s Conor Cooke defeated Anthony “The Yorkshire Gladiator” Holmes of their extremely anticipated matchup for the vacant BKFC UK Gentle-Heavyweight Championship.
The referee referred to as a cease to the battle on the conclusion of the third spherical on account of a sequence of cuts that severely affected Holmes’ imaginative and prescient.
Conor Cooke is now 6-1 on the power of 4 straight victories. Holmes, a consultant of Castleford, England, is now 5-3-1 beneath the BKFC banner and beforehand held the BKFC UK Cruiserweight Title.
“I can’t describe it. I got here to BKFC two years in the past and fought my (expletive) ass. I fought for this. I’m the perfect light-heavyweight within the UK. Come right here and battle me for it,” Cooke mentioned in his post-fight interview.
Unbeaten Hartlepool, England product Bradley Taylor upped his BKFC file to 4-0 in Saturday’s Co-Essential Occasion with a unanimous choice on the expense of Brian “Braveheart” Hyslop of their bantamweight battle. Two judges scored the battle 49-46 and one scored the competition 48-47, all for Taylor.
Taylor referred to as out BKFC Bantamweight World Champion Justin “Pleasure Boy” Ibarrola in his post-fight interview: “With all due respect to BKFC, I feel it’s time for me to get a title shot. I feel I deserve that now.”
Hyslop, who hails from Glasgow, Scotland, strikes to 1-1 in his bare-knuckle preventing profession with the loss.
Hebburn, England’s Paul Cook dinner and Matt “The Mechanic” Wiwczaryk of Stoke-on-Trent, England fought to a majority draw of their back-and-forth, welterweight bout. Cook dinner scored the only knockdown of the battle. One decide scored the battle 48-46 for Wiwczaryk, and two judges agreed on the 47-47 verdict. Cook dinner is now 3-1-1 beneath the BKFC banner, and Wiwczaryk is now 2-1-1 with the promotion.
Leith, Scotland’s Lewis “The Leith Warrior” Knox despatched Robbie Brown to the canvas twice, paving the best way to a fourth-round stoppage of their featherweight battle. The stoppage got here 41 seconds into the fourth body. Knox was making his BKFC debut, whereas the Hartlepool, England product Brown is now 2-4 within the Squared Circle.
Leeds, England’s Simeon “Mr. Miyagi” Ottley earned a choice over Oskar Smykiel in middleweight motion. Two judges scored the battle 49-46 and one had it 50-46, all in favor of Ottley, who now boasts a 3-1 total file in his bare-knuckle preventing profession. Smykiel, who hails from Edinburgh, Scotland, is now 1-1.
Peterlee, England middleweight Liam Hutchinson evened his BKFC file to 1-1 with a hard-fought, fifth-round stoppage over Luke “Brasshammer” Brassfield. Hutchinson overcame a severely swollen eye and was possible down a number of rounds earlier than rallying for the end with 16 seconds left within the battle. Brassfield, who represents Nottingham, England, was making his BKFC debut.
Unbeaten Stalybridge, England middleweight Leigh “The Growth” Cohoon improved to 3-0 with a third-round knockout over Cory Hardy. The battle was stopped at 1:39 of the third stanza. Hardy, a product of Pinxton, England, was making his BKFC debut.
Bradford, England’s Tommy Hawthorn was stellar in his BKFC premiere, sending Tommy “Chaos” Carus to the canvas six instances en path to the second-round stoppage. Time of the stoppage was 1:21 in Spherical 2. Carus, who represents Liverpool, England, was additionally making his promotional debut.
Bromsgrove, England’s Ricky “The Birmingham Bull” Nelder scored a fourth-round stoppage over Danny Leadbetter in light-heavyweight motion. The bout was stopped with 13 seconds left within the fourth body. Nelder has intensive bare-knuckle preventing expertise exterior of BKFC and is now 1-1 with the promotion. The Skelmersdale, England fighter Leadbetter is now 0-3 beneath the BKFC banner.
Terri “The” Diamond shined in her BKFC debut because the Birkenhead, England product wanted simply 104 seconds to cease Meghan “The Witch” O’Neill of their strawweight matchup. O’Neill, who hails from Ballyscastle, North Eire, was additionally making her BKFC debut.
London’s “Wild” Will Smith was victorious in his BKFC debut, knocking out Luke “The Soul Snatcher” Steele 26 seconds into the second spherical of their light-weight conflict. Steele was additionally making his BKFC debut, however the Carmarthen, Wales product entered battle evening with an 8-2 total in his naked knuckle preventing profession.
BKFC Struggle Night time Derby Outcomes
Conor Cooke def. Anthony Holmes by way of TKO in Spherical 3 (2:00) – Wins vacant BKFC U.Ok. Gentle-Heavyweight Title
Bradley Taylor def. Brian Hyslop by way of Unanimous Resolution (49-46×2, 48-47)
Paul Cook dinner vs. Matthew Wiwczaryk declared a Majority Draw (47-47×2, 48-46 for Wiwczaryk)
Lewis Knox def. Robbie Brown by way of KO in Spherical 4 (0:41)
Simeon Ottley def. Oskar Smykiel by way of Unanimous Resolution (49-46×2, 50-46)
Liam Hutchinson def. Luke Brassfield by way of TKO in Spherical 5 (1:44)
Leigh Cohoon def. Cory Hardy by way of KO in Spherical 3 (1:39)
Tommy Hawthorn def. Tommy Carus by way of TKO in Spherical 2 (1:21)
Ricky Nelder def. Danny Leadbetter by way of TKO in Spherical 4 (1:47)
Terri Diamond def. Meghan O’Neill by way of KO in Spherical 1 (1:44)
Will Smith def. Luke Steele by way of KO in Spherical 2 (0:26)
