BKFC debuts don’t get much better than this.
The BKFC, the world’s premier bareknuckle boxing promotion, has signed a number of former UFC stars to its roster since its inception in 2018.
We’ve seen the likes of Mike Perry, Eddie Alvarez, Jeremy Stephens and more fighters step into the Squared Circle for some of the most grueling fights in combat sports today.
This weekend, another ex-UFC fighter got their first win under the BKFC banner.
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Randy Costa wins BKFC debut with first-round knockout
On Saturday, former UFC bantamweight Randy Costa made his promotional debut at BKFC Fight Night: Mohegan Sun.
Once a hot prospect in the UFC, the 30-year-old Costa turned to bareknuckle fighting in the years after his UFC release. Costa fought in Jorge Masvidal’s Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA twice against UFC veterans Jason Knight and Brandon Davis.
In his BKFC debut, Costa crossed paths with 45-year-old veteran Nick Burgos.
Costa took the fight right away to Burgos, melting him with punches to knock him down twice in the opening round. Burgos was dropped with 10 seconds left to go in the round and the referee waved it off, marking the TKO victory for ‘The Zohan’.
Randy Costa was one of the UFC’s hottest prospects in 2021
Costa notched the ninth knockout of his career in the BKFC.
In 2019, a 24-year-old Costa punched his ticket in the UFC with four-straight knockouts on the regional scene.
Costa dropped his UFC debut, but bounced back with two ferocious first-round knockouts of Boston Salmon and Journey Newson.
Riding a lot of momentum, Costa was matched up with another highly-touted prospect in Adrian Yanez in 2021. After hurting Yanez in the first round, Costa ate a barrage of punches in the second round and suffered his first KO loss of his career.
Costa never rebounded in the Octagon and lost his next two fights to Tony Kelley and Guido Cannetti before his UFC release in 2022.