'Gruesome' bare knuckle boxing marathon leaves fans shocked
Fans of combat sports couldn’t believe their eyes as they witnessed a five-round war in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in which the two fighters combined to throw more than 500 punches.
Fighting on the undercard to former UFC star Paige VanZant’s debut in the bare knuckle category, Taylor Starling and Charisa Sigala made for a confronting sight at the end of the fifth and final round of their bout.
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Both fighters were left bloodied to an extraordinary degree from as early as the first round, with the fight incredibly never stopped until it went the distance.
Starling was handed the victory via unanimous decision (50-43 x 2, 49-44) thanks to two knockdowns and her more accurate punches.
Just wait for it... 👊💥😱#BKFC #KnuckleMania pic.twitter.com/XFdg2d8Flh
— BroBible (@BroBible) February 6, 2021
The winner landed 70 of her 214 strikes, a better strike rate tan Sigala, who threw 298 punches but connected on only 67 of them.
ESPN boxing commentator Corey Erdman described it as ‘as gruesome a fight you’ll see’.
“Taylor Starling-Charisa Sigala is about as gruesome a fight as you’re ever going to see,” he wrote on Twitter.
“It’s a miracle that Sigala is even in this fight, let alone with a chance to maybe force a stoppage.”
Taylor Starling-Charisa Sigala is about as gruesome a fight as you’re ever going to see. It’s a miracle that Sigala is even in this fight, let alone with a chance to maybe force a stoppage.
— Corey Erdman (@corey_erdman) February 6, 2021
Starling vs Sigala was incredible.
Those two women just beat the shit out of each for five rounds straight and never backed down for a single second.
That first round was the stuff of legends. #KnuckleMania— Jack Brink (@JackTheBrink) February 6, 2021
Charisa Sigala and Taylor Starling take a bow ladies, what a fight and what a performance by both! https://t.co/1ot52LwqRR
— Sean (@ChattinWrasslin) February 6, 2021
Paige Van Zan rocked by bare knuckle weigh-in controversy
Former UFC star VanZant sparked a fiery brawl at the weigh-in ahead of her bare-knuckle fight debut.
Popular fighter VanZant left the UFC back in July when her contract expired after four losses out of her last six fights.
The free agent turned to bare-knuckle fighting, in a contract she claimed is lucrative, and entered the weigh-in ahead of her clash against Britain Hart.
But things got intense when Hart walked right up to VanZant and got in her face.
VanZant, who has amassed a huge Instagram following, responded as she put her hands on Hart’s throat and pushed her away.
This prompted a push and shove as Hart said: “Don’t put your hands on me.”
“You got it twisted, this isn’t f**king MMA, you can’t choke. Get the rules right.”
VanZant joked on Instagram she had ‘forgotten’ what sport she was taking part in.
“I’m here for a reason,” VanZant said after the weigh-in.
“I was in the UFC for six years getting paid $40,000 (to show) and $40,000 (to win), and now I’m getting 10 times that doing what I love.”
But Hart was adamant VanZant’s stay would be short lived.
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