BKFC KnuckleMania results: Hart ruins VanZant’s bare knuckle debut, wins decision

Britain Hart ruined Paige VanZant’s bare knuckle boxing plans, at least out of the gate, winning a unanimous decision in the BKFC KnuckleMania main event this evening.

Hart won on scores of 49-46 across the board, all three judges having the same tally. Bad Left Hook had it slightly closer at 48-47, but sort of a clear 48-47 in Hart’s favor. The first round was something of a toss-up, but the second, third, and fourth were clear Hart rounds, while the fifth seemed to be a clear VanZant round, as she finally did some notable damage.

Hart (2-2, 1 KO) was never any joke of an opponent for former UFC star VanZant (0-1) coming into BKFC, and everyone who’d seen Britain fight really knew that coming in. She isn’t a star boxer or anything, but she’s trained a lot more in boxing than VanZant has, and that showed up in the ring.

VanZant figured she’d be more effective in the clinch, but while she seemed physically stronger, it was Hart scoring points when they were tied up. VanZant pushed Hart around some, but Hart actually threw punches — a lot of them — to the body in there, and it mattered.

There was simply a lot of the fight where VanZant just looked a bit out of her depth with Hart, not that PVZ looked like an incompetent; in fact, she may well go on to do fine in BKFC if she sticks with it, but Hart was a risky opponent to debut against, and the gamble did not pay off.

A dejected VanZant did not do a post-fight interview, but Hart did, and it was all vibes, man.

Hart talked about how Paige VanZant was an idol of hers, then said, “I’m not a person. I’m a fucking feeling, and all of you guys are going to feel it,” which was something.

Asked if she’d give VanZant a rematch, or would want one — which seems weird, she just won a clear decision in the biggest fight of her life — Hart instead said, “Dude, Bec Rawlings knocked my teeth back at BKFC 2. Paige VanZant, you knocked my teeth out. But good thing sharks regrow their teeth.”

Hart then added, “This isn’t to my haters, this is not to the people who don’t believe in me. This is not for the people who said Paige VanZant is gonna win. This is for the people who said I could.” This made some sense and related a bit to the fight.

And then, finally, Hart started talking about the fight.

“I really wanted to knock her out in the third round. She’s tough, she’s tough,” Hart said. “No disrespect to her, but she’s tough as hell, all her UFC fights, she’s tough, she’s durable, she really is. I’m not the most technically sound boxer, but I was not going to let Paige VanZant out-work me.”

Anyway, then some other lady came in the ring, and Hart poured water on her, and the lady was ushered out quickly, and you have to wonder if BKFC is ever going to figure out how predictable and corny this is when it’s done after basically every upper-tier fight they have.

Final punch stats, which did not take into account a LOT of Hart body shots that most anyone saw watching this fight: