UFC veteran Lauzon scores five knockdowns in dominant bare-knuckle debut at Fenway Park

Joe Lauzon announced his return to combat sports in emphatic fashion, scoring five knockdowns against Stash Kuykendall to win his bare-knuckle debut at BKFC’s Fenway Park event in Boston on Saturday night. Referee Dan Miragliotta halted the contest 49 seconds into the second round, with Kuykendall too badly damaged to continue.

The 42-year-old UFC veteran had been on a hiatus from fighting before BKFC’s announcement of an event at the historic baseball stadium lured him back. The prospect of competing in his home city proved too good to pass up, and Lauzon wasted no time making his presence felt once the action began.

From the opening exchanges, Lauzon drove Kuykendall back towards the ropes and went straight to the body before landing a right hand that produced the first knockdown. With Kuykendall visibly hurt, Lauzon pressed forward relentlessly, adding a second knockdown with another right hand before the round was out. A third knockdown followed, though time expired before Lauzon could finish the fight in the first.

The second round told the same story. Lauzon immediately put Kuykendall down for a fourth time, and moments later a left hand twisted Kuykendall’s head violently and sent him face-first to the canvas for a fifth knockdown. Kuykendall showed heart in getting back to his feet, but Miragliotta had seen enough.

“We always fight like it’s a car crash,” Lauzon said afterwards. “I felt like I hit him pretty good. I’ve got a swollen eye but that’s the way it goes. If you come back to Fenway, we’ll talk about it.”

That final comment hinted at what may be a one-and-done appearance in bare-knuckle competition for Lauzon. The longtime fan favourite appeared to suggest he would only consider returning if BKFC brought another event to Boston, leaving his record in the promotion at a perfect 1-0.