Alessio Sakara defeats Chris Camozzi for BKFC Cruiserweight Title in Italy

Alessio Sakara is your new BKFC Cruiserweight Champ

Rome, Italy (Oct. 25, 2025) – Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) crowned a new BKFC Cruiserweight World Champion on Saturday night at BKFC 83 in Rome, Italy as Italian combat sports legend Alessio dethroned Chris Camozzi in their action-packed Main Event battle.

Two judges agreed on the 48-47 verdict for Sakara, and one judge scored it 48-47 for Camozzi, who was defending his belt for the second time. Sakara, who represents Rome and Coconut Creek, FL, is now 2-0 in his BKFC career; the Denver, CO product Camozzi is now 4-2.

Sakara vs. Camozzi headlined BKFC 83, an outstanding international combat sports event in BKFC’s hotly anticipated return to Italy at the sold-out Palazzo Dello Sport in Rome, broadcast LIVE worldwide on The BKFC App. (The full event is also now available for viewing on The BKFC App.)

“I’m 44 years old and now a World Champion,” Sakara told the roaring Palazzo Dello Sport in his post-fight interview. “To the next generation, follow your dreams!”

BKFC Partner Conor McGregor added, “That was the most inspiring performance I’ve ever seen in my entire life in combat sports! A 44-year-old man, who’s been all the way around the block, comes back and crowns himself BKFC Cruiserweight World Champion in his hometown!”

In the BKFC 83 Co-Main Event, former BKFC Lightweight World Champion Franco Tenaglia took a big step closer to reclaiming the title by defeating Ben “The Bomber” Bonner in Saturday’s semifinal matchup in the BKFC Lightweight World Title Tournament Semi-Final. Two judges scored the fight 48-47 for Tenaglia, and one had it 48-47 for Bonner, who entered fight night as BKFC’s Interim World Lightweight Champion. Tenaglia, who represents Alicante, Spain and Buenos Aires, Argentina, is now 5-0 in his BKFC career, while the Middlesbrough, U.K. fighter Bonner moves to 4-2.

The undefeated Tenaglia will now meet the winner of Austin “No Doubt” Trout’s and Luis “Baboon” Palomino’s highly anticipated rematch in the other BKFC Lightweight World Tournament Semifinal in the Main Event on Dec. 5 at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL.

“Put some respect on my name. I keep moving forward,” Tenaglia said in his post-fight interview. “After I win the belt, let’s go to Argentina.”

In Saturday’s Featured Fight, the unbeaten Josef “The Berzerker” Hala sent Francesco Ricchi to the canvas four times en route to the standing technical knockout victory competing for the inaugural BKFC European Middleweight Championship. The stoppage came at 1:43 in round three. Hala is now 5-0 in his bare-knuckle fighting career. The Strakonice, Czech Republic fighter is his country’s first BKFC Champion. The former BKFC Middleweight World Champion Ricchi, who hails from Rome and Fort Lauderdale, FL, is now 7-3 in the Squared Circle.

“I’m the first Champion from the Czech Republic,” Hala said via his interpreter in his post-fight interview. “Today I made history as the first ever BKFC Champion from the Czech Republic.”

The undefeated Nico “The Iron” Gaffie won the inaugural BKFC European Featherweight Championship with an electric 73-second knockout victory at the expense of Jelle “Barbarian” Zeegers. The Marbella, Spain product is now 3-0 with three stoppage victories and entered fight night as the #2 ranked contender in the BKFC featherweight division. Zeegers, who represents Tilburg, Netherlands, is now 1-1 in his BKFC career.

“I’m going to follow in the steps of Conor McGregor and be a two-division World Champion at 135 pounds and 145 pounds,” Gaffie said via his interpreter in his post-fight press conference. “God put me on this path for a reason, and I’m following His path.”

Former BKFC World Welterweight Championship challenger Carlos Trinidad-Snake climbed to 7-1 with the biggest win of his impressive career Saturday by stopping Jimmy “The King” Sweeney in the third round of their 165-pound matchup. The former BKFC European Championship challenger Sweeney is the most experienced bare-knuckle fighter in modern history, bringing a 29-5 record into fight night. Time of the TKO finish was 18 seconds into the third round. Trinidad-Snake, who hails from Omaha, NE, entered fight night as the #2 ranked contender in BKFC’s welterweight division. Sweeney, a product of Sligo, Ireland, is now 0-2 under the BKFC banner.

Wilmington, NC featherweight James “Get Down” Brown improved to 5-1 with a corner stoppage over the previously undefeated Dan “Indian Spice” Chapman. Brown now has back-to-back wins and entered Saturday’s action as the #5 ranked contender in the BFKC featherweight division. Chapman’s corner requested a stop to the bout at the conclusion of the fourth round. The Indonesian-born Welshman Chapman is now 6-1 in his bare-knuckle fighting career.

Milan, Italy’s Walter Pugliesi cruised to 2-0 with a first-round knockout at the expense of the BKFC U.K. Cruiserweight Champion Karl “The Wasp” Thompson in their non-title fight matchup. The bout was stopped with nine seconds left in the opening stanza. Thompson, a product of Sedgefield, U.K., is now 4-1 under the BKFC banner and entered fight night as the #2 ranked contender in the BKFC cruiserweight division.

Coventry, U.K. heavyweight Krzysztof “Big Man” Wisiewski improved to 2-0 under the BKFC banner with a technical knockout victory over the previously unbeaten Haze “The Huntsman” Hepi. The ringside doctor called a stop to the bout at the conclusion of the third round due to a nasty cut across Hepi’s eyelid. Hepi, who hails from Christchurch, New Zealand, is now 3-1 in his bare-knuckle career.

Zilina, Slovakia’s Tomas Melis picked himself up off the canvas and rallied for a first-round knockout against former BKFC Cruiserweight World Title challenger Andrea “Italian Thunder” Bicchi. The bout was stopped with just one second left in the opening frame. Melis is now 2-0 with back-to-back, first-round stoppages in BKFC action. Bicchi, who represents Florence, Italy, is now 3-3 in his bare-knuckle fighting career.

Monsummano Terme, Italy cruiserweight Ernesto “Big 20” Papa smashed his way to 2-0 under the BKFC banner with a 53-second, two-knockdown technical knockout victory over Fred “The Piranha” Sikking. Both of Papa’s wins have come by first-round finish. The Hilversum, Netherlands product Sikking was making his BKFC debut.

Florence’s Ouadia “The Tiger” Tergui was victorious in his BKFC debut, stopping Enzo “Osso Duro” Tobbia via TKO in the third round of their middleweight matchup. The bout ended in some controversy when an apparent eye poke went unseen by the referee. As Tobbia turned his back to recover from the illegal strike, Tergui swarmed in for the finish. Time of the stoppage was 1:12. Tobbia, who represents Chioggia, Italy, is now 1-1 in the Squared Circle.

BKFC 83 Results

Alessio Sakara def. Chris Camozzi via Split Decision (48-47×2, 47-48) – Wins BKFC World Cruiserweight Championship
Franco Tenaglia def. Ben Bonner via Split Decision (48-47×2, 47-48) – Wins BKFC World Lightweight Title Semifinal
Josef Hala def. Francesco Ricchi via TKO in Round 3 (1:43) – Wins Inaugural BKFC European Middleweight Title
Nico Gaffie def. Jelle Zeegers via KO in Round 1 (1:13) – Wins Inaugural BKFC European Featherweight Title
Carlos Trinidad-Snake def. Jimmy Sweeney via TKO in Round 3 (0:18)
James Brown def. Dan Chapman via TKO in Round 4 (2:00)
Walter Pugliesi def. Karl Thompson via KO in Round 1 (1:51)
Krzysztof Wisiewski def. Haze Hepi via TKO in Round 3 (2:00)
Tomas Melis def. Andrea Bicchi via KO in Round 1 (1:59)
Ernesto Papa def. Fred Sikking via TKO in Round 1 (0:53)
Ouadia Tergui def. Enzo Tobbia via TKO in Round 3 (1:12)