Yoel Romero pulls out of BKFC KnuckleMania 6 co-main event
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) has announced a new co-main event for KnuckleMania VI with BKFC Fighting Legend and Light Heavyweight World Champion Lorenzo ‘The Juggernaut’ Hunt, (12-2), of Jacksonville, FL now facing BKFC Pound-for-Pound #1 Ranked and Middleweight World Champion David ‘The Redneck’ Mundell, (10-1), of Dunedin, FL in a non-title catchweight battle at 199lbs.
Due to his falling ill, Yoel Romero will not be competing at KnuckleMania VI in his previously announced fight with Lorenzo Hunt.
The highly anticipated KnuckleMania VI event is set for Saturday, February 7, 2026 emanating from the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, PA.
On January 25, 2025, BKFC’s KnuckleMania V event set a local, modern day combat sports attendance record of 17,762. Remaining tickets for KnuckleMania VI can be purchased online at BKFC.com.
“It’s unfortunate that Yoel Romero has taken ill and is unable to compete at KnuckleMania VI,” said David Feldman, Founder and President of BKFC. “However, Lorenzo Hunt versus David Mundell is an iconic clash between two of the very best bare-knuckle fighters in the world and two of the most accomplished in our company. Fans should expect an explosive battle with fireworks from the opening bell.”
Said Lorenzo Hunt about the new matchup, “I’m pissed that Yoel Romero chickened out of the fight at the last minute. But in honesty, he was a fool to accept the fight with me in the first place in his golden years. I heard somewhere that Cuba has free medical care. He was gonna need it. I honestly don’t care who they put in there with me. It’s my time. I am the best bare-knuckle fighter in the world, anyone who stands across from me at this point in my life will be hospitalized, I guarantee it.”
“Lorenzo Hunt has made a career out of talking, I’ve made a career out of stopping people,” said David Mundell. “KnuckleMania VI is the perfect stage to remind everyone why I’m the Middleweight Champion and the pound-for-pound best in BKFC. Expect violence!
Stated Yoel Romero, “Unfortunately I have to withdraw from my scheduled fight against Lorenzo Hunt at KnuckleMania VI due to a very strong strain of the flu. During my weight cut for RAF I felt my immune system was low and I was feeling very weak. A few days after my January 10th RAF match I started to experience severe flu symptoms. I am extremely disappointed but I’ve been unable to train and I need to make my health a priority. I look forward to returning to action to face Lorenzo Hunt at a later date.”
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Lorenzo ‘The Juggernaut’ Hunt, (12-2), of Jacksonville, FL. won his third BKFC World Title, recapturing the light-heavyweight title in remarkable fashion against champion Josh Dyer on November 15, 2025. Hunt, who is widely regarded as one of the greatest bare-knuckle fighters of all time, picked himself up off the canvas twice and rallied for the jaw-dropping knockout with just one second remaining in the opening round of his highly anticipated rematch with Dyer. Hunt and Dyer first met at BKFC 17 in 2021, with Hunt winning by technical knockout in the fifth round.
Additional victories for Hunt in his illustrious BKFC career include Chris Camozzi (cruiserweight title at BKFC-50), Mike Richman (KnuckleMania III), Quentin Henry (BKFC-30), Joe Riggs (BKFC-30) and Hector Lombard (BKFC-22).
David Mundell most recently dominated Donald Sanchez at BKFC-75 in Albuquerque, NM on June 6, 2025, his fourth defense of the middleweight crown.
Prior to that Mundell traveled to Spain on October 12, 2024 stopping England’s finest, Danny Christie. His previous world title defenses have come against Doug Coltrane at BKFC-53 and Mike Richman at BKFC-47.
Mundell’s title reign started at BKFC-34 when he knocked out interim champion Francesco Ricchi.
Headlining KnuckleMania VI, ‘Big’ Ben Rothwell defends his BKFC Heavyweight World Title against former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei ‘The Pitbull’ Arlovski.
In the feature fight at KnuckleMania VI, arch-rivals clash in a heated rivalry, immediate rematch with #2 Ranked Lightweight Ben ‘The Bomber’ Bonner facing #3 Ranked Tony ‘Loco’ Soto. Their first fight on June 21, 2025 was a Sure-Fire Candidate for Fight of the Year. Top lightweight female fighters face-off in a long-awaited rematch with #1 Ranked Jade Masson-Wong battling Crystal ‘The Rugged Beauty’ Pittman.
Local Philly favorites fighting on the KnuckleMania VI undercard include; Johnny Garbarino Jr., Pat Brady, Pat Sullivan and Lex Ludlow.
