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Tough Debut: Rodolfo Rubio & Luis Gallegos Set to Headline BKFC Event in Mexico

Originally posted on BoxingNews.com | Last updated 5/22/24

Rodolfo Rubio and Luis Rey Gallegos will be relieved to both be making their respective Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debuts in their home country. How well either fighter adapts to the change in combat sports discipline will dictate how they can handle the rigors of fighting without gloves. Online boxing news shows that both men have extensive backgrounds in mixed martial arts.

Rubio is well-versed in grappling, which won’t help him Friday night. He is 19-13-1 in his mixed arts career. He competed primarily on the regional scenes. Rubio would eventually reach the UFC.

While Rubio lost his one fight to former interim featherweight champion Yair Rodriguez, he didn’t find a way to stick in the big organization. Gallegos has also spent time fighting in the Lux Fight League in Mexico, like Rubio.

However, Gallegos didn’t find the same success in the octagon as Rubio. He was 9-8 during his professional MMA career. Gallegos had three wins by knockout during his career, but nearly half of his fights went to the decision.

This card will be filled with battles like this one. With many Mexican fighters making their debut in the organization, BKFC president David Feldman said the spirit of the fighters in Mexico keeps the organization interested in promoting fights in the country.

“Everybody knows that many of history’s greatest fighters proudly represented Mexico when they stepped into the ring, and we’ve got a ton of fighters who are hungry to put on an unforgettable show and begin building their legacy in the BKFC Squared Circle,” Feldman said.

This one should see one of the fighters go down before it’s over.

Prediction: Under 2.5 rounds, Rubio by KO

Taking Off the Gloves

When it comes time to take off the gloves and fight, Mexican fighter Julian Fernandez will have a wealth of experience behind him. Fernandez has fought 19 times in professional gloved matches.

During his time in gloved boxing, Fernandez was no slouch. He compiled a 15-4 record and knocked out 19 of his opponents. Fernandez is now ready to make his BKFC debut against fellow debutant Lino Sánchez.

Sánchez is another Mexican boxer, but he has considerably less experience than Fernandez. Being known for an aggressive style hasn’t always served Sánchez well. He is capable of putting opponents on the ground, but also finds himself there. Boxing news latest headlines show that Fernandez will need to find a way to put forward controlled aggression in this fight.

Sánchez is 1-3 in MMA and 2-2 in boxing during his career. In this cruiserweight bout, it will be important to back Fernandez’s experience to end things early.

Prediction: Fernandez by KO

Córdova Hopes to Lean on Experience

Many active professional fighters would prefer to fight less as they accrue experience. On the way up through the ranks, younger fighters typically take on three or four challengers a year to build their reputation.

Venezuelan native Román Córdova turned professional in MMA in 2020 and has already fought 28 professional fights. Córdova is 12-16 and would prefer to start building wins when he debuts in BKFC. Starting with a fresh record in another sport would allow him to rebuild his confidence.

Donny Matos, who has an MMA background, will also make his BFKC debut to try to stop Córdova. Matos is a much more experienced fighter. He has picked up a 26-12 record since turning pro in 2012. In addition to fighting, Matos teaches self-defense and tactical combat training. Matos should be precise with his strikes in this matchup.

Prediction: Matos by KO. Fight to not go the distance

Giving Mexican Muay Thai a Boost

Luis Castañeda has built up a great reputation in the Muay Thai world. Mexico isn’t known for producing many Muay Thai champions, but Castañeda had built up a solid reputation before joining the BKFC. Before deciding to fight in the BKFC, Castañeda went to the motherland of Muay Thai, Thailand, to ply his trade.

Castañeda finished with 27 knockouts. He is a mobile fighter who uses his good footwork to find good angles to throw punches. Castañeda will be forced to fight against Rudo Tovar. Tovar is 0-1 in the BKFC and put together a 7-8-1 record in MMA before arriving in BKFC.

Tovar also has some boxing experience as well. However, Tovar’s experience in the ring may not make up for Castañeda’s experience fighting overseas. The Muay Thai fighting schedule is no joke. Count on Castañeda to score a knockout and put this fight away.

Prediction: Fight to not go the distance

Juan Álvarez Looks to Employ His Varied Skill Set

Juan Álvarez has extensive combat sports experience. In addition to training for BKFC, he has tried Muay Thai and MMA. Álvarez wants to make a mark in the lightweight division by utilizing the skills and toughness he has gained from competing in all three disciplines.

Álvarez will need that grit when he fights Carlos Giner. Giner has spent the majority of his career with traditional boxing matches. At the amateur level, few found a way to touch Giner. Giner has compiled a 40-3-1 amateur record.

Giner works in law enforcement and boxing. While competing at the professional level, Giner has only had two pro boxing fights. He won both of those contests. But there is a difference between fighting in low-level boxing and taking the gloves off to fight in the BKFC. Making the transition will be something Giner hopes he can make more quickly.

Prediction: Giner by knockout

Here are some other fights on the card not mentioned above: