UFC’s Tim Elliott is supporting Tony Soto in his bareknuckle match against Kevin Croom, a former teammate romantically linked to Elliott’s ex-wife, Gina Mazany.
Elliott publicly revealed that Gina Mazany cheated on him with Kevin Croom, and their affair started on Elliott and Mazany’s wedding night and continued through their marriage.
Tim Elliott’s professional performance remained strong despite personal turmoil, as he secured a unanimous decision victory in his latest UFC match.
Gina Mazany and Kevin Croom transitioned to bareknuckle boxing after being released from the UFC in 2022, with Croom holding an undefeated record in Bareknuckle FC until last night.
Kevin Croom was seeking his third consecutive win in a pivotal match against Tony Soto.
In the Co-Main Event of BKFC 52, Tony “Loco” Soto, riding a wave of success, maintained his undefeated streak with a unanimous decision win against the previously unbeaten Kevin “Crash” Croom. Soto, hailing from Hickory, NC, and ranked No. 3 among BKFC lightweight contenders, expressed his aspirations for a shot at the defending BKFC World Lightweight Champion, Luis “Baboon” Palomino. Croom, a UFC veteran representing Kansas City, MO, saw his record shift to 2-1 following this hard-fought contest.
Kevin Croom got a raw end of the deal tonight pic.twitter.com/COug30Iqpy
— calfkicker (@calfkickercom) October 21, 2023
Tim Elliott is set to return to the UFC for UFC 294 in Abu Dhabi, where he will face undefeated prospect Muhammed Mokaev, aiming to continue his resurgence in the MMA world.
More BKFC results
In a thrilling turn of events on October 20th, Keith “The Rockstar” Richardson stunned the global combat sports community by defeating the reigning Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) World Bantamweight Champion, Reggie “Educated Hands” Barnett Jr. This electrifying showdown took place in the Main Event of BKFC 52 at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC, streaming live on The BKFC App.
The hard-hitting fighter from Rock Hill, SC showcased his prowess by securing his fourth consecutive victory, with a remarkable third consecutive stoppage. Barnett Jr., the defending champion from Chesapeake, VA, who was ranked No. 3 on the BKFC Pound-for-Pound list, succumbed to Richardson in the second round, with the fight called in favor of Richardson via TKO just 58 seconds into Round 2. With this loss, Barnett Jr.’s record now stands at 9-3.
A poignant moment emerged as Richardson dedicated this significant victory to the memory of his father, who sadly passed away earlier this year. With the crowd witnessing this heartfelt tribute, Richardson declared, “This one’s for you, pops.”
The event also featured Jeremie “Hit Em” Holloway earning his inaugural BKFC career victory with a unanimous decision over the debutant Cameron “Jump Man” VanCamp. The judges’ scorecards of 49-46, 48-47, and 49-46 favored Holloway, a fighter from Conover, NC, who advanced to 1-0-1, while VanCamp, an Indianapolis, IN-based UFC veteran, embarked on his BKFC journey.
In his BKFC debut, Solon “Solo” Staley from Swansea, SC faced an initial onslaught but rallied to defeat Darrick “The Buck” Gates. The fight was halted between Round 1 and Round 2 as Gates, hailing from Eagle, ID, could not continue due to breathing issues. Staley’s record now stands at 1-0, while Gates’ record dropped to 1-4, 1 NC.
The Main Card also witnessed Brandon “The Dream Killer” Bushaw from Myrtle Beach, SC securing his second BKFC KO victory, stopping Atlanta’s Josh “Danger” Marer in the second round.
The debutant Jeremiah Scott celebrated his 30th birthday in style, staging a comeback victory over Chevy “Wild Man” Bridges. This remarkable lightweight bout saw Scott, hailing from Myrtle Beach, SC, rise from the canvas at the end of the first round to record two knockdowns in the third, resulting in a KO victory just four seconds short of the fourth frame. With this defeat, Bridges’ record shifted to 1-3.
The bantamweight bout between Derek “Rage” Perez and Ace Samples saw Perez drop Samples twice in the second round, ultimately leading to a TKO victory 44 seconds into the second stanza. Perez, representing Belen, NM, improved to 2-1, while the Madcow, GA-based Samples saw his record change to 1-1.
The opening bout of the night featured Bekhzod “Lion” Usmonov, who secured his first BKFC victory with a third-round, standing TKO against Trevor Loken in their featherweight clash.