Alberto Blas was BKFC’s bantamweight champion until seemingly just earlier today when a surprise signing to BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing shook up the landscape of the sport. BKB announced the signing of the undefeated bare-knuckle boxing standout to their ranks in a move that raised the eyebrows of many within the space of gloveless combat considering the banner year Blas had with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2024.
In the coming hours, BKFC then sent out a press release which proclaimed that they had elected to release their 135 pound champion effective immediately for what was broadly described as “a pattern of unprofessional behavior outside of competition”. The press release ended off by detailing that the BKFC bantamweight belt is now vacant with said release also stating,
“BKFC values discipline, accountability, and respect for the sport both inside and outside the ring. While the athlete’s performance inside the squared circle has been exceptional, repeated incidents and conduct inconsistent with the values and image of the organization have made it necessary to part ways.”
Also in a statement that was included in the referenced press release, BKFC Founder and President David Feldman stated,
“We have a responsibility to uphold the integrity of our promotion and the sport as a whole. There were multiple infractions that went into this decision. We wish him well in his future endeavors.”
Alberto Blas responds to all of the discourse surrounding him jumping ship to BKB
Alberto Blas then took matters into his own hands and went to his personal social media in an attempt to give his side of the story and hopefully answer some questions for quizzical bare-knuckle boxing fans worldwide.
In a truly curious turn of events, BKFC’s partial owner Conor McGregor was also found liking a post from Alberto Blas regarding the initial announcement of the BKB signing as captured in a screenshot shown below.
Plus, in an exclusive statement to MMA News on the matter of Blas departing BKFC and the promotion’s account of how things transpired here, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing president Mike Vazquez quipped,
“It’s hard to release someone that wasn’t under contract. It’s also hard to digest that they would put a statement like that out about a fighter only minutes after he signed by another organization. And it’s also strange to think that they’re relying on any kind of ethical/moral values or integrity after seeing what happens in that organization.”
“My inbox is full of past and current [b]kfc fighters complaining about late or no pay. Purse and bonuses. That’s a fact. I will leave it to him and his coach to decide if they want to pursue a defamation suit, I know I would. Lastly, they should produce that so called ‘release letter’. Let’s see when it was made, and when and to whom it was sent.”
BKFC was reached out to for subsequent comments on the matter and to flesh out the specifics of what patterns of behaviour and outside of the ring incidents Blas was described to have been engaging in that warranted his dismissal. The promotion has not responded to these inquiries at the time of this writing.
Alberto Blas leaves BKFC with a spotless 6-0 record comprised of all first round finishes after not only capturing but also then defending their 135 pound strap at BKFC 66 last September.
