Fall River’s Yorgan De Castro’s successful 2024 in MMA carried over to impressive debut Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship win

Fall River’s Yorgan De Castro took on a more brutal sport and won.

De Castro dominated Springfield, Illinois’ Bobby Brents in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship at Mohegan Sun Arena in Connecticut on Saturday.

Brents came in with a 17-8 record in professional MMA fights but took the loss in the 2nd round due to a doctor’s stoppage after De Castro knocked him down and left Brents with a big knot on his head with blood streaming down.

After the fight, De Castro stated that he loved fighting without gloves and thinks that it is his home.

The heavyweight division is getting deep! #BKFCMOHEGANSUN | Live NOW on DAZN pic.twitter.com/D79r0aswo1

— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) February 2, 2025

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship rules are as follows.

-Fighters are permitted to wrap and tape the wrist, thumb, and mid-hand. No gauze or tape can be within 1 inch of the knuckles.

-Fighters will “Toe The Line” There are two lines, three feet apart, in the center of the ring where the fighters will start each round. The front foot will be on the line, and then the referee will instruct the fighters to “Knuckle Up” this means the beginning of the round/bout.

-Punches are the only strike allowed and must be a closed fist. (No kicks, elbows, knees, or grappling)

-In a clinch, the fighter may punch his way out with the open hand. If there is a three-second lull in action while clinching, the referee will break the fighters.

-If a fighter gets knocked down, he will have 10 seconds to return to his feet, or the referee will stop the fight. You are NOT permitted to hit a downed fighter. If you do you will be disqualified, and your purse may be withheld. While a fighter is downed, the other fighter will be instructed to report to a neutral area.

-If a fighter is cut, and the blood is impairing the fighter’s vision, the referee may call a timeout a give the cutman 30 seconds to stop the bleeding. If the cut cannot be controlled and the blood inhibits the fighter’s vision, the referee will stop the fight and award victory to the other fighter.

-Fights are 2 minutes per round and each bout will be 5 rounds in length.

-Attire: All fighters must have a groin protector with a cup, a mouthpiece, boxing trunks, and boxing/wrestling shoes.

-All fighters are expected to give 100% effort and behave with complete sportsmanship.

De Castro’s good 2024 in MMA carried over to his bare-knuckle fight in 2025.

In November, the 12-6 De Castro won by first round TKO against champion Jahsua Marsh, who fights out of Florida, for the Cage Titans Heavyweight Title at Plymouth Memorial Hall in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

On May 3rd, the UFC and PFL veteran battled Denver’s Kevin “King Kevi” Sears (9-8) for the vacant CES MMA Heavyweight World title at Foxwoods Casino. “The Mad Titan,” a Cape Verdean native fighting out of Regiment Training Center, won by first round KO/TKO leaving him undefeated in 7 appearances with CES MMA.

On June 29th, De Castro won the vacant New England Fights Heavyweight Championship by KO/TKO in the second round against Michigan’s Alex Davidson in Lewiston, Maine.

On September 7th the #1 ranked MMA heavyweight in the northeast took on Slovenia’s Miran “Slo Rocky” Fabjan for the Fight Nation interim Heavyweight Championship all the way in Pula, Croatia. De Castro lost by TKO.

De Castro’s next fight is to be determined, however, if his post-fight comments are any indication, it will be with BKFC.