Martial Arts Notes: The Las Cruces Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has been canceled for the time being

Austin Trout, left, and Diego Sanchez, right, battle in the ring during the KnuckleMania 3 Bare Knuckle Fight Championship at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, NM, Friday, February 17, 2023. (Chancey Bush/ Albuquerque Journal)

A June 16 bare-knuckle fighting championship card at the Pan American Center in Las Cruces, which was approved by the New Mexico Athletic Commission at its April meeting, will not take place.

BKFC spokesman Bernie Bahrmasel described the cancellation in an email to the journal as a timing problem.

Bahrmasel also wrote that the organization expects to return to New Mexico — the site of two successful BKFC cards in the recent past — by August.

Meanwhile, BKFC Junior Middleweight Champion Luis Palomino, who is scheduled to defend his title at the Pan Am Center against Las Cruces’ Austin Trout, meets his challenger James Lilley June 23 in Hollywood, Florida.

The BKFC also has a card scheduled for June 9 in Great Falls, Montana.

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After Trout’s win by TKO (referee stoppage) over Albuquerque’s Diego Sanchez during a BKFC card on February 17 at Tingley Coliseum, an in-ring fight ensued between Trout and Palomino.

Trout, a former world boxing champion, is excited at the opportunity to continue his bare-knuckle career after defeating Sanchez.

David Feldman, the BKFC’s founder, president and CEO, was equally effusive about New Mexico’s appetite for sheer fighting.

The BKFC’s first New Mexico map on August 28 at the Rio Rancho Events Center drew a modest crowd of 2,500 spectators. But Feldman enjoyed the wild enthusiasm of the crowd.

Then, when BKFC came to Tingley in February, the card attracted a paying attendance of 6,792, with nearly 8,000 people – including complimentary tickets – in the building. It was a record crowd and record-breaking gate fee for the BKFC, then 35 events into its existence.

The BKFC, Feldman said two days before the Feb. 17 card, had found a home.

“They love this place,” he said. “They love bare knuckle; They love fighting in general. … This is where we will fight many battles.”

PAYDAY: Moriarty MMA fighter Tim Means (32-15-1) earned $90,000 for his fight against Alex Morono on a May 13 UFC card in Charlotte, North Carolina, according to information from North Carolina Boxing and Combat Sports Commission and as reported by mmajunkie.com.

Morono (23-8) earned double that – $90,000 in fight money plus a $90,000 win bonus. Morono defeated Means by submission in the second round (guillotine choke).

These figures reflect only amounts paid pursuant to contracts filed with the North Carolina Commission, not sponsorships, performance bonuses, etc.

North Carolina is among the relatively few states that release such information; This also includes New Mexico and California.

Nevada, where the UFC is based and hosts more UFC fights than any other state, no longer releases information about fighter pay.

ALT VS. NEW: Albuquerque native Don’Tale Mayes (9-5) will face off against ultra veteran and former UFC Champion Andrei Arlovski (34-21) in an intriguing heavyweight match on a June 3 UFC Fight Night card in Las Vegas.

Mayes trains at Jackson-Wink. Arlovski is well known to Mayes JW coaches, having coached there from 2009 to 2017 (roughly).

At 44, Arlovski is the oldest fighter on the current UFC roster. The Mayes fight would be his 40th as a UFC fighter. Jim Miller is the all-time all-time leader with 41 UFC appearances.