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SPORTS Saturday 25 auguSt 2018
Bare-knuckle fighting could be poised for a U.S. boom

By GREG BEACHAM will last.
AP Sports Writer "I think it's whoever starts
LOS ANGELES (AP) — David first, but starts right first,"
Feldman staged a bare- Feldman said. "Like I told
knuckle boxing match on my partners, we can't walk
the undercard of a mixed out of the starting box.
martial arts show at a We have to sprint. So if we
Yavapai Nation casino in sprint out of the starting
Arizona in 2011. The pro- box, it's going to be hard to
moter offered the fight catch us. And I think that's
on the internet as a paid our model right now. We
streaming option, just to see did sprint out of it on June
if anybody would watch it. 2, and now a lot of fighters
Feldman claims the pay- are coming our way."
per-view system crashed In BKFC's attempt to stay on
under the demand of top of a sport long dormant
hundreds of thousands of in North America, Feldman
buyers worldwide trying to will put on a third show in
watch two men fight with October, and he hopes to
their bare fists. stage a fourth in Decem-
He didn't get paid, but ber. He plans eight shows in
that's when Feldman knew 2019, with four on pay-per-
this archaic sport had a fu- view and four on television.
ture. Feldman's goal isn't just to
"This sport is absolutely not stage bare-knuckle fights,
for everybody to com- which he could do without
pete in or watch," Feldman In this Thursday, Aug. 16, 2018 photo Bec Rawlings, right, of Australia, spars with her boyfriend Adri- state sanctioning. He wants
said. "For some people, an Rodriguez, during a bare-knuckle training session at City of Angels Boxing Club in Los Angeles. to build a fight brand with a
the blood, the fast pace Associated Press recognizable, stable prod-
and the excitement of the uct that will compel steady
whole thing is not for ev- ranging attention online, card features a mishmash bouts for years, but the fandom, just as the UFC be-
erybody. But for the group where it sold about 150,000 of experienced fighters North American pay-per- gan to do in 2005.
that it is for, I think we de- pay-per-view buys and from other disciplines, in- view market usually is the "Look, there's going to be
liver exactly what their ap- drew heavy chatter on so- cluding MMA veterans Bec ultimate goal for any pro- competition," Feldman
petite calls for." cial media. Rawlings, Kendall Grove moter hoping to cash in. said. "Just as long as they
After nearly a decade of Feldman's BKFC promotion and Chris Lytle. Even before his second do the right thing, and do it
patient work to get this is staging a second show Twenty-five years after bare-knuckle show, it's the way that we did it, then
primal version of boxing Saturday night in Biloxi, Mis- the UFC's debut, Feldman clear Feldman has opened competition is going to be
formally sanctioned some- sissippi, putting ungloved thinks regulated bare- a door. Other North Ameri- great for us.
where in the U.S., Feldman's boxers in a ring for two-min- knuckle boxing might be can companies are al- But because we came out
Bare Knuckle Fighting ute rounds filled with the the next big worldwide ready rushing to get so fast and so good, we did
Championship debuted in primally compelling sound thing in the so-called com- through it, but the veteran establish ourselves as the
Wyoming two months ago. of flesh hitting flesh without bat sports. British promoters fight promoter believes he bare-knuckle brand right
The show captured wide- padding or cushion. The have staged bare-knuckle can build a company that now."q

Griner, Taurasi lead

Mercury past Sun, 96-86

icut Sun 96-86 on Thursday over the court. Delle Donne had 19 points
night in the second round The game was a rematch and 12 rebounds to help
of the WNBA playoffs. of last season's second Washington rout Los Ange-
The Mercury will face Seat- round contest that the les, eliminating the Sparks
tle in the conference semi- Mercury won 88-83. In that from the playoffs.
finals, starting Sunday. game the Mercury didn't Washington (23-12) will
Stephanie Talbot hit a have DeWanna Bonner, open a best-of-five series
3-pointer to tie it at 94 with who was out for the sea- against Atlanta on Sunday.
4:19 left. son while she gave birth LaToya Sanders and Ari-
Griner then scored four to twins. On Thursday night el Atkins each added 14
points and had a key block she played nearly the en- points for Washington.
Phoenix Mercury center Brittney Griner (42) gets past the de- on Courtney Williams to tire game and finished with Candace Parker scored 16
fense of Connecticut Sun center Jonquel Jones (35) during the
second half of a single-game WNBA basketball playoff match- give the Mercury a 92-86 23 points and 18 rebounds. points for Los Angeles (19-
up Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018, in Uncasville, Conn. lead with 1:11 left. Courtney Williams led the 16). The game was played
Associated Press Taurasi improved to 13-0 Sun with 27 points, includ- at George Washington
in her career in deciding ing a four-point play in the University's Charles E. Smith
By The Associated Press Taurasi each scored 27 playoff games. The former fourth quarter. Center because Capital
UNCASVILLE, Conn. (AP) — points to help the Phoenix UConn star got the team MYSTICS 96, SPARKS 64 One Arena is undergoing
Brittney Griner and Diana Mercury beat the Connect- going early, hitting from all WASHINGTON (AP) — Elena renovations.q