MIAMI, FL – August 18, 2026 – BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, the world’s largest professional bare knuckle boxing organization, today announced a series of prominent new fighter signings and re-signings as the promotion looks to cap off a high-profile summer with its hometown show in Miami on August 29. The moves were made by Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame matchmaker Mel Valenzuela, who continues to build out the depth and star power of the BKB roster.
David Tetreault, CEO of BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, said: “This is exactly the kind of roster growth that shows BKB’s momentum heading into a huge finish to the summer. Between new stars joining, our champion re-signing ahead of a historic night in Mexico, and proven crossover talent coming back home, our roster is deeper and more dangerous than ever. Our fans are in for a treat.”
Highlighting the new signings is bare knuckle star James “Get Down” Brown. The Wilmington, North Carolina native is among the sport’s most exciting performers and boasts victories over former BKB competitors Dan Chapman and Bovar Khanakov.
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Also joining the roster are undefeated heavyweight boxer Fernando Cuza, who has twice defeated BKB Heavyweight Champion Gustavo Trujillo in one-round Team Boxing League events; undefeated Cleveland-area featherweight boxer Albert El Zaibak; and UK fighters Jon Telfer and John Hamilton.
In addition to the new signings, Valenzuela announced the re-signing of BKB Super Cruiserweight Champion Julian Fernandez, who will headline the historic first BKB event in Tijuana, Mexico next month at BKB 59.
Two of the promotion’s most successful MMA-crossover stars, Tommy Aaron and Benjamin Bennett, have also returned to BKB. Bennett is 5-0 in gloved boxing and 8-1 in MMA, and made an emphatic BKB debut with a third-round TKO of Armus Guyton. Aaron enters having bounced back from a hard-fought unanimous decision loss to BKB’s number-one ranked Super Welterweight Henry Williams in his BKB debut by stopping former title contender Ryan Jett; he carries a 15-9 record in professional MMA.
