Jimmie Rivera’s fight against Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 56 was stopped due to a severe cut over Rivera’s eye, resulting in Stephens being declared the winner by TKO.
Jimmie Rivera’s recent fight at BKFC 56 ended in a way nobody wants. A nasty cut over his eye led to a stoppage in his match against fellow UFC veteran Jeremy Stephens. It was a sight for sore eyes, no pun intended.
Rivera’s BKFC debut had ended in a draw. This time, he decided to challenge himself. He moved up a weight class and took on Stephens. This was Stephens’ first time in the bare-knuckle promotion.
In the early stages of the fight, Rivera held his own. But as the fight progressed, Stephens’ size and power became more evident. He was like a bull in a china shop, pushing the former bantamweight around the ring.
Stephens landed a massive uppercut that knocked Rivera down. It was the only knockdown of the fight. Rivera, a New Jersey native, managed to beat the 10 count and get back on his feet.
But the damage was done. Rivera was blinking from the massive cut that had opened over his eye from Stephens’ punch. The gash was right across Rivera’s eyebrow, making it nearly impossible for him to continue if the round ended.
The cutman did his best to stop the bleeding. But when the ringside physician saw Rivera and the massive cut, he knew the fight couldn’t continue. The bout was stopped and Stephens was declared the winner by TKO.
Stephens had previously said he planned to focus more on his bare-knuckle career after signing a deal to join the BKFC roster. After his win on Saturday night, it seems he’s made for the sport.