Conor McGregor was left speechless after a wild knockout during his promotion’s Newcastle event on Saturday.
McGregor is a minority owner in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and was in attendance for BKFC 68 on Saturday inside Newcastle’s Utilita Arena.
Agi Faulkner became BKFC’s new European heavyweight champion in a brutal main event that witnessed five knockdowns in the first round.
Meanwhile Northern Ireland’s Conor Cooke upset Matthew Hodgson in the co-main event, but the former couldn’t take home the UK light-heavyweight title due to missing weight.
All eyes were focused on McGregor as he entered the Newcastle Arena on Saturday midway through BKFC’s main card.
He was drowned out by flashes and photos as he made is way ringside, before getting up to the usual antics of hyping up the crowd and gulping his Forged Irish Stout.
After fast-rising Sedgefield cruserweight Karl Thompson eased his way to three fights undefeated under the BKFC banner, it was the next all-English clash that caught the attention of ‘The Notorious’.
Newcastle’s Lewis Keen was undefeated and a clear favourite as he entered his bout with Ben Bonner in the lightweight division
However, it didn’t take long for that zero to turn into a one, as with just 20 seconds remaining in the first round Bonner delivered a wild overhand right that instantly knocked Keen out cold.
‘The Bomber’ silenced the Utilita Arena crowd with his once-punch KO as the Middlesbrough man improved to a 3-1 bare-knuckle professional record with his victory.
The knockout was so bad that ‘The Machine’ Keen was left almost motionless inside the squared circle with his eyes rolled back.
Referee Chris Batcheldor didn’t take long to wave off the fight either as Keen was visibly dazed as he lay on the canvas, before receiving medical help and an oxygen mask to help with his breathing.
Speaking after the event, McGregor spoke passionately about his beloved sport and Newcastle’s Premier League victory over Arsenal earlier in the day.
“It’s an honour to be here in the beautiful Newcastle today, 1-0, we won today. Up the Toon Army,” he said.
“We’re on the hunt for the baddest m***** f***** around these parts. We’re crowing champions and putting on big shows.
“Thank you to all the combatants for putting it all on the line… you always have to thank the combatants. Let’s go Newcastle.”
Bonner first emerged as a bare-knuckle talent back in 2023 and beat Jamie Oldfield on his debut with BKFC in London.
He then lost to Robert Barry at BKFC 46 in July 2023, before gaining another victory this time over Ray Putterill nine months later in Milton Keynes for BKFC 60.
Confidence has never been an issue for 33-year-old Bonner, who enjoys hiking in and out of camp to keep himself grounded.
“I can fight anyone 170lb or 172lb, 168lb or 174lb, anyone in the top five or top ten.” he told Bare Knuckle News last year.
“I’m more than capable of dismantling them over a five round fight definitely and if any of them want it they know where I am.”
Bonner will now have his eyes set on bigger fights in America and Europe following BKFC’s recent success in Marbella and other venues abroad.
