DeLeon Stops Soto in BKFC’s Tennessee Debut
NXTbets Pro | Published On: June 22, 2026
Main Event Stoppage
BKFC Fight Night Nashville opened Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship’s Tennessee era with a sold-out crowd at the Pinnacle in Nashville on Friday, and JC “Corazon” DeLeon closed the night with the main-event win over former title challenger Tony “Loco” Soto. Soto’s corner stopped the fight after three rounds, and that gave DeLeon the featured result on a card that carried the promotion’s first show in Tennessee. The lead-up was already set at the official weigh-ins, where most fighters made weight before the event began. DeLeon came in at 155.8 pounds. Soto weighed 156 pounds. Caleb “Batman” Harvey checked in at 165.6 pounds. Those numbers framed the opening night for the promotion in the state and put the headliners on the scale before they settled the main event in the ring. The sold-out setting gave the debut a full backdrop, and the final stoppage put a clean end on a card built around firsts, finishes and a new market for BKFC.
Co-Main Upset
Tray “Big Dog” Martin supplied the next major result when he upset No. 2 featherweight contender Nathan “The Reaper” Rivera in the co-main event. Martin had to go through a winner-takes-all overtime round before the decision went his way, and that extra frame settled one of the night’s highest-profile matchups. Rivera brought the ranking edge into the bout, but Martin left with the win after the overtime round decided it. The result kept the pressure on the top of the card after the main event stoppage and gave the Nashville crowd another clear outcome at the featured end of the lineup. Bobby “ODB” Taylor then turned in one of the most decisive performances of the show. He scored six knockdowns before earning a second-round TKO over Angel “OG” Hernandez. Six knockdowns in one fight made Taylor’s win one of the night’s most lopsided results, and the stoppage followed quickly enough to keep the upper part of the card moving. Martin’s upset and Taylor’s barrage gave the event back-to-back statement results in the featured spots.
Undercard Milestones
Prince McLean carved out a place in BKFC history with a late first-round TKO over Jeramy “The Cowboy” Karshner in the first ironweight bout in BKFC history. Joby “Jobywankenobi” Steffensmeier followed with another milestone result, winning the first BKFC fight in Tennessee history by split decision. Caleb “Batman” Harvey also appeared twice in the night, first at 165.6 pounds on the scale and later among the undercard winners, joining Cole Ferrell, Ravon “Big Shot” Baxter, Zach “The Ripper” Russ and Payton “The Horseman” Hayes on the list of victors. That collection of results gave the card a broad finish beyond the headline bouts. It also matched the shape of the night, which began with a sold-out debut in Tennessee, moved through the main event and co-main event, then added milestone fights and undercard wins underneath them. The card delivered a corner stoppage in the main event, an upset in the co-main event, a second-round TKO from Taylor and a pair of BKFC firsts in McLean and Steffensmeier.
