Stephens stopped Alvarez, McGregor pushed BKFC fight
NXTbets Pro | Published On: September 14, 2026
Stephens stopped Alvarez
Jeremy Stephens closed BKFC’s KnuckleMania V with a third-round technical knockout of Eddie Alvarez in Philadelphia, and the finish became a major talking point as Conor McGregor entered the ring afterward and pushed BKFC to book a fight with Stephens. Alvarez’s corner stopped the main event after the third round, leaving Stephens with the win in the headliner at Wells Fargo Center. The bout gave BKFC a result at the top of the card, with two former fighters delivering a high-profile main event. Stephens left with the victory, while Alvarez’s corner made the call to end it after three rounds. McGregor’s postfight appearance added another layer to the scene, as he entered the ring and called for BKFC to make the Stephens fight. That moment extended the main event’s reach beyond the final bell and gave the card a clear next-step storyline. Stephens ended the night as the central figure.
Rothwell claimed heavyweight title
Ben Rothwell put together one of the quickest results on the card, knocking out Mick Terrill in 36 seconds to win the BKFC World Heavyweight Title in the co-main event. The finish gave Rothwell the belt in decisive fashion and added another highlight to a card that delivered clear results across its top bouts. He did not need long to settle the title fight, and the result stood out because of how fast it came. Terrill was stopped in 36 seconds before Rothwell left with the championship. That quick title result gave the card another major outcome before the main event. The co-main also reinforced the night’s structure, with the biggest fights delivering clear outcomes. Rothwell’s win gave the promotion a heavyweight champion to build around. It was the kind of performance that gives a promotion a championship moment and a simple replay package. Rothwell made sure the heavyweight title fight ended in a hurry.
Attendance and undercard
BKFC said KnuckleMania V drew 17,762 fans and set a modern-day combat sports attendance record for Philadelphia, a turnout that marked the night at Wells Fargo Center. The crowd number gave the event another headline beyond the in-ring results. BKFC built the card around several notable names, and the response inside the building added to the occasion. Bec Rawlings added another result on the featured portion of the show, beating Taylor Starling by unanimous decision. The undercard also produced winners in Patrick Brady, John Garbarino, Kaine Tomlinson Jr., Brandon Meyer and Travis Thompson. Those results rounded out a card that produced a series of completed fights. With the main event, heavyweight title fight and feature bout all producing outcomes, BKFC left Philadelphia with a crowd number that stood out in the city’s combat sports picture. The promotion also left with a talking point from McGregor’s ringside push for a Stephens fight, which kept the night moving after the final bell. KnuckleMania V finished as a showcase for BKFC’s familiar names and a large live audience.
