BKFC Brings Championship Fights and Philly Pride to “Liberty Brawl” on July 3
As Philadelphia prepares to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is planning one of the summer’s biggest combat sports events with a card built around title fights, hometown stars, and high-profile contenders.
BKFC announced that “Liberty Brawl” will take place Friday, July 3 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena in South Philadelphia, marking the promotion’s return to a venue that has quickly become one of its strongest markets. The event features two world championship bouts led by undefeated standout Austin “No Doubt” Trout against former interim titleholder Ben “The Bomber” Bonner for the vacant BKFC lightweight championship.
For Trout, the fight represents a chance to further cement one of the most unique résumés in combat sports. The Las Cruces native enters with a perfect 5-0 BKFC record and already owns victories over notable names including Luis Palomino. Before entering bare-knuckle competition, Trout built a successful professional boxing career highlighted by a win over Hall of Famer Miguel Cotto and a memorable bout with Canelo Alvarez.
Now the former BKFC welterweight champion is aiming to capture gold in a second division.
Standing opposite him is Bonner, a battle-tested veteran from Yorkshire, England who has become known for fan-friendly wars inside the BKFC ring. Bonner captured the interim lightweight title with a victory over Tony Soto before losing the belt in a razor-close split decision to Franco Tenaglia. Over the last year, he has emerged as one of the promotion’s most entertaining fighters thanks to a pair of action-heavy bouts with Soto that many fans consider Fight of the Year contenders.
The card’s co-main event will spotlight one of BKFC’s longest-tenured champions when Britain Hart defends her strawweight title against unbeaten challenger Sarah “TNT” Shell.
Hart has become one of the defining figures in women’s bare-knuckle fighting, compiling a 10-3 record while defending her championship against contenders including Taylor Starling, Tai Emery, and Melanie Shah. Her run in BKFC has also included wins over recognizable combat sports names such as Paige VanZant and Bec Rawlings.
Shell enters the bout undefeated at 3-0 and carries momentum from a string of strong performances that have steadily elevated her status within the division. Known for aggressive pressure and finishing ability, the Omaha fighter now receives her first opportunity to compete for a world championship.
Philadelphia fans will also welcome back local favorite Johnny “Cannoli” Garbarino, who has rapidly become one of the city’s breakout combat sports personalities. The undefeated knockout artist owns four victories, all by stoppage, and has developed a strong following thanks to his aggressive style and colorful personality.
Garbarino first drew widespread attention at KnuckleMania V when he scored a first-round finish and then proposed to his now-wife, Gianna, inside the sold-out arena moments later. Outside the ring, the longtime chef has also become known for bringing homemade cannoli to BKFC media events, helping create several viral moments for the promotion.
BKFC founder and president David Feldman said the company views the July event as both a major fight card and a celebration of Philadelphia’s role in American history.
The promotion has already seen significant success at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, producing back-to-back sellouts over the last 18 months. According to BKFC, KnuckleMania events in 2025 and 2026 drew crowds of more than 17,000 and 18,000 fans respectively.
With championship stakes, established stars, and strong local interest, “Liberty Brawl” is shaping up as another major test of BKFC’s continued growth in the combat sports landscape.
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