BKFC Uruguay Delivers Historic South American Debut as Gaston Reyno Rises to the Occasion
BKFC made history with its first-ever event in South America, and the inaugural trip to Uruguay proved to be a resounding success. A passionate crowd of more than 15,000 packed the venue, with the President of Uruguay in attendance to witness a landmark night for bare-knuckle fighting. The event not only showcased established veterans but also introduced a new wave of South American talent that could become important names in BKFC’s future.
No one carried more pressure into the evening than hometown hero Gaston Reyno.
Reyno played a pivotal role in bringing BKFC to Uruguay, making the main event about far more than just his unbeaten record. The former MMA standout and broadcaster embraced the moment, improving to 4-0 in bare-knuckle competition with a composed performance against Joshua Krejci.
Competing in front of his home fans, Reyno looked completely at ease. His slick footwork repeatedly forced Krejci into reckless charges, creating openings for crisp counter right hands that sent his opponent to the canvas and ignited the packed arena. It was the perfect ending to a historic night and cemented Reyno as one of BKFC’s leading international stars.
Former UFC veteran Guido Cannetti delivered one of the evening’s most punishing performances against Emiliano Nelli. After scoring a knockdown in the third round, Cannetti’s relentless pressure never relented. Devastating right hands repeatedly found their target, leaving Nelli with two massive hematomas on the left side of his head before the fight reached a decision.
In the featured bout, Luis Jimenez turned in a dominant unanimous decision over Javier Torres. Jimenez’s youth, speed, and movement frustrated Torres throughout the contest, eventually boiling over when Torres was penalized with a point deduction for an illegal holder strike. From start to finish, Jimenez controlled the pace and comfortably earned the victory.
The night’s most violent finish belonged to Marilyn Contin.
Contin wasted little time overwhelming Gisela Luna, flooring her early with a crushing overhand right. As Luna attempted to pressure forward in hopes of evening the fight, Contin uncorked another thunderous right hand that opened a deep cut in Luna’s right eyebrow, forcing the bout to be stopped just 90 seconds into the opening round.
One of the card’s breakout performers was Nicolas Jara, who authored a remarkable nine-knockdown victory over Ramon Mascarena. After a competitive opening round, Jara completely separated himself from his opponent, scoring four knockdowns in the second round alone. Despite enduring tremendous punishment, Mascarena refused to quit, displaying incredible toughness throughout the one-sided contest.
Nicolas Mujica earned a unanimous decision over Gonzalo Arrendondo through a polished technical performance. Creative defensive movement, effective body work, and consistent damage around Arrendondo’s left eye carried Mujica to victory.
Harel Nicodella showed tremendous resilience after being badly shaken by a counter right hand in the second round against Franco Perochena. Recovering quickly, Nicodella fired back with a perfectly timed right hand that crumpled Perochena, who immediately grabbed at his left eye as the fight was waved off.
Jacqueline Ayala claimed a hard-earned split decision over Giuliana Cosnard by constantly applying forward pressure and landing the more impactful power punches over three competitive rounds.
Nicolas Acevedo overcame a slow start against Victor Borda before taking control in the second half of the fight. Utilizing a significant reach advantage, Acevedo boxed effectively from the outside and pulled away for a unanimous decision.
Joel Dorado closed the opening round with a thunderous right hook that nearly finished Gonzalo Barrera, who remained upright only by grabbing the ropes. Dorado maintained that momentum throughout the remainder of the fight, overwhelming Barrera with aggressive combinations to earn a convincing unanimous decision.
Veteran Leandro Torres weathered an explosive first round from Gonzalo Jara before making key adjustments. Torres began finding his range in the second, opening a severe cut across Jara’s upper lip before continuing his sharp in-and-out attack in the third. After opening another cut around Jara’s right eye, the ringside physician stepped in to stop the contest at 1:38 of Round 3.
BKFC’s debut in Uruguay accomplished far more than simply expanding into a new market. The promotion introduced a talented crop of South American fighters while proving the region has both the passionate fan base and the athletes to become an important part of BKFC’s global expansion. Led by Gaston Reyno’s unforgettable main event victory, the historic night established a strong foundation for the organization’s future in South America.
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