Australia’s bareknuckle queen Bec Rodriguez has likened her world title rival to a “coward” who will “go to water” in what shapes as the biggest card in BKFC history.
Five years after becoming the organisation’s first female champion, ‘Rowdy’ Bec is now back and looking to regain her crown against Christine Ferea at BKFC 41 in Denver, Colorado this Sunday (AEST).
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Set to be shown live in Australia on Main Event, the hyped card boasts a host of former UFC champions and fight favourites – among them Luke Rockhold, Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes, Mike Perry and Ben Rothwell.
Rodriguez, too, is already well known among Aussie fight fans given her stints inside the UFC, Bellator and Invicta – who she fought predominantly as Bec Rawlings.
Switching to bareknuckle in 2018, the tough Brisbane mum appeared on the first ever BKFC event – and won a world title – which she then defended twice before disappearing back into another MMA foray and then the Covid pandemic, which prevented her from travelling, and fighting, for 18 months.
But with the 34-year-old now back fulltime on the BKFC roster, she is ready to again claim bareknuckle gold.
“And this fight, it’s a great one for me,” Rodriguez told Fox Sports Australia this week from the US, where she has spent the final fortnight of camp.
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“For the first BKFC card, I was there.
“Was also the first female world champion in bareknuckle.
“But then when I left, (Ferea) became champion.
“So there has always been that lingering question: ‘Which one of us is better? Who is the real champ?’.
“That’s why this fight makes sense.
“We can finally face each other and answer that.”
While Rodriguez suffered her first ever bareknuckle loss last start against Britain Hart, BKFC president David Feldmen had no problem throwing her straight back into a title fight.
“And I actually just said that to her five minutes ago,” Feldman told us Friday.
“I said ‘Bec you’re an OG in this sport, you’ve been with us from the beginning, have spat your tooth out in a fight, you f … ing deserve this’.
“And I told her to go out there and make the most of this.
“And she told me ‘I’m going to … I’m going to bully the bully’.”
While Ferea has lost only one of seven bareknuckle fights, and is currently on a run of four straight, Rodriguez insists she has “more skill” and “better fight IQ”.
“So I’m not getting into a bar room brawl with this girl,” the Queenslander continued. “I’m above that.
“I also know she likes to bully people. Likes to put them on the back foot.
“But I’m not going to let her do that.
“Because most bullies are cowards.
“And when things get put back onto them, they crumble.
“And that’s what is going to happen with her.
“She likes to dictate. Likes to lead the dance.
“And when that can’t happen she will go to water.”
Apart from being a bareknuckle pioneer, Rodriguez was also one of the world’s first female fighters to join Only Fans – a decision she remains extremely proud of.
“Because I was one of the first to crossover and let everyone know that it’s OK,” she said.
“Early on, there was a real stigma (with Only Fans).
“Nobody had the balls to jump off that ledge and see what would happen.
“But I’m all about breaking stereotypes and doing what’s best for me.
“And I think it’s really cool that so many others have now followed suit – out there making money and expressing themselves the way that they want.”
Rodriguez said Only Fans had also helped her survive the Covid pandemic, when she was unable to travel and fight, while also providing the “freedom to express myself”.
“I’ve never been one to follow the rules,” she explained.
“So I always had mainstream social media suspending me – sending me to Facebook jail — for posting risqué photos, bikini pictures, even for swearing.
“But I should be able to express myself.
“And so with Only Fans, I figured ‘why the hell not’ … and it’s worked out well.
“It really saved my arse during Covid when I wasn’t able to fight.
“I’m somebody who has always taken risks and it’s really taken off for me.”