Headlining the latest bareknuckle event was bantamweight champion Reggie Barnett, looking to defend his title against Keith Richardson. Across combat spots (MMA, boxing, and bareknuckle boxing), Richardson was riding an impressive eight-fight win streak coming into his title challenge, including three straight victories under the BKFC banner.

Fight fans tuning into BKFC 52 might also notice a couple of former UFC talents in Kevin Croom and Cameron VanCamp.

BKFC 52 gets underway at 8PM ET on Friday, October 20, 2023, with a brief preliminary card available via the BKFC Youtube channel (available below). The main card kicks off an hour later at 9PM, and is available to stream via the BKFC App/BKFC+. Full results from the event can be found below.

BKFC 52: Barnett vs. Richardson Results

Main Card

Keith Richardson def. Reggie Barnett Jr. (c) by TKO, Round 2, 0:58 — for the BKFC bantamweight championship
Tony Soto def. Kevin Croom by unanimous decision (50-45, 48-47, 50-45)
Jeremie Holloway def. Cameron VanCamp by unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 49-46)
Solon Staley def. Darrick Gates by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 1, 2:00
Brandon Bushaw def. Josh Marer by KO, Round 2, 0:50
Jeremiah Scott def. Chevy Bridges by KO Round 3, 1:56
Derek Perez def. Ace Samples by TKO, Round 2, 0:44
Trukon Carson def. Daishaun Middleton by KO, Round 1, 1:01

Preliminary Card

Daniel Cooper def. Miach Lail by TKO (doctor’s stoppage), Round 4, 2:00
Bekhzod Usmonov def. Trevor Loken by TKO, Round 3, 0:24

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Alateng was entering off a draw against Gustavo Lopez, while Croom had dropped back-to-back fights against Alex Caceres and Brian Kelleher. Those two losses had prompted Croom to drop to 135lbs for Saturday’s bout.

In the end, Alatengheili spoiled Croom’s bantamweight debut — but few would have foreseen how quickly he got the job done.

Both fighters took the center of the octagon after a touch of the gloves. A front kick from Croom started the fight. Croom landed a body kick and a low kick. Alateng landed an overhand right and sparked Croom. Croom tried to recover, but Alatengheili pounced on him, landing a few more punches. Croom went face-first to the mat, which forced the referee to step in.

The Chinese fighter only needed a minute to put away Croom. Less than that, actually.

Alatengheili starts us off with a BANG 💥 #UFCVegas51 pic.twitter.com/lZkO22WbEL

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) April 16, 2022

The win snaps Alatengheili’s skid, which saw him suffer a loss prior to his draw with Lopez, and puts him back into the win column for the first time since 2019. As for Croom, that is three straight losses, and he might be on his way back to the regional scene.

Official Result: Alatengheili def. Kevin Croom by knockout (punches), Round 1, 0:47

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“Boom” had originally been scheduled to face Saidyokub Kakhramonov. When the Uzbek fighter was forced to withdraw, Croom stepped in — fighting for the first time since a February 2021 loss to Alex “Bruce Leeroy” Caceres.

Kelleher had last fought in August, picking up a win over Domingo Pilarte. That victory had come in his regular home at bantamweight; the short-notice nature of Saturday’s match-up with Croom necessitated the fight be contested at 145lbs instead.

It was Brian “Boom” Kelleher opening things up with a front kick on Saturday; he then circled on the outside, while Croom pressed forward. Croom held a noticeable size advantage, not surprisingly with the fight coming up a division for Kelleher. That said, a right hand from Kelleher dropped Croom about a minute and a half in, sitting him down. Croom popped right back up, but the smaller man had proved a point when it came to power.

The second half of the round saw Kelleher pressing forward, switching stances to work his way inside. Croom did find success on the feet care of his reach, with a number of 1-2s and left hands sneaking through. None, however, had the power behind them that Kelleher had shown. He’d land another power shot late in the frame, off a spinning back fist, though this one didn’t drop Croom — but Kelleher did close out the round with a takedown.

Croom was aggressive in the opening minute plus of round two, backing Kelleher up and forcing him to cover up. Strikes were capped off by a high kick, but Kelleher didn’t seem to take much damage while under fire. When they moved back to center, Croom unleashed a few leg kicks, then fired off a combo — and in terms of output, he appeared to be pulling away.

Just past the three minute mark in the second, Croom fired a knee, and an elbow which cut Kelleher as “Boom” ripped to the body. Despite that, it was Kelleher getting in the driver’s seat, getting Croom to his back. Just as he did in round one, Kelleher finished the frame on top and in control.

Relentless pressure coming from @BrianBoom135 in the 3rd 💢 #UFCVegas46 pic.twitter.com/VPmpbobKCh

— UFC (@ufc) January 15, 2022

Kelleher opened round three with an early takedown, a marked deviation from the game plan in the opening two rounds. He spent a solid minute or so in control; as Croom escaped up, Kelleher took him right back down. Guillotine and D’arce choke attempts would punctuate the round for Kelleher, who cruised to the final bell.

No real surprise as to the winner in the end — while Croom relied on his striking above all else, Brian Kelleher put his full arsenal on display Saturday.

Official Result: Brian Kelleher def. Kevin Croom by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

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Already having lost Michel Pereira vs. Muslim Salikhov Andre Fialho, plus Gabriel Benitez, the hits kept coming on Wednesday. Per a report by My MMA News, Saidyokub Kakhramonov has dropped out of the event.

No reason was given for Kakhramonov’s withdrawal. However, with the number of fights on the UFC Vegas 46 card dwindling, Kevin Croom has stepped up as a short-notice replacement. Croom’s involvement was first reported by MMA Fighting.

Croom (21-13, 1NC) will be looking for his first official win inside the octagon should all go according to plan this weekend. The fighter previously known as “The Hard Hitting Hillbilly” joined the UFC on short notice against Roosevelt Roberts in September 2020, earning a Performance of the Night bonus for his guillotine choke finish. However, a positive for marijuana on his drug test resulted in the win being overturned by the Nevada Athletic Commission.

After being hit with an $1800 fine and a short suspension, Croom returned last February, losing a unanimous decision to Alex Caceres. He has not fought since.

Kelleher (23-12) won a unanimous decision back in August against Domingo Pilarte. “Boom” was 1-1 overall in 2021, with a loss to Ricky Simon starting his year on a down note.

UFC Vegas 46 on Saturday, January 15, 2022 is currently set to move forward with ten fights:

Calvin Kattar vs. Giga Chikadze
Katlyn Chookagian vs. Jennifer Maia
Brandon Royval vs. Rogério Bontorin
Jake Collier vs. Chase Sherman
Bill Algeo vs. Joanderson Brito
Jamie Pickett vs. Joseph Holmes
Court McGee vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
Charles Rosa vs. T.J. Brown
Dakota Bush vs. Viacheslav Borshchev
Brian Kelleher vs. Kevin Croom

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The Entre Rounds Podcast was the first to report the news that Kevin Croom will fight Marcelo Rojo on August 28 at a yet-to-be-announced UFC event. Both fighters would subsequently confirm the booking on social media.

Croom (21-13) had his four-fight win streak snapped in February when he lost a lopsided unanimous decision to UFC vet Alex Caceres. Before his first UFC loss, “Crash” burst onto the scene submitting Roosevelt Roberts in 31 seconds in his UFC debut, earning Performance of the Night. The fight would be overturned to a no-contest because of a positive marijuana drug test.

Rojo (16-7) made his UFC debut on short notice against Charles Jourdain in March. The pair would put on an amazing fight which would get robbed of Fight of the Night honors. Rojo would end up finished in the third round. The long-time Combate fighter will be looking to get his first UFC win and continue his 13-fight finish streak going. “Pitbull” will also be looking to do his infamous velociraptor celebration.

No location, venue, or broadcast details have yet to be announced by the promotion for UFC’s August 28 event.

The August 28 fight card now looks like:

• Meerschaert vs. Muradov
• Ketlen Vieira vs. Sara McMann
• Kevin Croom vs. Marcelo Rojo

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Jairzinho Rozenstruik

Rozenstruik came into the fight ranked number four in the heavyweight division. His loss on Saturday will likely move him just outside the top five. He should be looking to take on someone still inside the top ten to try and preserve his place at the top of the division. Fighting somebody like Alistair Overeem or Augusto Sakai in his next fight would be perfect for Rozenstruik. Overeem had basically won his last fight against Rozenstruik, and would have had his hand raised if it wasn’t for Rozenstruik landing a final knockout blow late in the fifth round. Sakai would make for a great stylistic match-up as we would get to see just how good Rozenstruik’s takedown defense is.

Rozenstruik’s next fight: Alistair Overeem or Augusto Sakai

Nikita Krylov

Krylov becomes 2-3 in his most recent run with UFC with his loss this past weekend. He will probably be moving towards the back part of the light heavyweight’s top 15. He should be looking to fight anyone ranked in front of him in his next fight. Within the next few weeks, number 15 ranked Jamahal Hill will be taking on number 14 in the division, Paul Craig. While number 13 ranked Ryan Spann will be taking on number ten ranked Misha Cirkunov. Either of those four men would make for a great next opponent for Krylov.

Cirkunov is the only one that doesn’t make a lot of sense. If Cirkunov wins he will likely be pushed close to the top five and he already has a win over Krylov in 2016. However, if either Craig or Hill has an impressive win, they will likely get pushed right in front of Krylov in the rankings.

Krylov’s next fight: Winner of Hill-Craig

Jimmie Rivera

Jimmie Rivera had many bright spots in his decision loss to Pedro Munhoz at UFC Vegas 20. Rivera showed a lot of heart as he was trying to finish Munhoz up until the final bell. This loss makes him 1-1 against Munhoz. With the score being tied and that fight being as good as it was many would think a trilogy fight would be perfect for their next bout. Although Rivera would benefit from making a quick turnaround. The perfect next opponent for Rivera would seem like Raphael Assuncao. Assuncao hasn’t fought since June of 2020. Meaning he will be ready to fight soon. The fact that Rivera is coming off this exciting match-up with Munhoz only sweetens the deal for Assuncao.

Rivera’s next opponent: Raphael Assuncao 

Kevin Croom

Kevin Croom lost a unanimous decision to Alex Caceres at UFC Vegas 20. Croom spent most of the first and second round holding Caceres up against the cage. He was able to land just one of his 16 takedown attempts and when he did he was able to hold Caceres down. Caceres however landed way more strikes on the feet and even stayed active on the ground. Caceres was fresh as can be in the third whereas it seemed like Croom was so exhausted that he could barely throw any offense.

This loss brings Croom to 0-1 with one no contest in the UFC. For his next fight, he should fight fellow UFC newcomer, Nate Landwehr. Landwehr is 1-2 in the UFC. Like Croom, Landwehr is also a character inside and outside of the octagon. Landwehr has also had issues with his cardio in the past and is a great striker. This will match up great with Croom who visibly has issues with his cardio and relies more on his grappling.

Croom’s next fight: Nate Landwehr 

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Alex Caceres, better known to fans as “Bruce Leeroy,” entered the fight just shy of the ten-year mark in the UFC. And impressive feat, made even more so by a recent string of successes, as Caceres entered the bout having won his last three straight.

On the other side of the octagon, at least to start, Kevin Croom — entering just his second fight for the promotion. Despite a lengthy career in mixed martial arts himself.

MMA loves characters, and both Cacares and Croom are full of personality. But it was the UFC veteran executing his game plan in the end.

The fight itself had a quick start on Saturday, with Caceres trying to pull off a side kick to the face right off the bat. Caceres went back to his kicks several times early before Croom closed the distance. That led to a battle for position against the fence, with Croom eventually reversing, but Caceres pulling free. Another clinch battle moments later saw Croom working for a trip/takedown, but Caceres showed his defense was up to snuff. It wasn’t until a slip off a knee attempt that Caceres found himself dragged down in a scramble. But it was Caceres getting the better of things, moving back to his feet after landing a couple heavy ground strikes.

Early in the second, Croom ate a check left hook, but was able to control Caceres in the clinch, and get the fight to the ground. With Caceres on his back, Kevin Croom was exactly where he wanted to be. Only, once he had the fight where he wanted it, he was forced to contend with an active ground game from Caceres, who threw up a triangle. The triangle was tight, but Croom gutted it out, and “Bruce Leeroy” eventually dropped the attempt, allowing Croom to move back into the driver’s seat. Caceres would free himself, but again, Croom stayed tight to him along the cage.

The third saw Croom walk into a punch or two early as he tried to close the distance. But the reality was that the former Hard-Hitting Hillbilly, now known as Kevin “Crash” Croom, was likely down two rounds. Getting inside on the lanky Caceres was crucial. Taking more and more damage, however, Croom was soon showing signs of fatigue. When they went to the ground with just under half a round remaining, it was Caceres on top. He’d finish the fight in control, earning a clear decision.

Official Result: Alex Caceres def. Kevin Croom by unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)

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Heading into UFC Vegas 20, Croom has let it be known that he’s now the artist formerly known as The Hard-Hitting Hillbilly. Instead, or more accurately, during the event’s virtual media day, he noted that he’ll now be Kevin “Crash” Croom.

In a sense, it’s for marketing purposes. When it comes to his old nickname, “that’s a mouthful. It’s hard to say. I bet you don’t get anybody going to HardHittingHillbilly.com,” Croom observed, speaking to Cageside Press. “Crash, it’s nice and smooth, man. Like a car crash.”

That’s no doubt what Croom (21-12, 1NC) is hoping for at UFC Vegas 20. A car crash, with Alex Caceres on the wrong end of things, and Croom himself walking away unscathed. There will no no witnesses, of course, at least not at the UFC Apex. While vaccinations for COVID-19 continue, the sports world isn’t ready to open up just yet.

Croom, however, isn’t missing the crowd too much. “I don’t care about anybody else. I do this all to entertain me, this is all for me,” he exclaimed. “The fans are cool, but it still feels just as great, and the checks cash just the same.”

That “all for me” attitude only goes so far. Croom remains a team player, at one of the sport’s rising gyms, Glory MMA in Kansas. “It is my time to shine, but the Glory takeover continues,” noted Croom. “Julian [Marquez] started off really nicely, [Darrick] Minner did a great job, and here I am to just keep the whole thing rolling.” Under the tutelage of James Krause, Glory MMA has slowly crept up into the upper echelon of fight camps in the sport. Just like Croom slowly worked his way into the UFC.

Now a veteran of the sport, Croom had over 30 fights prior to his arrival on the big stage. But he never doubted his abilities. “I always believed I could be here, all I always believed I could could do it,” he said Thursday. “I always told myself ‘keep going, you’re ready!’ And now I know. Everything I told myself for years, when I couldn’t pay the bills, and all that stuff. I was right. I was correct. So now that I know, that makes me f*cking dangerous!”

Watch the full UFC Vegas 20 virtual media day scrum with Kevin Croom above. The event takes place this Saturday, February 27 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, NV.

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“We just saw the best to ever do it,” Croom began, speaking to Cageside Press recently. “I’m still in awe, I think I may watch that fight every morning for the rest of my camp.”

Croom is 1-0 in the UFC, although that turned into a “No Contest” for a positive marijuana test. Still, Croom showed up on short notice and played underdog to hyped up Roosevelt Roberts, coming away with his hand raised. And he believes that after performance he has planned against Alex Caceres, it’ll be hard to deny his chance at stardom in the sport.

“It’s an excellent fight for me,” Croom told us this week. “My fighting style matches up very well to beat him [Caceres]. I’ve been a fan of his for a while, he has a good name, and has been in the game a while,” Croom continued. “Taking out someone with a name, that is just one step closer to super stardom and that is where I’m going.”

Croom, currently standing at 21-12, is on a 3 fight win streak (really four with the win over Roberts) and has a strong team behind him, Glory MMA. Head coach James Krause is not only one of the top coaches in mixed martial arts, he is still a UFC contender with people calling him out left and right.

“MMA is my religion and that man [James Krause] is my preacher,” Croom stated. “I listen to everything he says; listening to him got me where I am. He told me in crisis there is opportunity, he had us all ready.”

Catch the full interview linked above as Croom, who is set to fight Alex Caceres on February 27 at UFC Vegas 20, discusses this weekend’s McGregor vs. Poirier card, the USADA marijuana decision, Glory MMA and more!

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Cageside Press confirmed the booking with a source close to the situation, following an initial report by MMA Junkie.

The fight will see Caceres (17-12, 1NC) looking to build on a three-fight win streak put together between July of 2019 and August of this year. Those three wins have seen Caceres defeat Steven “Ocho” Peterson, Chase Hooper, and most recently Austin Springer. That most recent win ended in a rear-naked choke submission, Caceres’ first stoppage since 2017. The streak is also his best since five consecutive wins from 2012 to 2014 (one of which wound up overturned to a no contest).

Croom (21-12, 1NC) had won three straight prior to his promotional debut against Roosevelt Roberts back in September. While that fight was originally recorded as a submission victory for Croom, the result was overturned due to a positive test for marijuana under the Nevada athletic commission.

The UFC’s February 27 event does not yet have a location or venue announced. The following fights have been reported for the card thus far:

Dominick Reyes vs. Jiří Procházka
William Knight vs. Alonzo Menifield
Sabina Mazo vs. Alexis Davis
Raoni Barcelos vs. Raphael Assunçao
Alex Oliveira vs. Randy Brown
Emily Whitmire vs. Hannah Cifers
Alex Caceres vs. Kevin Croom
Magomed Ankalaev vs. Nikita Krylov

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