Bec Rawlings has found her true calling.
Rawlings made her debut at the inaugural Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event, and will compete for a second time on next Saturday against Britain Hart.
Recently, Rawlings was part of a media workout in Los Angeles to promote the event and her fight. The card takes place from the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi and airs live on the U.S. and Canada on pay-per-view.
In her first fight in the promotion, Rawlings bested Alma Garcia. The 29-year-old still holds a 7-8 record in MMA, including two wins inside the Octagon over Seo Hee Ham and Lisa Ellis.
“It took a lot of time and effort to really get MMA respected and looked at like a proper sport, and I think it’s going to take that with bare knuckle. But from the last event and how smoothly that ran, how professional it was, the fights were great. We all looked like seasoned fighters out there, which we were, and I think that’s what we definitely need to keep doing and it will progress from there,” Rawlings said. “I think the U.S. and even Australia one day will open up to doing bare knuckle as well, because it’s such a great event. It’s a great fighting sport, and it wasn’t any crazier than MMA and boxing, as you saw from the last event.
“BKFC is doing it right, they’re doing it very professionally. They’re bringing in all the right people and all the right fighters. As long as it keeps going that way, I think the sport is going to take off.”
Rawlings also faced the likes of former UFC champion Carla Esparza, Paige VanZant, Tecia Torres and Jessica Rose-Clark during her run.
“Even just around the local scene in Australia, I was with the UFC fighting and winning with the UFC and I could walk around a boxing promotion and no one would bat an eyelash at me,” she said. “They would acknowledge me, but they weren’t interested in what I was doing. But as soon as I signed to fight bare knuckle I had so many people talking to me and offering really encouraging messages.”
Her first appearance in BKFC was one that took some getting used to – at least until the first punch landed.
“I finally settled in when I landed a really clean uppercut. To be hit, it didn’t feel any different than MMA at all. It’s more like a sting than a thud for a boxing glove,” Rawlings said. “The only difference I found was punching her, if you didn’t select where you were going to punch you felt it a little bit in your knuckles, but nothing crazy. The swelling was quite bad, but I swell and bruise really easily. It wasn’t too far different from MMA.
“After BKFC 1, I had multiple messages from fighters in Australia, the U.S., even people with the UFC, asking me how I was treated, if it was fun, if I would do it again and how they could get involved.”
As for her upcoming bout, Rawlings is looking to continue grow into her new home.
“Nothing has really changed on our side of it. My coach is a kung fu and open hand combat expert, so everything he has known for years we have just translated into the boxing aspect of it,” she said. “I guess we now know what to expect fight week, what it’s going to be like in there. That was kind of the unknown back (in June). But I had so much fun last time, and I’m excited to get back in there and do it all again.
“Bare knuckle was meant for me. I can’t wait to face off against Britain Hart on August 25th. This sport is all about precision and I know she’s going to come to fight and try to take this momentum from me. I’m not going to let that happen.”
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