IBA Bare Knuckle will open a new chapter on Saturday, 18 July, when the series stages its first tournament in the United States at the James L. Knight Center in Downtown Miami.

The ten-bout card brings together athletes from boxing, mixed martial arts, kickboxing and established bare-knuckle competition. Former UFC light heavyweight and heavyweight champion Jon Jones will host the evening, with the first fight scheduled for 7pm local time.

Here are five reasons to watch IBA Bare Knuckle 6.

1. Borshchev and Brito arrive from opposite ends of the bare-knuckle world

The main event is built around one of the clearest contrasts on the card.

Viacheslav Borshchev (Russia) is an experienced kickboxer and former UFC lightweight who will compete without gloves for the first time. Six of his eight professional MMA victories have come by knockout or technical knockout, including a stoppage of Maheshate during his UFC career. His most recent contest took place at XFC 54 on 25 April, when he lost a closely contested split decision to Jose Ferreira.

Elvin Brito (Puerto Rico), by contrast, is one of the most experienced bare-knuckle competitors on the card. “El Bandito” has a 7-7 BKFC record, made his promotional debut at BKFC 3 and became the organisation’s inaugural welterweight champion by defeating Kaleb Harris via split decision.

The central question is whether Borshchev can immediately transfer his technical striking and knockout power to a different competitive environment. Brito already understands the distance, rhythm and defensive adjustments required in bare-knuckle boxing, while Borshchev enters unfamiliar territory with a striking background that makes him dangerous from the opening exchange.

2. Javier Fortuna begins a completely new test

Javier Fortuna (Dominican Republic) brings the strongest traditional boxing résumé on the card.

The southpaw won the WBA interim featherweight title in 2012 by defeating the previously unbeaten Patrick Hyland. In 2015, he claimed the vacant WBA World super-featherweight title with victory over Bryan Vasquez before successfully defending it against Carlos Ivan Velasquez. Fortuna has compiled a professional boxing record of 39 wins, seven defeats and one draw, with 28 victories inside the distance.

His meeting with Alejandro Munera (Colombia) will be Fortuna’s bare-knuckle debut. Munera has an 8-9-4 record in professional boxing but, crucially, has already won both of his bare-knuckle contests by stoppage.

Fortuna therefore enters as the more accomplished boxer, while Munera possesses the more relevant experience under the rule set they will use in Miami. Their five-round contest will show whether Fortuna’s speed, southpaw angles and power can translate immediately when the gloves are removed.

3. Alan Salamov puts his unbeaten record into unfamiliar territory

Alan Salamov (Russia) arrives in Miami with an 8-0 professional MMA record and a 75 per cent finishing rate. In his latest appearance, on 31 May, he stopped former Bellator and UFC fighter Derek Campos in the second round at Fury FC 120.

Salamov will face Markus “Murk” Suarez (USA), who has already competed three times in BKFC and holds a 1-2 record in the promotion. Suarez’s victory came through a first-round stoppage, giving him first-hand experience of the pace and physical demands Salamov will encounter for the first time.

For Salamov, grappling and takedowns will no longer be available to complement his striking. For Suarez, the task is to become the first opponent to defeat a younger athlete who has so far found an answer to every challenge in professional MMA.

4. The format leaves little time for slow starts

Nine of the ten contests in Miami will use two-minute rounds. Six fights, including the two leading bouts, are scheduled for five rounds, while the encounters between Suarez and Salamov and between Lazaro Lara and Micah Mitchell are set for three rounds.

Nathan LaRocco (USA) and unbeaten David Mistulov (Russia) will meet in the only contest scheduled for three three-minute rounds. Mistulov is listed with a 6-0 amateur MMA record, while LaRocco has accumulated eleven amateur MMA appearances, making their 77kg encounter another clash between athletes adapting their existing skills to bare-knuckle competition.

Across the card, the short structure gives the competitors limited time to study their opponents or recover from a difficult opening. The tournament also covers divisions from 57kg to more than 93kg, offering different combinations of speed, power and physicality throughout the evening.

5. It is a landmark night for IBA Bare Knuckle

The Miami tournament will be the first IBA Bare Knuckle event staged in the United States. It follows previous editions in Russia and represents the next stage in the international development of the series.

Jon Jones will be present as host and official ambassador. The former UFC champion has held titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight and brings one of the most recognisable names in mixed martial arts to IBA Bare Knuckle’s American debut.

The tournament will also take place within IBA’s developing regulatory framework for bare-knuckle boxing. This includes mandatory medical examinations, ringside supervision, post-fight monitoring and defined medical injury protocols, alongside structured rules and officiating standards.

With ten bouts, an international line-up and several athletes entering bare-knuckle competition for the first time, the Miami card offers more than familiar names. It presents a series of genuine sporting questions that can only be answered once the opening bell sounds.

IBA Bare Knuckle 6 full fight card:

Lazaro «TNT» Lara — Micah «Black Sheep» Mitchell 

3 rounds × 2 minutes

Freddy Saavedra — Diego «Psychopath» Romo

5 rounds × 2 minutes

Wayna «Rylo» Reid — Imani «Resurrected» Smith

3 rounds × 2 minutes

Kendrick «Big Problem» Miree — Alex «Nightmare King» Cook

5 rounds × 2 minutes

Ivanieldo «Joshua Warrior» Mettendaf — Louis «Real Deal» Brewington 

5 rounds × 2 minutes

George «Blessed» Sosa — Coty «Deep Water» Cook

5 rounds × 2 minutes

Javier «El Abejon» Fortuna — Alejandro «Salvaje» Munera

5 rounds × 2 minutes

Marcus «Murk» Suarez — Alan «The Highlander» Salamov

3 rounds × 2 minutes

Elvin «El Bandido» Brito — Vyacheslav «Slava Claus» Borshchev

5 rounds × 2 minutes

Watch IBA Bare Knuckle 6 live on the official IBA YouTube channel.