Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has taken the combat sports world by storm, attracting a certain type of fan, and a certain type of fighter. BKFC’s Women’s American Featherweight Champion Christine Ferea is exactly that type of fighter. She knows what Bare Knuckle’s brass wants, and she’s always ready to deliver:
“They just want us to fight, and I don’t blame them. Nobody likes a boring fight, and I go in there to fight regardless. I don’t mind the promotion saying ‘if you don’t want to fight, don’t be here.’ I know a lot of people have issues with that, but for me, I love that they want people to fight. They’re trying to bring in the toughest people, and that’s my style. I’m aggressive, but I’m smart, because you can get caught real quick in bare knuckle.”
“They just want us to fight, and I don’t blame them. Nobody likes a boring fight, and I go in there to fight regardless.”
BKFC’s up-and-coming star
Ferea rapidly rose the ranks at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, and she is now one of the most prominent faces of the organization. She made her Bare Knuckle debut on October 20th, 2018, with a stunning first-round knockout of Jennifer Tate. Next, Ferea would win the Women’s American Featherweight Championship in a second-round knockout of Britain Hart at BKFC 5, on April 6th of this year.
“I bring a really intense and dedicated style, and I’m a good example of what a fighter and athlete should be, and what we should be doing.”
And, it seems that the Muay Thai Nak Muay turned mixed martial artist turned bare-knuckled brawler Christine Ferea is only getting started. She has just confirmed a fight on BKFC 7, August 10th in Biloxi, Mississippi, and she’s looking forward to not only another Bare Knuckle appearance, but a hopefully long and symbiotic relationship with the company.
“For now, the goal is to be David Feldman’s Bare Knuckle champion, to represent the 125 lb division, and to help the organization grow. I believe I bring a really intense and dedicated style, and I’m a good example of what a fighter and athlete should be, and what we should be doing.”
Humble beginnings
Ferea didn’t always plan on a career as an athlete, however. Growing up in San Jose, California, Ferea found trouble in her youth, and only began going to the gym as an outlet and to improve her health.
“I grew up a little wanna-be bad ass, or I thought I was when I was a kid. I got into some trouble, and [had to dig] myself out. I started going to the gym to get healthy, and there was a fight gym inside. I started looking at some of their girls, and thought that I could beat their asses. [Well] I found out real quick that someone 25 lbs lighter than me could easily kick my ass. Originally I [started training] to get healthy - I liked fighting, and I wanted to look good at the same time.”
“If she comes back, I’ll be waiting with my belts to welcome her back with a nice knuckle sandwich.”
Ferea began training Muay Thai and stacked up a sensational 13-0 record as an amateur. She won her professional debut, and remains unbeaten in the sport. Ferea then decided to try her hand at mixed martial arts, using her stupendous stand up skills to lead her to an undefeated 3-0 record as an amateur. In early 2017, Invicta FC came calling, and in her professional MMA debut, Ferea defeated current UFC Flyweight Rachael Ostovich via 3rd-round TKO. Ferea would fight under the Invicta banner two more times that year before being approcahed by the fledgling Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.
“They contacted me for the first one, and I had just broken my hand in my last MMA fight in the end of 2017, so I couldn’t take the first fight. [Originally], I thought it was fake - you know there’s a bunch of people that hit you up online and offer you stuff. [But], I went with it, because I was curious. And, then I saw Bec [Rawlings] had fought, and I was like ‘wow this is real.”
Bare-knuckled brawling
Ferea was initially interested in fighting Rawlings, who had already appeared on the inaugural BKFC card. However, Ferea was given a different opponent and was scheduled to fight at BKFC 2 on August 26, 2018. Her opponent, though, pulled out last minute, and the organization struggled to find Ferea a challenger. Even though the fight fell through, Ferea was given her full fight purse, and was promised a spot on the next card.
Ferea would prove victorious in her first two Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship bouts, most recently winning the Women’s American Featherweight Championship at BKFC 5, a fight card that included the blood-soaked slugfest between Jason Knight and Artem Lobov. On Thursday it was finally confirmed that Ferea would be making her third Bare Knuckle appearance at BKFC 7 on August 10th back in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Although her opponent has yet to be determined, Ferea is unshaken by anyone whom the organization might choose for her to face. Ferea acknowledged that fellow Invicta alumn Helen Peralta would make an intriguing matchup, and also that Christina Marks and Amanda Serrano have shown some recent interest.
“If I can go in there and stand toe-to-toe with the best and not bitch out, that’s a success for me. That’s what this is about, it’s not about all that external shit.”
However, Ferea is still drawn to a potential future fracas with Bec Rawlings. After going 3-0 with BKFC, though, Rawlings recently signed with Bellator, making the matchup with Ferea, at least for the time being, seem unavailable.
“I was really looking forward to the Bec fight, and trying to get her to fight me. I have no clue what happened there, if she was ducking, or what was going on. But, I never got an answer. If she comes back, I’ll be waiting with my belts to welcome her back with a nice knuckle sandwich.”
A story of success
Christine Ferea defied the odds in transcending a troubled childhood to becoming an unparalleled piece to the future of the burgeoning Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Ferea is 2-0 with the organization, and she looks to remain unbeaten in her third appearance at summer’s end. In describing her path to becoming BKFC’s up-and-coming star, Ferea confided:
“I had a really crazy past. I shouldn’t be where I’m at. I turned myself into a professional athlete, the total opposite of what I was. I’m a success story already. I shouldn’t be here, I shouldn’t [even] be breathing. Right now, I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot for myself. I’ve gotten really far, and wherever I go from here is a bonus for me. If I can go in there and stand toe-to-toe with the best and not bitch out, that’s a success for me. That’s what this is about, it’s not about all that external shit.”
You can catch Ferea fight at BKFC 7, August 10th, from Biloxi, Mississippi and live on PPV. For ticket sales or for more information, click here. Christine would like to thank the following for their loyalty and support: My Nerdy Neighbor Inc., Sin City Vapor, 100 % Violence, Athlete Hub, One Kick’s Gym, Dewey Cooper and David Hayes.
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Categories: Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Gulf Coast, Interview, Invicta FC
Fight Sport Focus 
Christine is a beast and I love her forward style. She wants the belt and she soon will be world Champion. I look forward to Biloxi and BKFC 7. To the writer. This was a great article. Thanks for keeping us apprised of the Bare Knuckle sport.
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