Fury and Usyk went head-to-head as things finally got heated | GETTY
UFC Off-Season
With no UFC to watch this weekend, combat sports enthusiasts will have some other options to quench their thirst for violence. Here, Home of Fight brings to you our weekly schedule highlighting some of the biggest and best events to tune into this week!
Fear not, Home of Fight has you covered for the duration of UFC’s off-season until they return on January 11th, 2025! Plenty of action to watch in the meantime.
DAZN | Fury Usyk 2 Poster
Fury vs. Usyk 2: Reignited
- Where To Watch: DAZN
- Start Time: Main Card – 2pm EST | Main Event Ring Walk – 6:30pm
- Date: Saturday, December 21 2024
Headlining this weekend’s boxing card in Saudi Arabia, a rematch between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk will go down. Their first fight was one of the most anticipated fights of the year and ended in a rather close split decision. Now, about seven months later, they’ll meet again.
Main Event
- Tyson Fury (+120) vs. Oleksandr Usyk (-150) 2
In an immediate rematch between two of the biggest and baddest heavyweight boxers on the planet, a multitude of championship belts will be on the line once again. Tyson Fury came up short in a split decision against Oleksandr Usyk earlier this year, suffering his first professional loss. Usyk remains undefeated at 22-0 but this will be a chance for Fury to immediately avenge his only loss and capture the IBC, WBC, and WBO Heavyweight World titles while doing so.
Although split decisions are dreadful and not exactly preferred, this one set up for quite the rematch. In their first contest, Usyk edged past Fury on the scorecards but also knocked him down in Round 9. Because of how close their first battle and the amount championships on the line, this second fight is more anticipated than the first. Both fighters have quite impressive gas tanks for their size but it will be interesting to see which adjustments each fighter made considering no fights have taken place since their initial bout, just preparations.
Will Usyk hand Fury two losses in a row or will Fury be able to overcome the only man to defeat him and “return the favor”. This battle will come down to technicality as these fighters are two of the most proven boxers to walk the planet.
DAZN | Poster
Co-Main Event
- Serhii Bohachuk vs Ishmael Davis
Two of the most promising light middleweights will meet in the co-main event before Fury and Usyk take to the ring. Both need to regain the momentum they had as they each come off a loss. Ukraine’s own, Serhii Bohachuk, held the Interim WBC Super Welterweight title going into his last bout but was stripped of that by Vergil Ortiz Jr. This fight serves as a chance for Bohachuk to get himself back into title contention and get back on track.
His impressive knockout rate and relentless pressure will be a key factor in this fight. If Ishamel Davis can use his defense, stay away from those powerful shots, and utilize his elite countering, he may be able to bounce back from his only defeat across fourteen professional fights. A major victory over the highly touted Bohachuk would serve as a pivotal victory for his career.
Featured Fight
- Johnny Fisher vs. Dave Allen
Two heavyweights elite face off on this highly anticipated main card. The six-foot, four-inch twenty-five year old undefeated prospect, Johnny Fisher, has accumulated a perfect record by knocking out the bulk of his opponents. He has been able to find the chin with a combination of insane power and intense pressure. This fight, he will meet a fellow Englishman who will bring a true test with his experience alone.
Dave Allen is a veteran of over thirty professional boxing fights and provides the perfect test for someone like Fisher, who has found so much success at the earlier stages of his career. Allen’s IQ and “iron chin” should make it a bit more tricky for Fisher to do what he’s done to the rest of his opponents. This fight features a promising, undefeated fighter matched up against a veteran who has the capability to use his IQ to find a path to victory.
Karate Combat | Poster
Karate Combat 51: Vergara vs. Clelmiah
- Where To Watch: Karate Combat Youtube
- Start Time: Prelims – 7pm EST | Main Card – 8:30pm EST
- Date: Thursday, December 19 2024
One of fans favorite promotions, Karate Combat, returns this Thursday night in Miami, Florida for KC 51 where two stand-out bantamweight fighters will be competing for the vacant Bantamweight Championship. Arturo Vergara and Eoghan Chelmiah have built up their names while being with Karate Combat and have both found enough momentum to give President Awesome and the crew at Karate Combat a reason to put the vacant belt on the line.
Also featured on this card is the former UFC fighter in Robelis Despaigne who will make his Karate Combat debut following his departure from the UFC this past fall. Many people are excited to see “The Big Boy” make his first appearance in the pit!
Main Event
- Arturo Vergara vs. Eoghan Chelmiah
Eoghan Chelmiah is a former Karate Combat champion and has been fighting inside the Karate Combat pit since 2021. During his time with the promotion, he’s racked up an impressive record of 7-2. Chelmiah originally earned the title back in 2021 and had two successful title defenses before it was taken from him. Now, after bouncing back from two consecutive losses and losing his title, Chelmiah built himself back up to title contention with back to back first round finishes. His dominance has earned himself another opportunity to fight for the belt.
Standing across the pit will be Arturo Vergara who’s made a name for himself due to his exciting style and his will to find a finish. Vergara made his Karate Combat debut earlier this year and has quickly built up an impressive 4-0 record since then. This championship fight will be his fifth fight of the year. His first three bouts resulted in dominant finishes and in his last outing, Vergara showed that he can in fact go the distance and stay dominant throughout. He won a decisive unanimous decision over Safar Akhmadov in Salt Lake City this October. Given Karate Combat’s unique ruleset, the two men involved, AND these very high stakes, this main event is certainly going to deliver with an action packed title fight to cap off the night.
MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 09: Robelis Despaigne of Cuba reacts after his knockout against Josh Parisian in a heavyweight fight during the UFC 299 event at Kaseya Center on March 09, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
Featured Fight
- Robelis Despaigne vs. Dominik Jedrzejczyk
Former UFC fighter, Robelis Despaigne, will make his first walk to the Karate Combat pit this Thursday night. His current contract situation is unknown but when the Global Fight League announced themselves as a new MMA promotion last week, Despaigne was on their roster. His contract to compete at Karate Combat 51 was very likely signed before his GFL contract, which could be the reason we see him fight this Thursday night. Going forward, he might be an exclusive fighter to the newly announced GFL.
Regardless, Despaigne has found an opportunity after being released by the UFC. He will find himself in a different situation, this time competing in a pit instead of a cage. Although this is new to Despaigne, many people are excited to see him compete in such a striking based setting due to his brutal knockout power. His first five professional bouts ended in Despaigne getting his hand raised after brutally knocking out each one of his opponents. He then lost two unanimous decisions back to back and was released from the UFC. Despaigne’s abilities and strengths paired up with Karate Combat’s ruleset will give him a major advantage when he takes on Dominik Jedrzejczyk (0-1 Kickboxer).
DAZN | BKFC Poster
BKFC on DAZN 3: Warren vs. Richman
- Where To Watch: DAZN
- Start Time: Main Card – 7pm EST
- Date: Saturday, December 21 2024
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships returns to the beautiful Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida this weekend where they will present their third event live on DAZN! BKFC has found a lot of success as of late and they continue to bring the action. You can’t go wrong watching a BKFC card, there’s so much excitement! On a card with not one but two titles on the line along with many other bangers, there’s certainly going to be some wild punching on display!
Dave Feldman & Jared Warren | BKFC
Main Event
- Jared Warren vs. Mike Richman
Jared Warren, the current champion, will be defending his title for the first time against Mike Richman which sets up an interesting clash of styles. Warren is known for his durability, clean punches, and impressive pressure inside the squared circle. These kinds of things have helped him climb to the top of the division.
Richman, a former Bellator MMA veteran, brings dangerous knockout power and sharp counter-striking that could end the fight early if he lands clean. Richman will be looking to get the finish early but Warren’s ability to take damage and bring the fight to deep waters could result in his opponent’s gas tank being in jeopardy. Will Richman’s aggression and elite technique be enough to defeat the champion?
Christine Ferea | BKFC
Co-Main Event
- Christine Ferea vs. Christine Vicens
The Battle of Christines! This weekend’s fight between Christine Ferea and Christine Vicens in a high-stakes clash between the champion and a hungry challenger. Ferea is the reigning flyweight champion and is known for her power and precision, which has carried her very far during her time with BKFC. Vicens, a tough and resilient challenger, will need to stay out of danger early in the fight as we all know about the early aggression of Ferea. She’s always looking for the finish.
This fight hinges on whether Ferea’s experience and striking can overwhelm Vicens, or if the challenger can push the champ into deeper waters to create an upset.
Featured Fight
- Sabah Homasi vs. Eduardo Peralta
A former Bellator contender and exciting striker, Sabah Homasi, is set to make his highly anticipated BKFC debut, bringing his aggressive style to the bare-knuckle stage. Known for his knockout power and highlight-reel finishes in MMA, Homasi is expected to be a thrilling addition to the BKFC roster. His striking expertise and willingness to engage in high-paced exchanges make him a perfect fit for the fast-paced, action-packed nature of bare-knuckle fighting. Think back on his Bellator fight against Brennan Ward, Homasi went down swinging in an absolute blood bath. Now, both Homasi and Ward are rostered by BKFC which could make for a fun rematch down the road. Fans can expect fireworks as Homasi looks to make an immediate impact in his new fighting arena.