Joe Lauzon made his BKFC debut Saturday night at Fenway Park and stopped Stash Kuykendall by TKO in the second round, going 1-0 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in his first fight since 2019. Lauzon, 42, knocked Kuykendall down five times across two rounds — three in the first, two in the second — before the referee waved it off at 0:49 of round two. The crowd at Fenway Park was behind him the entire night.
It was one of the more unlikely comeback stories in combat sports this year. A 42-year-old UFC veteran with a seven-year layoff, switching formats entirely, finishing his opponent in front of a Boston crowd that treated Fenway Park like it was his hometown arena — because it was.
Joe Lauzon vs. Stash Kuykendall: How the Fight Went
Lauzon controlled the fight from the opening round, finding his range quickly and putting Kuykendall on the canvas three times before the round was over. Kuykendall showed toughness by surviving, but Lauzon came out in round two and finished what he started — two more knockdowns, and the referee stopped the contest at 0:49.
Five knockdowns in a Bare Knuckle debut is a statement. Lauzon had said going in that the format required a different approach than MMA: “You’ve got to be a little bit more precise with your punches. You’ve got to aim a little bit better.” The results backed it up. He was not sloppy, he was not reckless — he was methodical, which is exactly how Lauzon has always operated when he is at his best.
Why Joe Lauzon Came Back After Seven Years
Lauzon’s last UFC fight was a first-round knockout of Jonathan Pearce at UFC Fight Night Boston in October 2019 — also in front of a home crowd, also in Massachusetts. After that, he stepped away. He never got cut by the UFC, kept his contract, and went back to his life in Bridgewater, running two martial arts academies in Raynham and Canton.
He was not looking for a comeback. BKFC came to him with a specific offer: fight at Fenway Park. That is what changed everything. When asked why he signed with BKFC, Lauzon did not hesitate: “One hundred percent,” he said, pointing to Fenway as the reason. A Massachusetts native with a Boston fanbase does not turn down Fenway Park.
Joe Lauzon’s UFC Career and What He Brings to BKFC
Lauzon built one of the more respected careers in UFC lightweight history. He finished 17 opponents by submission and collected 15 post-fight bonuses over his career — tied for fourth most in UFC history. He was never the biggest name on a card, but he was consistently one of the most reliable finishers in the division.
Bare Knuckle takes away everything that defined him in MMA. No takedowns, no submissions, no grappling — just punching, in a small pit, for five rounds. Lauzon had no track record in this format before Saturday. What he does have is 20-plus years of martial arts training, a competitive engine that kept him winning post-fight bonuses throughout a long UFC career, and the kind of crowd support that can carry a fighter through a hard moment. All three showed up at Fenway.
What’s Next for Joe Lauzon in BKFC
Lauzon did not commit to anything after the fight. Before the event, he had put it plainly: “Maybe I like it, maybe I don’t.” He went on to say that if BKFC comes back to Fenway, he would be open to returning — “100 percent, I’m down to come back and do it again.” Whether the organization can put that together is the question now.
What Saturday proved is that Lauzon is not just a nostalgia act. Five knockdowns is a result, not a storyline. If BKFC can get him a meaningful opponent and the right venue, there is a real fight to be made here. The Fenway crowd showed the demand is there. Lauzon showed the ability is too.
Delinquent MMA was on the ground at Fenway Park with media credentials for BKFC 92. Full event results: BKFC 92 Results. Full card preview: BKFC 92 Preview.
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