BILLINGS — The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship returned to Montana for a fourth time on Saturday, headlined by Great Falls native Kai Stewart.
And when Stewart walked out of the squared circle with a win, it led to a full circle moment.
First Interstate Arena at MetraPark holds a lot of special memories for Stewart. It’s where he won a state wrestling title as a junior in high school, and more crucially it’s also where he lost his final match as a senior, something that changed the trajectory of his life.
“I cried with all my coaches because I lost my last high school match, and it put a chip on my shoulder to do something great in life,” Stewart said. "And then shortly after, I found combat sports."
On Saturday he finally got his moment at Metra, defeating UFC veteran Jimmie Rivera via unanimous decision for his fourth BKFC featherweight title win. Rivera has competed against multiple UFC champions in the past and is as experienced a combat sports professional there is.
BKFC is one of the largest combat sports promotions in the country, and they’ve been held events in Montana four times, specifically because Stewart is a homegrown superstar both in his home state and in the organization.
“I did this sport not really knowing what I was getting myself into. And it's taken a lot of time to get here, but we we're here,” Stewart said. "I have a multi-million dollar organization with millions of followers coming to Montana specifically for me.”
This fight was especially meaningful to Stewart because he shared the card with his longtime girlfriend Dakota Rhoads, who fought to a draw on an amateur preliminary bout.
“That was an absolute movie for me. Being able to be in my my girlfriend's corner. We had a lot of fun together and I’m looking forward to see her growth,” Stewart said. "I love that woman. And she's helped me grow as an athlete, a fighter, and, most importantly, a man.”
Since he started his rise to the top, Stewart has headlined major events, he’s chugged beers with UFC superstar Conor McGregor and become the face of the BKFC.
But at heart, he’ll always be a small town kid from Montana.
"There’s nothing like the Montana community,” Stewart said. "Nothing like Montana friendship and Montana love. And that's what I want to carry with me for the rest of my life and career.”
