The welterweight championship bout between Gorjan “GoGo” Slaveski and Julian Lane headlines the BKFC Sturgis fight card on August 2. The event takes place at the Legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip in Sturgis, SD. The two fighters battle it out for the vacant 165-pound title previously held by Austin Trout, who is expected to move down in weight.
Macedonia’s 31-year-old former champion Slaveski (6-0) steps through the ropes for the first time in two years since he scored a unanimous decision over Jake Lindsey to become champion. 37-year-old Lane (8-7) of Mansfield, Ohio stopped Cameron Vancamp in the fourth round in February and recorded his fourth win in a row.
“Austin Trout vacated the belt,” the representative for the BKFC told FIGHTMAG. “Details on a fight for him in a new weight class will be forthcoming.”
The co-feature at BKFC Sturgis is a strawweight bout between Taylor Starling (4-4) of Rock Hill, SC and Shelby Cannon (1-0) of Anderson, IN. Starling is coming off a unanimous decision victory over Bec Rawlings in January. Cannon defeated Kathryn Paprocki by unanimous decision in her promotional debut in May.
Also on the card is a lightweight bout between former welterweight champion Elvin Leon Brito (6-6) of Puerto Rico and Jeremiah Scott (2-0) of Myrtle Beach, SC. Brandon Conley (2-0-1) of Chillicothe, Ohio takes on Virginia’s David Simpson (2-4) at light heavyweight.
A heavyweight contest pits Zach Calmus (5-3) of Gloucester, MA against Montana’s Corey Willis (1-0). A featherweight bout features newcomers Shyanna Bintliff of Rapid City, SD and Marisol Ruelas of Woodridge, IL.
Another featherweight matchup features South Dakota’s Traevon Kroger (1-0) versus Daniel Pettit (1-2) of Lake Elsinore, CA. Alabama’s Bear Hill (1-0) goes up against Iman Williams (1-0) of Riverside, CA at heavyweight. Plus, Canada’s Dan Godoy (0-3) meets Ruben Arroyo (0-2) of El Paso, Texas at lightweight.
The previous BKFC event at Legendary Sturgis Buffalo Chip held last August saw Britain Hart successfully defend her strawweight title by unanimous decision against Taylor Starling.
“Last year’s event at Sturgis was one of the most successful we’ve promoted in our seven years. The fans, the atmosphere, and the fights were all incredible,” said BKFC Founder and President David Feldman. “Our plans for this year are bigger and better with both our announced main and co-main and the entire undercard promising explosive action throughout our event.”
The current BKFC Sturgis lineup is as follows:
- Gorjan Slaveski vs. Julian Lane – vacant BKFC welterweight title
- Taylor Starling vs. Shelby Cannon
- Elvin Brito vs. Jeremiah Scott
- Brandon Conley vs. David Simpson
- Zach Calmus vs. Corey Willis
- Shyanna Bintliff vs. Marisol Ruelas
- Jay Kerr vs. Dillon Blaydon
- Traevon Kroger vs. Daniel Pettit
- Bear Hill vs. Iman Williams
- Dan Godoy vs. Ruben Arroyo