Jason Knight plans to bring a more tactical approach to his rematch with Artem Lobov next month at Bare Knuckle FC 9. However, he is still expecting a bloodbath.
Knight and Lobov will run back the most famous fight in the brief history of Bare Knuckle FC on Nov. 16 at Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss. Their first match in April was a barnburner of brutality with both men leaving the ring covered in cuts and blood.
Lobov won the decision, but Knight has felt from the final bell of that initial contest that he deserved to get his hand raised. His goal is to make things more definitive this time around.
“I really felt like I won the first fight, now I’ve got my opportunity to go prove it and try to knock him out this time so that (expletive) don’t go to the judges,” Knight told MMA Junkie. “I want to make Artem look like a fool, even though I kind of like the guy.”
Lobov said in the immediate aftermath of Bare Knuckle FC 5 earlier this year that he would be willing to face Knight again in the future. “The Russian Hammer” defeated the former boxing champ Paulie Malignaggi to stay unbeaten in bare-knuckle competition before the rematch came to fruition.
Knight said he didn’t question if Lobov would give him the opportunity to fight again. He just wasn’t sure if the Bare Knuckle FC brass would agree.
“I never doubted that Artem himself would give me the rematch,” Knight said. “He seems to be a real cool guy and a man of his word. I never doubted for one second that if Artem was given the rematch he wouldn’t take it. But I was worried Bare Knuckle wouldn’t make it happen. We’re going to see if his chin can hold up this time.”
Knight admits he “underestimated” Lobov going into their first meeting. He also admitted to getting overly brawl-happy and not giving much thought to offensive or defensive strategy. That’s typically the way Knight fights, but he said he intends to reel it in for the Lobov rematch.
“Last fight I felt like I had way better skills than Artem does and way better technique,” Knight said. “I got hit a time or two and said, ‘(Expletive) it’ and bit down on my mouthpiece and was trying to knock him out without thinking about how I was going to do it or how to strategically beat him. In this fight I need to keep it in my head to fight smart and not just go out there and brawl with him and then I can make it an easy fight.
“I’m going to go out there and I’m going to bleed and he’s going to bleed, but this time I’m going to keep my hands up a little more, get my footwork a little more and try to use a little bit of head movement. The fans want to see us get down and get blood and dirty, but I’m going to try to knock him out.”
If Knight succeeds with his plan of winning the rematch, he’s already offering up a trilogy. Lobov has afforded that opportunity at Bare Knuckle FC 9, and Knight will return the honor.
“Artem said he would have enough respect to give me my rematch, so of course I’m going to give him his rematch,” Knight said. “I would never try to hold that from a guy. The opportunity to right a wrong.”
Jason Knight wants to make Artem Lobov 'look like a fool' in Bare Knuckle FC 9 rematch
