Luis Palomino to fight out BKFC contract, thinks return to MMA is unlikely

HOLLYWOOD, Fla. – Luis Palomino has been around the combat sports world with his latest venture earning him a BKFC title.

Having one fight left on his current deal with the world’s most prominent bareknuckle boxing promotion, Palomino doesn’t plan on re-signing until Saturday’s BKFC: Knuckle Mania 2 fight against Martin Brown is behind him. Unless something changes, he’s going to finish what he’s signed up for – and then explore his options. MMA, he does not think, will be one of them.

“At the moment, (the MMA door) is closed,” Palomino told MMA Junkie on Friday. “I believe I’m going to finish my career with bareknuckle. My first dream was to be a real boxer, that was the first. So I would love to do a boxing fight or two before I call it quits. But I’m only aiming at money fights. So whether it’s in boxing or bareknuckle, this is going to be the last fight on my contract. We’re looking for a good deal to keep moving and finish off well.”

There are exceptions to the rule, for Palomino. Two fights, in particular, could draw him back to the world of mixed martial arts. One would be a trilogy fight, whereas the other a dream matchup.

“MMA, the only fight that would excite me and make think about coming back would be a third fight against Justin Gaethje or a fight against Jose Aldo, which was my dream fight back in the day,” Palomino said.

Although he’s found success in bareknuckle, it hasn’t been easy for the former World Series of Fighting (WSOF) standout, who has encountered a lot of adversity in his career – especially during recent months.

In August, Palomino was hospitalized as he battled a severe case of COVID-19 for 19 days. For 15 days, Palomino said he couldn’t eat. He lost nearly 30 pounds and it took him quite a while to recover fully. Even training camp for his November win over Dat Nguyen at BKFC 22 was substantially hindered.

“My last fight was a sh*tshow,” Palomino said. “It was really bad. I wanted to quit every other day of that camp. I couldn’t even lift weights. If I touched weights, I would relapse and go back to the cold sweats. I couldn’t train for two days straight because I had to recover again. This time I was able to power all the way through. My body is back to normal. I lost 28 pounds. I’m back to normal with my power. The lights are back on. I’m ready to go.”

Accompanying the memory of his terrible experience with the COVID-19 virus is Palomino’s newfound appreciation for life. Knowing where he’s been has helped him continue moving toward where he wants to end up.

“It helps you value life a little more, family, friends,” Palomino said. “It helps you value even the accomplishments. You start to not forget, but you kind of get used to it, right? It helps you value like, ‘Man, look what you work for, what you’ve achieved.’”

BKFC: Knuckle Mania 2 takes place Saturday at Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Fla. The event streams on FITE after free prelims on BKFC platforms.