By Grok Flashpoint | November 29, 2025
In the brutal world of bare-knuckle fighting, where leather gloves are a myth and every punch lands like a sledgehammer, few rivalries burn as fiercely as the one between Austin “The Truth” Trout and Luis “Baboon” Palomino. Their first collision at BKFC 57 in February 2024 was a welterweight title war that saw Trout dethrone the king, but on December 5, 2025, at BKFC 85 in Hollywood, Florida, the saga gets a sequel with stakes even higher: a shot at lightweight immortality.
Headlining the Hard Rock Live at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, this rematch isn’t just personal. it’s a pivotal quarterfinal in BKFC’s lightweight title tournament. The vacant 155-pound strap hangs in the balance, and with Trout (4-0 in BKFC) chasing two-division dominance and Palomino (10-1) hungry for redemption, expect knuckles to fly and bad blood to spill. Doors open at 7 p.m. ET, with the main card streaming live on BKFC’s official platforms. Tickets are still available, but in a venue that’s hosted more BKFC bangers than anywhere else, they’re moving faster than a Palomino uppercut.
The Road to Redemption: How We Got Here
Embed from Getty ImagesFlash back to BKFC 57, and it was a night that redefined Trout’s legacy. The former boxing world champion, making waves in bare-knuckle after a decorated gloved career, stepped up to challenge Palomino for the welterweight crown. Palomino, the Peruvian powerhouse who’d already etched his name in BKFC lore as the promotion’s first two-division champ (lightweight and welterweight), entered as the favorite. But Trout? He was surgical—mixing sharp jabs, vicious hooks, and that trademark footwork to outpoint “Baboon” over five grueling rounds, claiming the 165-pound belt in Palomino’s first BKFC defeat.
Fast-forward to 2025, and the landscape has shifted. Palomino vacated the lightweight title to focus on reclaiming welterweight glory, only for fate (and BKFC matchmakers) to orchestrate this trilogy tease. Now at 155 pounds, Trout—undefeated in bare-knuckle and pound-for-pound elite—dropped down to hunt history. A win here catapults him toward a lightweight crown, making him BKFC’s newest multi-division monster. Palomino, meanwhile, has rattled off wins since that loss, including a string of Hard Rock triumphs that have him feeling invincible on Florida soil. His last five fights? All victories in this very venue, where the humid air and roaring crowds fuel his relentless pressure.
“This isn’t about settling a score,” Trout said in a recent BKFC media scrum. “It’s about proving I’m the best, period. Luis is tough as nails, but last time I took his belt. This time, I’ll take his soul.” Palomino fired back with his signature snarl: “He caught me on an off night. December 5th, I’m sending him back to boxing where he belongs—retired.”
Tale of the Tape: Trout vs. Palomino Breakdown
| Fighter | Record (BKFC) | Height | Reach | Style Strengths | Path to BKFC 85 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Trout | 4-0 (1 NC) | 6’1″ | 74″ | Technical boxing, footwork, power combos | Undefeated run; ex-welter champ seeking lightweight gold |
| Luis Palomino | 10-1 | 5’9″ | 70″ | Pressure fighting, volume striking, durability | 5-fight win streak; first BKFC loss to Trout in ’24 |
Trout’s edge? Precision and ring IQ. The 39-year-old New Mexico native brings a boxing pedigree (former WBA junior middleweight titlist) that’s translated seamlessly to bare knuckles, where his longer frame lets him dictate range and pick apart foes with counters. He’s finished two of his BKFC bouts inside the distance, showing knockout pop when pressed. But at lightweight, the weight cut could test his gas tank against Palomino’s swarm.
Enter “Baboon,” the 40-year-old Lima native whose BKFC resume reads like a highlight reel of chaos. Palomino’s a volume machine throwing bombs in flurries that overwhelm and exhaust. His chin is granite (just one loss in 11 tries), and in the Hard Rock’s cauldron, he’s untouchable, averaging over 100 strikes per fight. The key? Closing distance early. If he turns this into a phone-booth brawl, Trout’s technical wizardry crumbles.
Predictions from the camp are spicy. Ex-Bare Knuckle Boxing champ and Trout teammate Alberto Villanueva told Bare Knuckle Bowker he’ll “finish Palomino inside two rounds,” citing Trout’s sharpened mitt work. But Palomino’s corner laughs it off: “Austin’s a boxer playing fighter. We’ll break him like we planned last time.”
Why BKFC 85 Could Steal the December Spotlight
Embed from Getty ImagesThis isn’t just a rematch; it’s a tournament linchpin. The lightweight bracket is stacked, with winners advancing toward a crown that’s been vacant since Palomino’s vacay. BKFC 85’s undercard (fights TBA but rumored to feature rising stars like Chihiro Sawada in a women’s showcase) promises undercard fireworks, but the main event? Pure fire. In a year that’s seen BKFC globe-trot from Dubai to Derby, Hollywood remains the promotion’s spiritual home—where legends are forged and jaws are shattered.
For fans, it’s a can’t-miss: Trout’s quest for two belts mirrors UFC greats like Islam Makhachev, while Palomino’s redemption arc screams underdog epic. Will “The Truth” etch his name in stone, or does “Baboon” bare his teeth for payback?
Tune in December 5th. In bare knuckle, grudges don’t die, they just get bloodier.
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