Dylan James Bowker

Rizin Commentator Names Best RFF Fighter Pre-NYE 2023

Joe Ferraro is a stalwart in Canadian mixed martial arts and for years has helmed the position of Rizin play-by-play commentator. Rizin 45 looms closer and continues the rich tradition of New Year's Eve events in combat sports in Japan.
Ferraro appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to discuss: -Rizin Azerbaijan transpiring relatively recently and how important that first international card was for the company overall
-The Juan Archuleta vs Kai Asakura bantamweight title bout
-Kyoji Horiguchi vs Makoto Shinryu II being for flyweight gold and if the inauspicious nature of the first fight may inform the sequel
-Hiromasa Ougikubo versus John Dodson in all likelihood being a 125 pound title eliminator
-Kleber Koike embarking on his comeback path back to RFF featherweight gold against Yutaka Saito
-Seika Izawa being the present champion and combatant of the future as the established Miyuu Yamamoto has her MMA swan song
-The MMA debut of Tenshin's brother, Ryujin Nasukawa here
-Sensing from the fighters how important being on the NYE card is
-The NYE tradition of sumo wrestlers fighting and Sudario being that next generation of sumo practitioner in mixed martial arts
-The importance of a Japanese MMA federation and co-promoting with other organizations in the country
-Enson Inoue mentoring Sudario and Inoue saving Showdown Joe several times while overseas

Nobuyuki Sakakibara on ”The Human Drama” of Rizin NYE 2023

Nobuyuki Sakakibara is the former Pride and current Rizin figurehead. Rizin 45 looms ever closer and continues the rich tradition of combat sports transpiring on New Year's Eve in Japan.
Sakakibara appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to touch on several subjects including: -RIZIN Azerbaijan being the company's first international card and Rizin USA being a bucket list idea in the future with some US jurisdictions approving similar rulesets to Rizin
-some of the big narratives heading into Rizin 45 in the context of seeing the New Year's Eve show as something that sees all of the calendar year's big storylines culminating
-the confluence of elements that remind people of Pride but also being forward thinking to carve a distinctly unique Rizin identity
-learning so much from Antonio Inoki and the discourse had with Kota Ibushi having a shoot fight under the Rizin FF banner
-the PFL-Bellator MMA merger, the future of co-promoted shows with Bellator, and if any dialogue has been had with PFL about some inter-promotional collaboration
-what the projected viewership metrics for Rizin 45 are looking like

Julio Tanori Thought Stephen A. Smith Hematoma Clip: ”Was Fake”

Julio Tanori captured the BYB lightweight championship over Mark Irwin via majority decision. This fight of the year contender happened at BYB 22: Rocky Mountain Brawl on December 2nd.
Tanori appeared on episode 51 of Bare Knuckle Radio following the victory. We discussed: -his feelings living in this moment now following such a monumental win in this contest with 'The Shark'
-the benefits of having the above and beyond mentality as a title holding fighter now in BYB Extreme
-making his outright professional combat sports debut in The Mighty Trigon under that BYB banner
-who he thinks could be his 1st challenger as BYB's 135 lb champ
-Stephen A Smith's viral clip on Irwin's hematoma in the fight and the analyst questioning if bare knuckle should be sanctioned or not
-how much this knock down, drag out classic with Mark Irwin grows Tanori as a combat sports athlete
-what it's like fighting within the tight triangular confines of the BYB Mighty Trigon which boasts such a high finishing rate

Paty Juarez on Historic Monica Medina BYB 22 Trilogy Title Win

Paty Juarez emerged victorious over Monica Medina in their high-stakes rubber match at BYB 22 that saw her regain the BYB and Police Gazette women's 135-pound titles.
Juarez appeared on episode 50 of Bare Knuckle Radio to discuss: -this being the first Police Gazette title trilogy in the near 150-year history of the well-tenured bare-knuckle boxing organization
-if the Denver altitude was a significant component in this fight
-regaining the belts and if it feels a great deal different the 2nd time
-coming from family of champion fighters and what the sentiment is among them after this recent win on December 2nd
-if recent BYB Extreme signee Helen Peralta is someone Juarez would want to fight down at 125 pounds for another championship

Tom O’Connor: ”Don’t Blink” for Craig Shintani Unified MMA 54 Bout

Tom O'Connor finally battles Craig Shintani at Unified MMA 54 on December 15th in the UFC Fight Pass broadcasted Co-Main Event.
O'Connor came on episode one of MMA Canada Radio to discuss:
-what the mindset is like amid fight week as we chatted here
-recently earning his BJJ black belt ahead of this contest
-how this Shantani contest has fallen through a few times before
-Ramil Kamilov trash-talking him and their bout falling out
-his confluence of high pace and finishes but tempered with fight IQ

Chris Sabin on TNA Re-Brand “A Lot of Excitement in the Locker Room”

Josh Alexander and Zack Sabre Jr. vs. The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) transpires at Final Resolution 2023 on December 9th, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada at Don Kolov Arena. 
Chris Sabin appeared on Bowks Talking Bouts to discuss: -the experience of teaming with TNA Knockouts Champion Trinity in AAA
-this being the final show under the Impact Wrestling banner and the TNA branding returning for 2024
-being part of TNA for the better part of twenty years after his first X Division title win in May 2003 as he currently enjoys his 10th reign
-being upset he beat his own record for most X Division title wins
-being an avid gamer and being a character in TNA Video Games
-If the Final Resolution 2005 Ultimate X match often gets referenced to him by fans as one with sentimentality/ great replay value
-having moments of gratitude to reflect on things like the Jeff Hardy full metal mayhem match a decade ago
-now being someone who inspires that younger generation through programs with guys like Lio Rush and Trey Miguel
-cutting his teeth in the Canadian wrestling scene early on and the kinship with the great white north as he returns in the coming days
-thoughts on Josh Alexander and Zack Sabre Jr. pre-match
-how much Sabin's work as a TNA agent broadens his view on what he does as an in-ring competitor

David Feldman “Best Card We’ve Ever Put Together” W/ BKFC 56

David Feldman is the president of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and is heading into his company's biggest event ever with BKFC 56.
Feldman was the guest on episode 49 of Bare Knuckle Radio. We discussed: -handling several things simultaneously amid fight week as the company's figurehead
-delivering a card to close out 2023 that usurps their previous biggest card ever at BKFC 41 in April
-several interesting meetings as of late and the future for a TV broadcasting deal with BKFC
-the groundbreaking nature of unified rules being instantiated for bare-knuckle boxing in the Summer
-a reality show, documentary series, and a BKFC video game being talked about to widen the organization's fanbase
-Mike Perry vs Eddie Alvarez for the King of Violence title but how several fights on December 2nd could be main events in their own right
-if there has been an infusion of capital from Triller since refinancing his home for the April card and meeting with major institutional investors shortly
-the international growth of the company and what countries BKFC is eyeing for 2024 
-the clarity in the heavyweight class w/ Adams vs Terrill II for vacant gold after Alan Belcher left for gloved boxing/ bare knuckle MMA

Keegan Vandermeer: ”Don’t Blink” in Esteban Rodriguez BKFC 56 Bout

Keegan Vandermeer tests skills with Esteban Rodriguez at BKFC 56: Perry vs. Alvarez on December 2nd.
Vandermeer was the guest on the 48th installment of Bare Knuckle Radio. We discussed: -how it feels to be part of what many are calling the biggest bare-knuckle boxing card of the modern era
-being ready for a six-round, sudden-death stanza kind of fight here
-his last outing being a gloved boxing bout vs Gustavo Trujillo
-working with Todd Duffee ahead of the UFC vet's BKFC debut versus Ben Rothwell in the looming BKFC 56 co-main event here
-feeling especially ready to seize the moment now after learning from past mistakes in his combat sports endeavors
-how both of his prior BKFC fights cumulatively don't even makeup one round in that company
-being in that featured prelim bout position to drive buys to the pay-per-view and how this is Vandermeer's coming out party