Kai Stewart: The Bare-Knuckle Champion Looking for Bigger Challenges

Meet Kai Stewart (Explained Like You’re 5!)

Imagine a sport where two grown-ups punch each other with no gloves – just their bare hands wrapped for safety. That sport is called BKFC, which stands for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.

Kai Stewart is a very good fighter in this sport. Here are some simple facts about him:

• He is the featherweight champion. (Featherweight is just a group for fighters who weigh about the same, not too heavy – like a medium-sized kid.)
• He has defended (kept) his championship title six times in a row.
• He is about to try to win his seventh championship in a row.
• His next fight is on August 29 at a famous baseball place called Fenway Park in Boston.
• He will fight a man named Harry Gigliotti there.

Kai says he has already beaten all the best fighters in his own group (he calls this "clearing out his division"). So now he wants bigger and better challenges – like fighting famous people from other sports.

Important Point: Kai says he will never say "no" to a fight if BKFC asks him to fight. He loves the sport!

What is a "Crossover Matchup"?

A crossover matchup is like when a soccer player plays a basketball game – it’s someone from one sport or league facing someone from another.

Kai thought he was going to get a massive crossover matchup against Cody Garbrandt. Cody is a former champion in a different, bigger fighting league called the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship – they wear gloves and can use kicks and wrestling).

At the time, Cody was almost done with his contract in UFC, and Kai was sure they would fight.

Kai told a website called MMA Fighting:

“I was so close to fighting Cody Garbrandt. It was so close to being done for KnuckleMania [a big BKFC event] that I just feel like I have to get that one. That’s a fight I really need for me, just because I want to show that I can hang with the best of the best.”

Why Didn’t the Garbrandt Fight Happen?

Let’s look at what happened step by step:

1. Back in 2025, Cody Garbrandt told everyone he signed a new multi-fight deal to stay with the UFC (meaning he agreed to fight several more times for them).
2. His next bout was booked for a Saturday at an event called UFC 329, where he would face another fighter named Adrian Yanez.
3. But just before UFC decided to keep Cody on the roster, Kai says a bare-knuckle brawl (fight with no gloves) between him and Cody was on the table.
4. Cody personally told Kai why it fell apart. Kai said:
   

   “I actually heard it from his mouth. I was going to keep it a secret. I was just told that it’s not done and they’re not talking about it but we talked to Cody Garbrandt face-to-face. He straight up said ‘yeah, UFC gave me an offer I couldn’t resist.’”

5. Kai was super disappointed, and losing out on such a huge opportunity still stings to this day. He exclaimed:
   

   “I was like f*ck! We were this close! But in due time. 100% god’s plan. I’m put in the situations that I’m put in for a reason and it wasn’t my time yet. We’re inching closer to that time and it starts Aug. 29, home plan, Fenway Park. It doesn’t get much cooler than that.”

So Cody got a really good deal from UFC and stayed there instead of fighting Kai.

Callout for Important Points: Even though Kai lost this big chance, he says it still hurts but he believes everything happens for a reason. He is excited about his fight at Fenway Park on Aug. 29, which he calls "home plan" and says "it doesn’t get much cooler than that."

Does Kai Still Want to Fight Cody?

Yes! Kai would still love to fight Cody in BKFC. He even said (with some strong language):

“Hey Cody Garbrandt can still stop being a bitch and take the gloves off and come fight me. I’m saying that opportunity and offer is still out there. Whatever weight class he wants me to do.”

(This means: Cody could still come fight without gloves in BKFC, and Kai will fight at whatever weight Cody wants.)

Ideally, Stewart would still love the chance to throw down with Garbrandt in BKFC, but he’s also looking ahead at other opportunities that could be awaiting him with another big win. Here is his simple plan:

1. Beat Harry Gigliotti on Aug 29. Harry is a good fighter from another smaller league (Kai calls it a “B” list organization, meaning not the biggest one, but Harry is decorated there).
2. After winning, re-evaluate – that means think about how to maximize his money, maximize his exposure (get more famous), and stay busy.
3. If needed, Kai might fight in two different weight classes just to keep busy.
4. He wants all fights to make sense (be fair and useful).

Kai said:

“[First] I need to beat this guy, who is decorated in his respective ‘B’ list organization, but I’m going to go out there and beat him and then we’re going to re-evaluate how I can maximize my money, maximize my exposure and stay busy. If it takes two weight classes, to keep me busy, I will do that. But I need to stay busy and the fights need to make sense.”

Summary

To sum up everything in a simple way:

• Kai Stewart is a six-time defending BKFC bare-knuckle featherweight champion going for his seventh win in a row against Harry Gigliotti on Aug. 29 at Fenway Park in Boston.
• He has cleared out his division (beaten all top contenders) and is looking for bigger challenges.
• He almost fought former UFC champ Cody Garbrandt, but Cody re-signed with UFC after telling Kai face-to-face that the offer was too good to resist.
• Kai was sad (it still stings) but believes it wasn’t his time yet and trusts a bigger plan.
• He still invites Cody to fight him in BKFC anytime, at any weight class.
• First he must beat Harry, then he will look at other opportunities to stay busy and make smart moves.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1: What is BKFC?
A: BKFC stands for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. It’s a fighting sport where people punch with their bare hands (just wrapped for safety) instead of wearing big gloves. It’s like boxing but simpler.

Q2: Who is Cody Garbrandt?
A: Cody is a former champion in the UFC, which is a bigger mixed martial arts league (they use gloves, kicks, and more). He was close to fighting Kai but stayed in UFC because they gave him a great multi-fight contract in 2025.

Q3: Why is Fenway Park special for this fight?
A: Fenway Park is a famous baseball stadium in Boston. Having a fight there on Aug. 29 is like a big home party for Kai, and he thinks it’s super cool – he called it "home plan."

Q4: What does "clearing out his division" mean?
A: It means Kai has already beaten all the top fighters in his weight group (featherweight) in BKFC, so there are no new tough opponents left there for him.

Q5: Will Kai fight Cody in the future?
A: Maybe! Kai says the opportunity and offer is still out there if Cody wants to take the gloves off and fight him in BKFC, in whatever weight class Cody picks. But first Kai needs to beat Harry Gigliotti.