Bare Knuckle debut in Hawaii a hit

The main event was somewhat anticlimactic, but the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship promotion’s Hawaii debut was action-packed Saturday night at Blaisdell Arena. A lineup of young and veteran MMA and traditional boxing talent, much of it from Hawaii, entertained a crowd estimated at 6,000 and a worldwide streaming audience.

Doug Coltrane of Columbus, Ga., knocked out Maki Pitolo of Nanakuli at 1:59 of the first round in the main event. Coltrane got the hometown fighter with a devastating body shot.

“I love Hawaii,” Coltrane said after the fight. “I was so excited when I heard some proceeds will go to the flood victims.”

Most of the other fights were action-packed. The most spirited might have been between Waianae Boxing Club teammates in a preliminary.

Hazel Nahienaena beat fellow Waianae fighter Kat Rabellizsa in the first-ever sanctioned bare knuckle fight featuring women in Hawaii at the Blaisdell Arena on Saturday.

Both came out swinging from the start, and both had cuts near their left eyes 10 seconds into it. Rabellizsa put together an impressive flurry midway through the second round, but Nahienaena landed more shots and was more consistent throughout.

They embraced after, first each other and then their opponents’ corners.

“She was stronger than I expected,” Nahienaena said. “That was the most fun I had in a long time. … She was powerful, she brought it.”

Two other locals put on a great show in a light heavyweight back-and-forth battle.

Namakana Pakala of Molokai knocked down Chris Cisneros of Hilo four times in their five-rounder, including with his first punch seconds into the fight, and again later in the first round.

The rangier Cisneros took the momentum with a knockdown in the third round, and Pakala was clearly on the defensive with a cut near his right eye. But Pakala regained the initiative and floored Cisneros once in each of the last two rounds.

Featherweight Toby “2 Quick” Misech of Hilo came back from two early knockdowns to win a unanimous five-round decision against “Felony” Charles Bennett of Ocala, Fla.

“He threw me off with his speed,” Misech said of Bennett, 46. “I wanted to (give the crowd) a knockout. But sorry, he’s a legend for a reason.”

Joseph Creer of Columbus, Ga., dominated the first two rounds against Keali‘i Kaneakua, a fighter from Pahoa also known for competing in power slapping. The co-main event was stopped after three rounds on the advice of the fight doctor.

Lightweight Chris Inocencio from San Andreas, Calif., made quick work of Jovan Alayon from Aiea with a relentless array of shots, including a devastating upper cut that resulted in a TKO at 1:15 of the first round.

“Win, at any cost. I’ve been working too hard to lose,” Inocencio said when asked about his gameplan.

Maika Samson of Kapolei knocked out Nalu Cenal of Hilo 32 seconds into the second round. After a slow start, Samson knocked Cenal out of the ring late in the first round, and again for the fight-ender in the BKFC debut for both.

“I’m still young and learning every day,” said Samson, 26. “I believe in precision. Precision beats power.”

Welterweight Justin Cornell from Jackson, Calif., stopped 11-year MMA veteran Zach Zane of Wailuku at 1:01 of the second round of a fight scheduled for five.

Randy Kamaiopili Jr. knocked down Shiro Hitto five times in a mismatch of middleweights that was stopped early in the second round.

In other prelims, Nicholas Saragosa KO’d Kaylan Gorospe 1:30 into the second round, and Joseph Calarrruda won by unanimous decision over Fatu Tuitasu.