Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA event Smith vs. Sherman took place, featuring bareknuckle MMA competition. The card included two Russian fighters: Nikolai Kovalenko (11-2), known from RCC and Titans appearances, who dominated early but lost by disqualification after gassing out, and Denis Petrov (1-1), who knocked out his opponent despite nearly being finished himself. Former UFC fighters Anthony Smith, Chase Sherman, Luis Pena, and Thiago Santos also competed on the card. Smith returned from retirement with a fully tattooed arm and defeated Sherman, Pena submitted his opponent after an early groin strike, and Santos dominated his opponent. Ray Cooper III was the only fighter to score a spectacular knockout. The reviewer found the event disappointing overall, citing mediocre production, mostly boring fights, and past-their-prime participants.
Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA promotion returned with its Smith vs. Sherman event, a card that assembled a mix of regional standouts and recognizable UFC veterans for a night of bareknuckle MMA competition.
The main event featured Anthony "Lionheart" Smith, the 37-year-old American light heavyweight ranked 15th in the UFC's 205-pound division, who carries a professional record of 38-22. Standing six-foot-four with a 76-inch reach and a near-50 percent striking accuracy across his career, Smith came out of retirement for the occasion — notably sporting a fully tattooed arm — and defeated Chase Sherman by the night's end. Sherman, nicknamed "The Vanilla Gorilla," is a 36-year-old orthodox striker out of Jackson-Wink MMA who holds a 16-12 record and averaged an active 6.04 significant strikes landed per minute during his combat sports career. The six-foot-four, 78-inch-reach heavyweight had the size but could not secure the result.
Luis "Violent Bob Ross" Pena, the 32-year-old southpaw from American Top Team Sunrise with a 9-3 record, added a submission victory to his night after absorbing an early groin strike. Pena has averaged 1.2 submission attempts per 15 minutes throughout his career, and that finishing instinct showed even after an ugly start to his bout.
Russian prospects also featured on the undercard. Nikolai Kovalenko, a veteran of RCC and Titans promotions carrying an 11-2 record, controlled his fight early before losing by disqualification after fading badly. Denis Petrov, now 1-1 as a professional, came close to being stopped himself before landing a knockout finish. Thiago Santos also competed and dominated his opponent. Ray Cooper III supplied the card's lone spectacular knockout.
Why it matters
- Smith's return from retirement tests whether UFC-level veterans can find a second act in bareknuckle formats
- Pena's submission win reinforces his value as a finisher despite career setbacks
- The event's mixed reception — flagged production issues, limited action — raises questions about Gamebred's ability to compete with more established bareknuckle promotions
