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.