Having come off a successful 2021 that saw him pick up back-to-back wins in the PFL, light-heavyweight Chris Camozzi decided to make out of MMA for the time being.
For his next venture, Camozzi steps into the bare knuckle arena in a move that comes at a time where he has options open to try new things.
“I had been in talks with them for a year or two, but now it’s the right time and right place with the fact they’re coming to Denver, my backyard,” Camozzi told MMAWeekly.com. “I love fighting at home and I am in between fight contracts.
“Fighting is my favorite thing to do and I’m doing it because I still want to do it, so it’s been kind of like the perfect storm of things that came about.”
For Camozzi, being able to focus on his stand-up has been a good change for Camozzi after having spent the last 15 years trying to cover all the bases of MMA.
“Training is I wouldn’t say easier, but it’s easier to get everything in,” said Camozzi. “With MMA you’re trying to get in wrestling, Jiu-Jitsu, striking, everything, and it just doesn’t seem like there’s enough hours in the week.
“Just being able to focus on stand-up makes things a lot more simple; I’m able to fill my week with just one dynamic.”
On October 15 in Denver, Colorado, Camozzi (0-0 bare knuckle) will make his bare knuckle debut against fellow MMA veteran Bubba McDaniel (0-0 bare knuckle) in a 205-pound main card bout at BKFC 31.
“I hadn’t heard Bubba’s name in a while, but he’s a tough fighter and has a long resume like me,” Camozzi said. “I like that because I didn’t want an easy fight.
“The fact that we’re both making our bare knuckle debut is great, but him coming into my backyard there’s just no chance he’s beating me here. For me to get the win it’s just going to be the matter of me hitting him first, starting hard, and not letting off until it’s over.”
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When it comes to his future, Camozzi is keeping his options open. Whether bare knuckle boxing, MMA, or kickboxing, wherever the opportunity is at is where he will go.
“This is my bare knuckle debut and I think I need to come out with some fireworks,” said Camozzi. “Where I’m at in my career, I don’t have a bunch of years left, so I want to make these years count and make as much money as possible.
“I’m taking this fight, choosing a one-fight contract, is me betting on myself. I don’t know when the last one will be, so I want to make sure that I leave it all out there with no regrets when I decide that I’m done.”