Bare Knuckles, Big Heart: Henry Corrales Wins Big at BKB 56 in Los Angeles — Wearing Born For This™
Posted by Born For This™ on Jul 18th 2026
July 18, 2026 — Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles got its first taste of BKB bare knuckle boxing last night, and Henry Corrales made sure the city won't forget it.
On Saturday, July 18, BKB 56 brought bare knuckle boxing to California for the first time, packing The Novo at L.A. LIVE in downtown Los Angeles with a stacked thirteen-fight card broadcast live on VICE TV. And in one of the most anticipated bouts of the night, hometown favorite Henry "OK" Corrales stepped through the ropes for his bare knuckle debut — and walked out with a statement TKO victory over Ihor Blazhenko.
We had a special stake in this one. Born For This™ designed and produced Henry's custom fight shorts and walkout t-shirts for the biggest night of his new chapter. When the referee waved it off and Henry's hand went up, our gear was right there in the middle of it — sweat, blood, and all. We wouldn't have it any other way.
A Debut Worth the Wait
Corrales came into BKB 56 as one of the most decorated names on the card. A longtime Bellator MMA standout known for leaving everything in the cage, Henry hadn't competed since stepping away from MMA in early 2024. Plenty of fighters lose their edge in a layoff like that. Henry sharpened his.
For him, bare knuckle wasn't a gimmick or a payday — it was a homecoming. Boxing was Henry's first martial art, the foundation everything else was built on. "It's my first martial art. So, I'm pumped to get back to my roots," he told LowKickMMA in the lead-up to the fight.
The Gear: Built In-House, Built for Battle
When Henry's team reached out about custom gear for BKB 56, we knew this couldn't be an off-the-shelf job. A hometown debut, on national television, in a sport with no gloves and nowhere to hide — the gear had to hold up to the moment.
That's the difference with Born For This™. We don't license a name and slap it on blanks. We build custom pieces for the athletes who wear them, from design to production, under one roof. For guys like Henry, the walkout shirt isn't merchandise. It's armor. It's identity. It's the flag he plants before the war starts.
The Night BKB Came to California
Corrales's win was a highlight of a historic evening for the sport. BKB 56 marked the promotion's California debut, and the card delivered from top to bottom. The atmosphere inside The Novo was everything a fight fan could want — raw, loud, and up close.
The Full Card: How Every Fight Went
Victor Ortiz def. Dominic Salcido — unanimous decision. The former WBC welterweight champion made his bare knuckle debut a winning one, going the distance with a game Dominic Salcido in the main event and sweeping the cards. Gloves or no gloves, "Vicious" still has it.
Alfredo Angulo def. Rashad Bowens — KO, round 2. The comeback of the night. "El Perro" took some heavy fire early, then turned the fight on its head with a second-round knockout that brought The Novo to its feet.
Adel Altamimi def. Eduardo Perez — TKO. Fighting in front of his hometown Los Angeles crowd, Altamimi got the job done inside the distance.
Henry Corrales def. Ihor Blazhenko — TKO. You've read the rest of this post. Our guy. Enough said.
LT Nelson def. Serob Minasyan — TKO. The Broken Arrow, Oklahoma product handed Minasyan a stoppage loss in a hard-hitting affair.
Ozzie Alvarez def. Kaine Tomlinson Jr. — decision. The Huntington Beach fighter outworked Tomlinson over the full distance in a battle of California grit versus Virginia toughness.
Jesse Sparks def. Darius Lesane — KO, round 1. "The Reaper" remains undefeated, and he barely broke a sweat doing it — a first-round knockout that ended the night early for Lesane.
JoJo Diaz def. Nate Williams — KO. The former IBF super featherweight champion made a statement in his bare knuckle debut, becoming the latest decorated boxer to cross over and finish his night with a knockout.
Zion Tomlinson Sr. def. Said Abdulgaziev. The elder Tomlinson got the family a win on the night, evening the score after Kaine Jr.'s decision loss earlier in the evening.
Danny Ramirez def. JD Burns — KO, round 1. Ramirez wasted no time, putting Burns away inside the first round.
Jackie Cataline vs. Alexa Gracias — split draw. The women's bout was as evenly matched as they come, with the judges unable to separate them after five hard-fought rounds.
As for us? We'll be right there with him. Born For This™ is proud to stand behind Henry Corrales — in the gym, on the walkout, and in the ring. Congratulations, champ. You were born for this.
