{"id":462332,"date":"2026-02-08T19:51:08","date_gmt":"2026-02-08T19:51:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/462332\/"},"modified":"2026-02-08T19:51:08","modified_gmt":"2026-02-08T19:51:08","slug":"conor-mcgregor-hails-hero-arlovski-after-bkfc-title-at-47","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/462332\/","title":{"rendered":"Conor McGregor Hails ‘Hero’ Arlovski After BKFC Title at 47"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conor McGregor<\/a> praised Andrei Arlovski<\/a> as a “hero” after the 47-year-old became BKFC heavyweight champion at KnuckleMania VI on Saturday night.<\/p>\n

The BKFC co-owner took to his Instagram story<\/a> to celebrate what he called the greatest night in bare-knuckle boxing history, with a record-breaking crowd of more than 18,000 fans packing the Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia.<\/p>\n

Arlovski Delivers Emotional Post-Fight Speech<\/p>\n

Arlovski defeated Ben Rothwell<\/a> via third-round TKO in the main event to become a two-sport world champion \u2014 having previously held the UFC heavyweight title two decades ago.<\/p>\n

The victory was remarkable enough on its own, but Arlovski’s post-fight speech elevated the moment. The Belarusian, who has survived cancer three times, aimed a powerful message at anyone currently fighting the disease.<\/p>\n

Guys, people who are in the battle right now with the f—ing cancer, don’t f—ing give up,” Arlovski said. “I’m a great f—ing example. Three times cancer survivor. Keep f—ing fight. Life is beautiful.<\/p>\n

McGregor Pays Tribute on Instagram<\/p>\n

McGregor reacted directly on his Instagram story, calling Arlovski a “hero” and celebrating the accomplishment. As BKFC’s most prominent co-owner<\/a>, McGregor has been instrumental in elevating the promotion’s profile, and KnuckleMania VI delivered the company’s biggest event to date.<\/p>\n

The record-setting crowd of 18,000 at the Xfinity Mobile Arena underscored how far bare-knuckle boxing has come under McGregor’s watch.<\/p>\n

Arlovski’s Remarkable Late-Career Renaissance<\/p>\n

At 47, Arlovski continues to defy expectations. The former UFC champion transitioned to bare-knuckle competition and immediately captured championship gold, adding another chapter to one of combat sports’ most inspirational careers.<\/p>\n

With KnuckleMania VI setting attendance records and McGregor publicly championing<\/a> its fighters, BKFC’s momentum heading into the rest of 2026 has never been stronger.<\/p>\n