Kilimetov’s Early Power Overwhelmed Bercier at BKFC 75
Murat Kilimetov stopped Leo Bercier at 1:36 of the first round on June 6, 2025, at BKFC 75 in Albuquerque. The cruiserweight co-main event at Tingley Coliseum ended after two knockdowns and a rapid series of damaging punches from Kilimetov.
The Albuquerque-trained prospect met a more experienced bare-knuckle opponent
Kilimetov entered with two wins and no defeats, facing Bercier, who had six victories and three losses. The Russian trained locally at Jackson-Wink, while Bercier represented Great Falls, Montana.
The pre-fight weights listed Kilimetov at 204.8 pounds and Bercier at 206.6. Their matchup supported David Mundell’s middleweight championship defense against hometown challenger Donald Sanchez.
The opening connections immediately damaged Bercier
Kilimetov’s first significant punch appeared to injure Bercier’s nose. Continued attacks to the face left the veteran struggling to withstand the pressure as the round developed.
Bercier went down twice before the referee stopped the contest. The official result was a first-round technical knockout, concluding the co-main event before the scheduled opening round had finished.
An unbeaten start continued beneath the championship headliner
Kilimetov moved to 3–0 in bare-knuckle competition, while Bercier fell to 6–4. The performance strengthened the prospect’s record through a decisive win over an opponent with substantially more appearances.
The main event later went the full five rounds, with Mundell retaining his belt by unanimous decision. Kilimetov’s supporting appearance supplied the contrasting result: a brief, forceful finish built around immediate damage and repeated knockdowns.
Sources
- Caged Minds: on-site results and official scores
- Albuquerque Journal: knockdowns, local fighters and finishing sequences
- BKFC: June 6 event and championship assignment
