Cody East Targets Ike Villanueva at BKB Biloxi

Cody East was scheduled to face Ike Villanueva at BKB Bally’s Fight Night in Biloxi on Friday, Oct. 23, with East saying a knockout could put him in contention for a Bridgerweight title shot.

The bout was set for Bridgerweight and matched East against a former BKB heavyweight champion who has also challenged for the promotion’s Bridgerweight belt. East discussed the matchup on Bare Knuckle Bowker before the event, marking his return to bare-knuckle fighting after more than a year competing in boxing and MMA.

East’s most recent bare-knuckle bout before this matchup was against Jarome Hatch at BKB 42 last June. East said he wanted to correct errors from that fight and felt better prepared for his return.

East's adjustments after the Hatch fight

East said he had pushed too hard after knocking Hatch down multiple times, rather than slowing down and choosing his punches more carefully. He believed he could have won by staying patient, but became tired after pressing for a finish that did not come.

He said he had worked on being more disciplined and accepting that a stoppage might not happen immediately. East’s approach, he explained, was to land accurately and allow the finish to develop instead of forcing it.

East also said he would like another chance to face Hatch. He described the previous fight as one he could have won, while acknowledging that he made a mistake and lost. He noted that Villanueva had beaten Hatch in his most recent fight, making the matchup another test against someone connected to that loss.

East praised Villanueva’s experience against high-level opponents but said he believed he was currently at a higher level. He said he intended to stop Villanueva, while recognizing that his opponent had faced both heavyweight and Bridgerweight champions.

A possible Bridgerweight title route

East said BKB had not told him that a strong performance would guarantee a title opportunity. Still, he argued that a knockout of Villanueva should strengthen his case for a shot at the belt.

He also said he was willing to fight Gustavo Tujillo, or anyone else between 200 pounds and super heavyweight. East said he would accept a name, make weight and compete, rather than limit himself to one opponent or division.

East described his own bare-knuckle style as aggressive, but said he wanted to show more than toughness and power in this fight. After 20 years in combat sports, he said, he wanted to demonstrate the skill he had been working on, rather than relying on wild exchanges. He stressed that bare-knuckle fighting rewards accurate shot placement, and that it does not take many clean punches to change a fight.

BKB Bally’s Fight Night also featured Jarod Grant and Cub Hawkins. East called the card deep, saying he considered all the matchups strong.

The event’s partnership with Bally’s also brought Force IQ technology into the Trigon, where it tracks striking metrics. East joked that the technology could eventually display a fighter’s stamina and health like a video-game life bar. He added that his own numbers might quickly reach the red.

East also weighed in on the UFC heavyweight division, saying its uneven pace can produce both dull stretches and spectacular knockouts. He predicted that Josh Hokit’s arrival in the UFC could help bring more high-level athletes from football and basketball into the sport.

East’s bout with Villanueva was scheduled for BKB Bally’s Fight Night on Oct. 23. The source does not confirm a result or a subsequent fight booking.