Former two-time BKFC bantamweight title challenger Ryan Reber has shared his insights on the upcoming vacant bantamweight championship fight at BKFC 89 between Jamel Herring and Nate Maness. Reber, who is scheduled to compete against former BKB bare-knuckle title challenger Joshua Oxendine at BKFC Clearwater, sees his own fight as a potential stepping stone towards a title shot.
Reber expressed his strong interest in facing the winner of the Herring vs. Maness bout. He highlighted the decorated resumes of both potential opponents, stating that defeating such established fighters would be more significant to him than winning a world title, and then subsequently winning the title would be the ultimate achievement.
“When I get [Joshua Oxendine] out of the way, I would hope to be put up against the winner of [Jamel] Herring versus [Nate] Maness. Either of those fights genuinely intrigue me because they are very accomplished individuals. It’s not like fighting someone who has only moved up through the rankings. It’s about facing a fighter with a truly complete background. Taking out a fighter like that, to me, is more valuable than the world title itself. And then, on top of that, winning the world title.”
“It’s like a double win, and they have everything to lose in the fight. You’re losing to someone like me who might have more bare-knuckle experience but doesn’t necessarily have more experience in their overall combat career. Nate was a highly decorated UFC fighter, and Herring was a highly decorated boxer. That’s exactly what I’m looking for.”
Continuing his analysis of the vacant title bout, Reber explained how a victory over Oxendine tonight could present him with a “third time’s the charm” opportunity.
“That would definitely be something I would be aiming for next. I’m going to watch, and it’s a similar situation. Herring has a 1-0 record, and Nate hasn’t even had a fight at 135 yet. He fought Tyler Randall, who was a 125er. I acknowledge that fight because a fight is a fight, but it’s not an incredibly impressive win. These guys got their chance largely because of their reputations outside of bare-knuckle fighting.”
BKFC 89 Palm Desert Main Event Breakdown Continues
English Translation:
Jamel Herring and Nate Maness are set to compete for the vacant bantamweight championship at BKFC 89 on May 22nd. Ryan Reber, a former two-time title challenger for the BKFC 135-pound crown, has offered his perspective on this matchup. Reber is currently scheduled to face former BKB Bare Knuckle title challenger Joshua Oxendine at BKFC Clearwater.
This contest between former title contenders from different bare-knuckle promotions not only promises an exciting fight but also serves as a potential title eliminator. When discussing the upcoming bantamweight title clash in BKFC in the coming weeks and how this fight could propel him towards that opportunity, Reber stated:
“Once I get [Joshua Oxendine] out of the way, yes, I would hope they would put me up against the winner of [Jamel] Herring versus [Nate] Maness. Either of those fights truly intrigues me because they are genuinely decorated individuals, you understand? So it’s not like fighting a Justin Ibarrola or another guy who climbed the rankings. It’s actually fighting someone with a truly complete resume. So taking out a guy like that, to me, is better than the world title. But then it’s winning the world title on top of it.”
“So it’s like a double whammy, and they have everything to lose in the fight. You know what I mean? Like you’re losing to a guy like me who might have more bare-knuckle experience than you but doesn’t have more experience in what he’s accomplished in the combat world. You understand? Like Nate was a highly decorated UFC guy. Then you have Herring, who was a highly decorated boxer, and you know that’s what I want right there.”
Further elaborating on this impending vacant title bout between Herring and Maness, and how a win over ex-BKB lightweight title challenger Oxendine tonight could potentially grant him a “third time’s the charm” opportunity, Reber continued:
“So that would definitely be something I’d be gunning for next. I’m going to pay attention, and it’s kind of the same boat. I mean, you look at Herring, 1 and 0. Then you look at Nate, he hasn’t even had a fight at 135 yet [laughs]. You understand? He fought Tyler Randall, who was a 125er. Like, I acknowledge that fight, you understand? Of course, because a fight’s a fight, but I mean, it’s not too impressive of a win. I mean, those guys literally got that chance because of who they are outside of the bare-knuckle sport.”