Hometown Glory
How a Valdosta local is making a world-wide name for himself, on the stage of Bare Knuckle Boxing.
Austin Spivey at Legacy 31 gym in Valdosta, GA. 2026.
No gloves, no problem
The world of Bare Knuckle Boxing might seem new to longtime fans of MMA or traditional boxing but its’ origins can be traced all the way back to the 1840’s in England- with some accounts stating that the sport started even earlier than that. Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB) is true to its name, in that the opponents facing off only have their ungloved hands to defend themselves. For BKB it is typical criteria to have four- three minute rounds, although some commissions may vary from state to state. BKB even gets its’ own unique ring; not an octagon, not a square but a whole TRIANGLE. Yes, folks you heard it here, a triangle. To better walk us through the ins and outs of BKB we interviewed upcoming BKB superstar Austin “DreamKilla” Spivey. Who is currently ranked number 5 in the world for Bare Knuckle Boxing.
DreamKilla… Dream Maker.
Formerly known as “Sparta Spivey,” Austin Spivey is a 29 year old Valdosta native who is making waves in the BKB scene- not to be confused with the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship promotion. He made his pivot from amateur MMA to BKB a little over a year ago. In the early stages of his career he not only participated in amateur MMA but in boxing and even kickboxing as well. He has 12 overall wins compiled between kickboxing, boxing, MMA, and BKB. And is now undefeated in the world of BKB. His first BKB match ended in a 58 second TKO; in his opponent’s hometown- earning him the nickname “DreamKilla.” When asked to describe BKB Spivey described it as “boxing punching mechanics and MMA footwork.” Spivey went on to elaborate on the fact that without gloves, the world of BKB is incredibly high paced. Something to consider is- less armor, more damage. With stakes like that, you have to move quickly! Hence why the triangle-shaped ring comes in favor for referees who might need to stop a fight quickly. With Spivey’s last fight ending by a minute and fifteen second knockout- in the second round- we see where that speed comes into play. High pace and high energy take on a new meaning in the world of combat sports. For Spivey, we talk about the type of mentality it takes to devote one’s energy to the unforgiving world of BKB.
“There is a land beyond football that thrives here…” - Austin Spivey, 2026.
What it takes to be a warrior
“It doesn’t matter who you were…if you [are] fighting [now] you were once a beginner.” He puts it better than I could myself. No matter who you are, or where you are at right now- you have been a beginner at some point in your life. And we love our beginners, they are the people who remind us of the joy and realness that comes with starting something new. But we don’t always want to stay at that beginner level- sometimes we want to thrive instead of just get by. And it is through consistency that we end up getting to thrive- a mindset of champions. Consistency is an integral role in Spivey being number 5 in the world right now. That title does not come easily, Spivey explained to me that he trains “every single day.” There are no off days when your biggest opponent is yourself. Every champion knows this- the common goal is to be better than who you were the day before.
More than a fighter
The 29 year old father of two, understands more than anyone what it means to be “better than who we were yesterday.” Spivey went on to explain to me that his high-energy, fast paced fighting methods are rooted in a background of a somewhat rowdy young man growing up in South Georgia. But we talked heavily about how the high-energy child needs a positive outlet in order to become that well-rounded adult. Spivey having young children, has a deep understanding of the importance of being a role-model for them. Spivey went on to explain that he keeps up a very active lifestyle with his children (who have a plethora of hobbies as well!) and together they have many outlets to partake in as a family unit. As discussed during our interview; combat sports became that positive outlet for Spivey and have ultimately led him to the world of BKB.
What’s next for Valdosta’s rising BKB star?
“Short term goals,” for a long lasting outcome. Spivey explained to me that operating on short term goals are his best method to avoid getting overwhelmed. A piece of advice many people can benefit from! For someone who is living and breathing the BKB lifestyle right now (sharing a home with other active fighters as well) his focus is just on being the best he can be- which translates directly to the ring. As I am typing this right now, Spivey is getting ready for a charity boxing match back in Florida for the weekend of the 28th of February. We wish him good luck in this event and look forward to seeing the outcome! As for what the future champ has in store for us, he says that he is going to continue to “train relentlessly and continue to master the basics.” Austin Spivey is ready and hungry for any BKB match headed his way! When asking what we could expect next for his BKB matches Spivey stated that we should all just: “Stay tuned.” And we hope that you will Valdosta!
Massive Thanks!
Huge thanks to Austin Spivey for allowing us to run this interview with him. Thank you to Legacy 31 for allowing us to run our interview out of your gym!
If you haven’t done so already go follow Austin on all his socials to keep up with this rising champ:
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