Bare-knuckle fighter Joey Beltran almost choked to death while eating breakfast, hours before facing Frank Tate in their main-event clash.
Beltran was preparing to take to the ring against Tate at a BKFC Fight Night in Fort Lauderdale when the incident happened. He was later brutally knocked out by his rival who pounced on his opportunity to seize a second consecutive victory.
Beltran revealed his coach was showing him a funny video which prompted him to start choking. “Basically I was at breakfast today, chilling all normal and then my coach showed me this ridiculously funny video,” Beltran told TMZ. “An old school Fear Factor video or something and I started laughing. Next thing I know, I started choking. I couldn’t cough up the food and I stood up and started panicking.”
“Of all people, the boss man (BKFC president David Feldman) had to come up and bust a Heimlich, couple of pumps and I spit it out and I was all good. So, contrary to popular belief, David Feldman cares about us fighters!”
Feldman revealed one of the people he was chatting to quickly informed him of his main event star choking at another table in the restaurant. “We were actually just sitting there, I was having a conversation with one of my guys and he pointed and said, ‘Your main event’s choking,’ and I’m like, ‘What are you talking about?’” Feldman told MMA Fighting. “I turn around and I’m like, holy s***!
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“He was choking. He was trying to cough it up but he wasn’t making any noise and he was actually starting to turn colours. I jumped up and I gave him the Heimlich three times, he spat the food out and he was good, it was crazy. I jumped up and did it and ultimately saved him so it’s a good thing. I’m happy, he’s happy. Joey’s alive and kicking so everything is good.”
Feldman later revealed he had learned the Heimlich manoeuvre at the age of 12 which enabled him to come to his fighter's rescue. Beltran made his BKFC debut in 2018 defeating Tony Lopez whom he had previously lost to in MMA. Beltran later went on to become heavyweight champion and became the first man to defend the belt twice.
