Taylor Starling doesn’t walk to the BKFC Squared Circle for herself. Every time she throws a bare-knuckle punch, every time she takes one flush on the chin and keeps moving forward, she’s fighting for the two kids watching at home. That motivation drives one of bare knuckle boxing’s most exciting fighters, a woman who went from undefeated prospect to humbling defeats, and now stands at a crossroads in the strawweight division.

At 29 years old with a 5-4 record, Starling’s story isn’t about being undefeated. It’s about resilience, working-class grit, and refusing to quit when championship dreams get knocked down.

The Numbers Behind “Killa Bee”

Taylor Starling Fight Stats:

• BKFC Record: 5-4 (1 KO)
• MMA Record: 1-1
• Height: 5’7″
• Reach: 67 inches
• Age: 29 years old
• Born: February 27, 1996 (Tampa, Florida)
• Fighting Out Of: Rock Hill, South Carolina
• Weight Class: Strawweight (115 lbs) / Flyweight (125 lbs)
• Coach: Keith Richardson
• Stance: Orthodox

That 5-4 record doesn’t capture the drama. Starling started 3-0, looked unstoppable, then faced the elite. She lost to Christine Ferea in 47 seconds, dropped a decision to Jade Wong, lost to Britain Hart twice, and fell to Bec Rawlings at KnuckleMania V. Between those losses? Wins over Jenny Clausius and Shelby Cannon that showed she can still compete.

From Tampa to Rock Hill: The Early Years

Starling was born in Tampa, Florida on February 27, 1996. Details about her childhood remain private, but the fighter who emerged in her early twenties carried a chip on her shoulder and something to prove.

She started training martial arts in high school, developing the foundation that would later translate to bare knuckle boxing. By 2015, at just 19 years old, Starling made her combat debut. She beat Savannah Schaffer at Legion Combat 20, winning her first professional fight.

Her MMA career was brief but instructive. Fighting at bantamweight (118 lbs), Starling went 1-1. She learned that aggression and volume could overwhelm opponents. She also learned that elite competition punishes mistakes brutally.

Becoming “Killa Bee” in BKFC

Starling debuted in BKFC on February 5, 2021 at BKFC 16. Her opponent, Charisa Sigala, was also making her debut. Starling won by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-45, 49-46), establishing the aggressive, volume-punching style that would become her trademark.

The Undefeated Run:

BKFC 16 (Feb 2021): Def. Charisa Sigala by unanimous decision

• Starling threw massive volume, overwhelming Sigala over five rounds. The judges weren’t close. This was a statement debut.

BKFC 19 (Jul 2021): Def. Cassie Robb by TKO Round 4

• Starling’s first stoppage in bare knuckle boxing. She broke Robb down with relentless pressure and clinch work, forcing a doctor stoppage. The “Killa Bee” nickname started making sense.

BKFC Fight Night Tampa (Dec 2021): Def. Hannah Guy by unanimous decision

• Another dominant five-round performance. Starling was 3-0 and looked ready for championship competition.

At this point, according to BKFC’s official profile, Starling had “rapidly rose through the women’s flyweight rankings knocking down whoever the BKFC put up against her.” She was undefeated, confident, and calling for a title shot.

She got it. And everything changed.

The Christine Ferea Reality Check

August 27, 2022. BKFC 28 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Main event. Taylor Starling vs Christine Ferea for the BKFC Women’s Flyweight Championship.

Starling entered undefeated. Ferea, the 39-year-old veteran known as “Misfit,” had held the belt since beating Britain Hart at KnuckleMania 2. This was Ferea’s first defense.

Before the fight, tensions ran high. Starling walked up to Ferea and snatched the belt out of her hands during a face-off. The disrespect was clear. Starling believed she would win.

The fight lasted 47 seconds.

According to Yahoo Sports coverage, Ferea “completely overwhelmed” Starling from the opening bell. She exploded with power punches, dropping Starling almost immediately. Starling tried to survive but the damage was catastrophic.

Repeatedly, Starling could be heard saying to herself, “I cannot do it.” The referee intervened when Starling verbally gave up. TKO via retirement at 0:47 of Round 1.

For a fighter who had looked unbeatable just months earlier, the loss was devastating. Ferea’s experience and power exposed the gap between prospect and elite champion. Starling had been dismantled.

The Jade Wong Upset

Starling bounced back with a win over Jenny Clausius by unanimous decision at BKFC Fight Night Jacksonville in January 2024. She was back on track, or so it seemed.

At BKFC 43 in May 2023, Starling faced Jade Masson-Wong. On paper, this looked winnable. Wong wasn’t a name the way Ferea was. This was a chance to rebuild momentum in the flyweight division.

It didn’t go to plan.

Wong hurt Starling repeatedly over five rounds. Starling showed her trademark toughness, walking through clean shots and throwing massive volume even while bloodied. She made it to the final bell, out-throwing Wong in several rounds.

But Wong landed the cleaner, more effective strikes. The judges scored it unanimously for Wong. Starling had now lost consecutive fights. The once-undefeated prospect was 3-2, and questions swirled about whether she belonged at the top of the division.

Moving to Strawweight: The Britain Hart Battles

After the back-to-back losses at flyweight, Starling made a strategic decision. She would drop to 115 pounds and pursue the strawweight title instead. This put her on a collision course with Britain Hart, one of BKFC’s biggest stars and the reigning strawweight champion.

BKFC 63 (August 3, 2024) – Sturgis, South Dakota

The first Hart vs Starling fight headlined BKFC’s inaugural event at the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Rally. The sold-out Buffalo Chip Campground created an electric atmosphere. Hart was defending her strawweight title for the third time.

Starling came to fight. She threw 223 total punches over five rounds, averaging 44.6 throws per round. That volume kept her in the fight despite Hart’s superior accuracy.

According to official BKFC statistics, Hart landed 114 punches (59.4% accuracy) while Starling landed 93 (41.7% accuracy). Hart secured one knockdown. The champion’s experience and clinch work made the difference.

The judges scored it 48-47, 49-46, 48-47 for Hart. Starling had lost her second championship fight, but unlike the Ferea disaster, she’d gone five hard rounds with an elite champion. She proved she could compete at strawweight.

Recent Win and KnuckleMania V

Starling rebounded with a unanimous decision win over Shelby Cannon at BKFC 79 in August 2025. The victory improved her to 5-3 and positioned her for another shot.

That shot came at BKFC KnuckleMania V in Philadelphia on January 25, 2025. Starling faced Bec Rawlings, the Australian veteran and former UFC fighter. This wasn’t a title fight, but it was a measuring stick.

Rawlings, 36 years old and riding a two-fight losing streak, needed a win. So did Starling. Over five rounds at flyweight (125 lbs), Rawlings controlled the fight with superior striking accuracy and experience.

The judges scored it unanimously for Rawlings (50-45, 50-44, 50-45). Starling’s record dropped to 5-4.

Fighting Style: Volume and Heart Over Technique

Starling’s fighting style is built on three pillars: aggression, volume, and an unbreakable will.

She comes forward constantly, applying pressure in the BKFC’s 22-foot circular Squared Circle. The circular design eliminates corners, which actually benefits Starling’s style. She cuts off retreating opponents by moving in straight lines, forcing them to circle back into her punching range.

Her punch output is elite. In her loss to Rawlings, Starling threw 223 punches over five rounds. That’s 44.6 punches per round in a bare knuckle boxing fight. Most fighters can’t maintain that pace without gloves.

The problem? Accuracy and defense. Against Rawlings, Starling landed just 41.7% of her punches. Against elite competition, that’s not enough. She takes clean shots while wading in to land her own, a trade that works against lower-level opponents but gets her hurt against champions.

Her clinch work is effective when she can establish it. Against Cassie Robb, Starling used clinch control to wear down and finish her opponent. But against Hart and Ferea, elite strikers with better positioning, the clinch became a defensive refuge rather than an offensive weapon.

Starling’s chin is legitimate. She’s been hurt badly by Ferea, Wong, Hart, and Rawlings, but only quit once (against Ferea’s overwhelming power). She absorbs punishment and keeps throwing. That toughness keeps her in fights, but it also accumulates damage in a sport without gloves.

The Woman Behind Killa Bee

Starling never hides who she’s fighting for. After every bout, win or lose, she addresses her two children. “I love you,” she says. “I fight for you.”

According to BKFC’s official profile, “Taylor Starling never fails to mention her children post-fight, win or lose and tells them she loves them and fights for them.”

This isn’t performative. This is a single mother building a career in one of combat sports’ most brutal disciplines. Between training camps, Starling creates content, appears on podcasts, and promotes her brand. She’s partnered with various companies to monetize her platform and grow her fanbase.

Outside the Squared Circle, Starling embraces her feminine side. She’s posted photos showing her fashion sense, her tattoos (including a complete back piece), and her personality beyond fighting. She’s become friends with former rivals Ferea and Wong, showing professionalism that transcends the pre-fight trash talk.

Based in Rock Hill, South Carolina, Starling trains under coach Keith Richardson at Gym-O. Richardson has developed her aggressive style while trying to add defensive responsibility. The challenge remains getting Starling to value defense as much as offense.

The Rematch She Wants: Britain Hart Round 2

After defeating Shelby Cannon at BKFC 79, Starling made her intentions clear: “One of the only goals I have left is getting the title, and I don’t think there are any other fights that really make sense for me right now. All I’ve done throughout my whole career is fight the best of the best, and I don’t see why now should be any different.”

She believes the rematch with Hart will play out differently. “I’ve gotten way better,” Starling explained. “Everybody seems to just focus on the physical aspect of the sport, but they forget that I’m young and I’ve gotten so much better mentally and I’ve grown so much as a fighter. I’m not this young, angry, pissed-off kid anymore. I’m a woman coming into my prime. This is the best I’ve ever felt, and I feel better with each and every fight.”

The argument has merit. Starling is 29, theoretically entering her physical prime for combat sports. Hart is 34. Time favors the younger fighter. But Hart has defended her title three times and beaten Starling convincingly. The champion has no reason to rush a rematch.

Starling’s path forward requires either another impressive win at strawweight or a willingness to campaign at flyweight again. The loss to Rawlings at KnuckleMania V complicates things. You can’t lose to a non-contender and immediately get a title shot.

Betting Angles and Market Value

Starling presents interesting betting dynamics because her style creates variance in outcomes.

Key Betting Factors:

• Volume creates rounds: Starling averages over 40 punches per round. This keeps fights competitive on scorecards even when she’s being out-struck. Close fights go to decisions, and her volume keeps judges busy.
• Struggles against elite strikers: Ferea, Hart, and Rawlings all beat Starling with superior technical striking. When facing champion-level opponents, Starling is frequently an underdog.
• Durability props: Starling has only been stopped once in nine BKFC fights. Fight goes the distance bets have value when she’s facing opponents who aren’t knockout artists.
• Volume over/under: In fights where Starling throws 40+ punches per round, the action stays high. Sportsbooks that offer total strikes props should account for her output.
• Underdog value against non-elite: When Starling faces fighters outside the top 3-4 in her division, her aggression and volume can overwhelm them. Markets sometimes overweight her losses to champions.

The Hart rematch, if it happens, will likely make Starling a significant underdog. Hart won their first meeting decisively. But the value might exist on Starling props: will she win a round, will the fight go the distance, will she land over a certain number of punches.

Against non-title contenders at strawweight, Starling’s volume and pressure make her a live dog. The circular BKFC ring favors her style. Bettors should track her opponent’s defensive metrics and cardio. Starling’s pace breaks fighters who can’t match her output.

What the Future Holds for Killa Bee

Starling stands at a crossroads. At 5-4, she’s no longer an undefeated prospect. She’s a proven veteran who has fought the best and learned painful lessons.

Her ceiling appears to be top-5 contender in both divisions. She lacks the technical polish to beat elite champions like Ferea or Hart consistently. But she has the toughness, volume, and motor to beat almost anyone outside the top 3-4.

The question becomes: what does Starling want? If she’s chasing a championship, she needs dramatic improvement in defense and striking efficiency. If she’s building a career as a popular action fighter who brings excitement, she’s already succeeded.

Her children will eventually grow up and watch these fights. They’ll see their mother refuse to quit. They’ll see her get knocked down by Christine Ferea and come back. They’ll see her lose to Britain Hart and immediately campaign for a rematch. They’ll see her drop a decision to Bec Rawlings and immediately start planning the next training camp.

That’s the Taylor Starling story. Not undefeated. Not a champion. But unbreakable, unwilling to quit, and fighting for something bigger than a belt.

Career Record Breakdown

BKFC Complete Record (5-4):

Wins:

• BKFC 79 (Aug 2025): Def. Shelby Cannon by unanimous decision
• BKFC Fight Night Jacksonville (Jan 2024): Def. Jenny Clausius by unanimous decision
• BKFC Fight Night Tampa (Dec 2021): Def. Hannah Guy by unanimous decision
• BKFC 19 (Jul 2021): Def. Cassie Robb by TKO Round 4
• BKFC 16 (Feb 2021): Def. Charisa Sigala by unanimous decision

Losses:

• BKFC KnuckleMania V (Jan 2025): Lost to Bec Rawlings by unanimous decision (50-45, 50-44, 50-45)
• BKFC 63 (Aug 2024): Lost to Britain Hart by unanimous decision (48-47, 49-46, 48-47) – For Strawweight Title
• BKFC 43 (May 2023): Lost to Jade Masson-Wong by unanimous decision
• BKFC 28 (Aug 2022): Lost to Christine Ferea by TKO Round 1 (0:47) – For Flyweight Title

Fighter Profile Summary:

• Strengths: Elite cardio, massive punch volume, legitimate chin, forward pressure, clinch work, unbreakable will
• Weaknesses: Defense, striking accuracy, technical refinement, gets hit too much, hasn’t shown ability to adjust mid-fight
• Best Wins: Cassie Robb (TKO), Hannah Guy (UD), Shelby Cannon (UD)
• Toughest Losses: Christine Ferea (TKO), Britain Hart (UD twice), Bec Rawlings (UD)
• Signature Trait: Relentless forward pressure with 40+ punches per round
• Fighting Style: Volume pressure fighter with clinch work

Taylor Starling may never become BKFC champion. But she’s already proven something more important: when life knocks you down, you get back up. When you lose two straight, you book another fight. When the champion beats you, you campaign for a rematch.

That’s the lesson her children will learn. That’s the legacy of “Killa Bee.” Championships are temporary. Heart is forever.