Drew Stuve details getting into fights often sticking up for his "mentally handicapped sister" - "Was always getting picked on"

Drew Stuve is preparing to headline his first BKFC event this week but he has been long getting into gloveless fights in his youth but for justifiable reasons. BKFC Edmonton goes down on Aug. 31 from the River Cree Resort and Casino in Enoch, Alberta.

Stuve tops the marquee against Sonny Smith for the promotion's second trip to Canada in what is only his third pro fight in combat sports and second bare-knuckle bout. It has been a whirlwind journey for Stuve in combat sports who was mostly focused on junior hockey while living in Stony Plain for many years.

The street fighting in those youthful days was not some thrill-seeking endeavor and was in fact done to defend his sister who was being bullied at the time.

When speaking about this subject on Bare Knuckle Bowker before the fight, Stuve said:

"Yeah, I grew up with a mentally handicapped sister. I grew up in a little redneck town, just west Alberta. Western Albera in an area between Edmonton and Jasper, it's called Edson. So yeah, my sister was always getting picked on and stuff. F***, it used to drive me crazy. So I was always getting into fights and stuff because of that."

Check out footage of Drew Stuve's BKFC debut on their first Canada card below:

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Drew Stuve's journey from protecting his sister to fighting competitively

Years after those early days of humbling bullies, Drew Stuve traded in his stick and skates for some different gloves after by chance driving by a big tent set up that caught his eye. It turned out to be for the UFC Gym opening up in Sherwood Park which is outside Edmonton and the rest from there is history.

The 27-year-old would pick up multiple golden glove titles in amateur boxing before embarking on his professional debut under Queensberry Rules. He has had close to 20 bouts within the sweet science over his amateur and pro runs before dropping the gloves in his latest endeavor.

Stuve had made his BKFC debut and entry into the sport by proxy at BKFC's first event in Canada in March.

The Alberta native admitted that he never foresaw himself doing bare-knuckle boxing but now he is main eventing a show for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in the coming days.

Stuve fights someone who also is making their second walk into the BKFC ring but Sonny Smith does have more experience with two prior bare-knuckle boxing wins under the BKB banner heading into the second BKFC Canada card.