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The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. The promotion was founded in April 2018, and is presided over by David Feldman, Bobby Gun, and Danny Provenzano.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Bare-knuckle boxing promotion |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Founder | David Feldman |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | David Feldman Conor McGregor |
| Owner | Triller, Inc |
| Website | https://www.bareknuckle.tv |
BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889.[1] Its first event was held in 2018, with 82 "numbered" events held as of April 2024.[2][3][4]
Launch
BKFC's inaugural event, which took place on June 2, 2018, featured the first American-sanctioned, women's bare-knuckle fight in modern history.[5] The Bare-Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame recognized this milestone and awarded the victor of this contest, Bec Rawlings, with the National Police Gazette World Diamond Belt several days later.[6] BKFC recognizes the Police Gazette champions, and they may defend their titles within this promotion.
At BKFC 3, Arnold Adams defeated Sam Shewmaker in the finals of an eight-man tournament to be crowned as the inaugural BKFC Heavyweight Champion. This event also hosted the quarterfinals of a tournament to crown a Lightweight champion.[7]
In February 2019, former UFC light heavyweight title contender Anthony Johnson announced that he will be joining the company in an administrative role.[8]
Expansion
In October 2021, Nick Chapman established Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Thailand (BKFC Thailand), the first, officially-licensed branch of BKFC in Asia.[9] BKFC Thailand held its inaugural event on December 18, 2021, sub-titled "The Game Changer".[10] The event featured big names like former two-division WBC boxing champion Sirimongkol Singmanasak and Muay Thai fighter Sinsamut Klinmee.[11]
On February 24, 2022, David Feldman announced on The MMA Hour that TrillerNet had acquired a majority stake of BKFC.[12] At BKFC 26, on June 24, 2022, BKFC Lightweight Champion Luis Palomino won the Welterweight Championship to become the first double champion in BKFC history.
In September 2022, it was announced that BKFC had acquired the UK-based Bare Fist Boxing Association (BFBA), forming Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship United Kingdom (BKFC UK).[13] Meanwhile, BKFC Thailand underwent a rebranding to BKFC Asia on November 14, 2022, though events hosted in Thailand retained the "BKFC Thailand" designation to maintain regional recognition.
In 2023, BKFC announced the launch of the BKFC Prospects Series. Fighters on the Prospects Series will compete in front of BKFC President David Feldman for a chance at a contract with BKFC; similar in format to Dana White's Contender Series, or the PFL Challenger Series in mixed martial arts. Competitors in the Prospects Series include previous participants at BKFC open tryouts, as well as athletes with backgrounds in boxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts.[14][15] The first edition of the BKFC Prospects Series premiered on August 24, 2023, in Miami, with six contracts being awarded.[16]
At BKFC: Knucklemania IV on April 27, 2024, it was announced that Conor McGregor and his company "McGregor Sports and Entertainment" were now part owners of BKFC.[17][18][19]
On June 5, 2024, BKFC announced a talent-sharing program with the Japan-based Rizin Fighting Federation, in which both companies would allow talent fight in each other's organizations in bareknuckle bouts.[20] At Super Rizin 3 on July 28, 2024, Charisa Sigal, Tai Emery, Takaki Soya, and John Dodson all fought in bare-knucking bouts on the undercard.
BKFC holds all bouts in a circular four-rope ring, referred to as the "Squared Circle". This ring incorporates elements of historical bare knuckle fighting by containing two scratch lines, three feet apart and in the middle of the ring. These scratch lines are based on the Broughton Rules, which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century. It is a requirement that each fighter must start each round with their front foot on their scratch line. This is referred to as “Toe the Line”, and it is an instruction given to the fighters at the beginning of each round, followed by "Knuckle Up" which signals the beginning of the round.[21]
Bare Knuckle Thai
Bare Knuckle Thai rules are similar to Muay Thai, with the notable exception that competitors fight without gloves. Matches consist of five rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. The rules permit the use of kicks, punches, elbows, and knees, but explicitly prohibit trips and sweeps. Fighters must also remain active in a clinch, which lasts for three seconds. In the event of a draw, a sixth extension round will be fought to determine a winner.[22][23] BKFC Thailand held the first special rules Bare Knuckle Thai bout, featuring Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai, at BKFC Thailand 5: Legends of Siam on November 4, 2023.
BKFC pay-per-view events were initially carried worldwide on FITE TV. On July 24, 2020, it was announced that DAZN would begin streaming BKFC events in August.[24]
After the Triller acquisition, Fite announced in February 2023 that all BKFC events would be included for Fite+ subscribers.[25]
On September 13, 2024, it was announced that BKFC and DAZN formed a three-year agreement which will allow DAZN to broadcast the BKFC events starting in October.[26]
The BKFC was involved in controversy after the death of boxer Justin Thornton on August 20, 2021, at BKFC 20.[27] Justin Thornton died as a result of spinal injury suffered during his BKFC debut.[28] Thornton had been on a five-fight losing streak ahead of the fight.
The matchmaking and regulations were criticized by UFC president Dana White, who said “...is anybody shocked? I mean, in bare-knuckle fighting? I’m not a big fan. ...We’ve been putting on fights for 25 years. I’ve done over 7,000 fights with no serious injuries in the UFC. That if they weren’t in the UFC, they probably would’ve fought and they probably would’ve died. So we shouldn’t even be talked about in the same sentence as bare-knuckle boxing."[29]
- List of BKFC events
- 2024 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2023 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2022 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2021 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2020 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2019 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- 2018 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
| Division | Upper weight limit | Gender |
|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Unlimited | Male |
| Cruiserweight | 205 lb (93 kg) | Male |
| Light heavyweight | 185 lb (84 kg) | Male |
| Middleweight | 175 lb (79 kg) | Male |
| Welterweight | 165 lb (75 kg) | Male |
| Lightweight | 155 lb (70 kg) | Male |
| Featherweight | 145 lb (66 kg) | Male |
| Bantamweight | 135 lb (61 kg) | Male |
| Flyweight | 125 lb (57 kg) | Male / Female |
| Strawweight | 115 lb (52 kg) | Female |
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight |  Mick Terrill |
December 2, 2023 | 1 |
| Cruiserweight |  Chris Camozzi |
October 25, 2024 | 0 |
| Light heavyweight | Jared Warren |
June 21, 2024 | 0 |
| Middleweight | |||
| David Mundell |
December 3, 2022 | 3 | |
| Welterweight | Austin Trout |
February 2, 2024 | 1 |
| Lightweight |  Franco Tenaglia |
October 12, 2024 | 0 |
| Featherweight | Kai Stewart |
June 9, 2023 | 3 |
| Bantamweight |  Alberto Blas |
June 21, 2024 | 1 |
| Flyweight | John Dodson |
August 11, 2023 | 1 |
| Women's Flyweight | Christine Ferea |
February 19, 2022 | 4 |
| Women's Strawweight | Britain Hart |
September 10, 2022 | 3 |
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| World Heavyweight | Arnold Adams |
November 6, 2021 | 1 |
| World Light Heavyweight | Lorenzo Hunt |
October 10, 2020 | 1 |
| World Middleweight |  Barrie Jones |
April 10, 2021 | 0 |
| World Welterweight |  Elvin Brito |
January 9, 2022 | 0 |
| World Lightweight |  Luis Palomino[141] |
July 24, 2020 | 4 |
| World Bantamweight | Johnny Bedford |
August 20, 2021 | 0 |
| World Women's Bantamweight | Patricia Juarez |
May 28, 2022 | 0 |
| World Women's Flyweight | Christine Ferea |
February 19, 2022 | 0 |
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight |  Sirimongkol Singmanasak |
May 7, 2022 | 0 |
| Featherweight | Krisana Srisang |
November 4, 2023 | 0 |
| Women's Strawweight | Po Denman |
November 4, 2023 | 0 |
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cruiserweight | Anthony Holmes |
November 26, 2022 | 0 |
| Welterweight |  Connor Tierney |
August 10, 2024 | 0 |
| Featherweight | Ellis Shepherd |
April 6, 2024 | 0 |
| Division | Champion | Since | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight | Agi Faulkner |
November 2, 2024 | 0 |
Heavyweight Championship
- Weight limit: above 210 lbs (95.3 kg)
- The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament.[142]
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arnold Adams def. Sam Shewmaker |
BKFC 3 Biloxi, Mississippi |
October 20, 2018 | |
| 2 | Chase Sherman |
BKFC 7 Biloxi, Mississippi |
August 10, 2019 | |
| 3 | Joey Beltran |
BKFC 9 Biloxi, Mississippi |
November 16, 2019 | 1. def. Marcel Stamps at BKFC 13 on October 10, 2020 2. def. Sam Shewmaker at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021 |
| 4 | Arnold Adams (2) |
BKFC Fight Night: New York Salamanca, New York |
November 6, 2021 | 1. def. Dillon Cleckler at BKFC 25 on May 6, 2022 |
| 5 | Alan Belcher |
BKFC 36: Adams vs. Belcher Kenner, Louisiana |
February 24, 2023 | |
| Belcher was stripped of the title in June 2023 after he accepted a boxing fight outside the organization against Chase DeMoor[143] | ||||
| 6 | Mick Terrill def. Arnold Adams |
BKFC 56: Utah Salt Lake City, Utah |
December 2, 2023 | 1. def. Lorenzo Hunt at BKFC: Knucklemania IV on April 27, 2024 |
Cruiserweight Championship
- Weight limit: 210 lbs (95.3 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Héctor Lombard def. Joe Riggs |
BKFC 18 Miami, Florida |
June 26, 2021 | |
| The Cruiserweight title was vacated. | ||||
| 2 | Lorenzo Hunt def. Quentin Henry |
BKFC 30: Monroe Monroe, Louisiana |
October 1, 2022 |
1. def. Chris Camozzi at BKFC 50 on September 22, 2023 |
| The Cruiserweight title was vacated. | ||||
| 3 | Chris Camozzi def. Sawyer Depee |
BKFC 67: Denver Denver, Colorado |
October 25, 2024 | |
Light Heavyweight Championship
- Weight limit: 190 lbs (86.2 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lorenzo Hunt def. Héctor Lombard |
BKFC 22 Miami, Florida |
November 12, 2021 |
1. def. Joe Riggs at BKFC 24 on April 30, 2022 |
| - | Mike Richman def. Isaac Doolittle for interim title |
BKFC 31 Broomfield, Colorado |
October 15, 2022 | |
| Josh Dyer and Jared Warren fought to a No-Contest on July 14, 2023, at BKFC 47 for the BKFC Light Heavyweight interim title. | ||||
| Lorenzo Hunt vacated his undisputed Light Heavyweight title to challenge for the Heavyweight title. | ||||
| 2 | Jared Warren def. Jomi Escoboza |
BKFC 62 Hollywood, Florida |
June 21, 2024 | |
Middleweight Championship
- Weight limit: 175 lbs (79.3 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz |
BKFC 18 Miami, Florida |
June 26, 2021 | |
| Alves was stripped of the title in June 2022 after he and the organization were not able to reach agreement on new contract.[144] | ||||
| - | Francesco Ricchi def. Ulysses Diaz for the interim title |
BKFC 26 Hollywood, Florida |
June 24, 2022 | |
| 2 | David Mundell def. Francesco Ricchi for undisputed title |
BKFC 34 Hollywood, Florida |
December 3, 2022 |
1. def. Mike Richman at BKFC 47 on July 14, 2023 |
Welterweight Championship
- Weight limit: 165 lbs (74.8 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elvin Brito def. Kaleb Harris |
BKFC Fight Night: Jackson Jackson, Mississippi |
January 29, 2022 | |
| 2 | Luis Palomino |
BKFC 26 Hollywood, Florida |
June 24, 2022 | |
| The Welterweight title was vacated. | ||||
| 3 |  Gorjan Slaveskidef. Jake Lindsey |
BKFC 49 Miami | August 25, 2023 | |
| Slaveski was stripped of the title on December 14, 2023, after he accepted a karate fight against Brandon Jenkins without the permission of BKFC.[145] | ||||
| 4 | Austin Trout def. Luis Palomino |
BKFC 57 Hollywood, California |
February 2, 2024 | 1. def. Ricardo Franco at BKFC on DAZN on October 12, 2024 |
Lightweight Championship
- Weight limit: 155 lbs (70.3 kg)
- The inaugural champion was determined by a 4-man tournament. This title was previously referred to as the BKFC Super Welterweight Championship before being renamed.
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Luis Palomino def. Isaac Vallie-Flagg |
BKFC 11 Oxford, Mississippi |
July 24, 2020 |
1. def. Jim Alers at BKFC 14 on November 13, 2020 |
| In January 2024, Palomino stated the title was vacated because he felt he had no more to achieve in the division.[146] | ||||
| 2 | Franco Tenaglia def. Tony Soto |
BKFC on DAZN Marbella, Spain |
October 12, 2024 | |
Featherweight Championship
- Weight limit: 145 lbs (65.8 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kai Stewart def. Louie Lopez |
BKFC 44 Great Falls, Montana |
June 9, 2023 |
1. def. Howard Davis at BKFC 56 on December 2, 2023 |
Bantamweight Championship
- Weight limit: 135 lbs (61.2 kg)
- The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament. This title was previously referred to as the BKFC Lightweight Championship before being renamed.
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johnny Bedford def. Reggie Barnett Jr. |
BKFC 6 Tampa, Florida |
June 22, 2019 | |
| 2 | Dat Nguyen |
BKFC: KnuckleMania Lakeland, Florida |
February 5, 2021 | |
| Nguyen was stripped of the title in June 2021 after he and the organization were not able to reach agreement on new contract.[144] | ||||
| 3 | Johnny Bedford (2) def. Reggie Barnett Jr. |
BKFC 20 Biloxi, Mississippi |
August 20, 2021 | |
| — | Jarod Grant def. Anthony Retic for interim title |
BKFC Fight Night: New York 2 Salamanca, New York |
March 12, 2022 | |
| — | Reggie Barnett Jr. def. Jarod Grant for interim title |
BKFC FN: Tampa 2 Tampa, Florida |
July 23, 2022 | 1. def. Geane Herrera at BKFC 32 on November 5, 2022 |
| Bedford retired from combat sports. | ||||
| 4 | Reggie Barnett Jr. promoted to undisputed champion |
January, 2023 | 1. def. Daniel Alvarez at BKFC 39 on March 24, 2023 | |
| 5 | Keith Richardson |
BKFC 52: South Carolina Columbia, South Carolina |
October 20, 2023 | |
| 6 | Alberto Blas |
BKFC 62: Hollywood Hollywood, Florida |
June 21, 2024 | 1. def. Ryan Reber at BKFC 66 on September 13, 2024 |
Flyweight Championship
- Weight limit: 125 lbs (57.2 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John Dodson def. JR Ridge |
BKFC 48 Albuquerque, New Mexico |
August 11, 2023 | 1. drew with Dagoberto Aguero at BKFC 59 on March 29, 2024 |
Women's Flyweight Championship
- Weight limit: 125 lbs (56.7 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christine Ferea def. Britain Hart |
BKFC KnuckleMania 2 Hollywood, Florida |
February 19, 2022 |
1. def. Taylor Starling at BKFC 28 on August 27, 2022 |
Women's Strawweight Championship
- Weight limit: 115 lbs (52.2 kg)
| No. | Name | Event | Date | Defenses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Britain Hart def. Charisa Sigala |
BKFC 29 Great Falls, Montana |
September 10, 2022 |
1. def. Jenny Clausius at BKFC 39 on March 24, 2023 |
| Weight Class | Champion | Runner-up | Event | Date | Tournament Bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heavyweight Championship Tournament | Arnold Adams |
Sam Shewmaker |
BKFC 3: The Takeover | October 20, 2018 | Heavyweight Tournament Bracket |
| Lightweight Championship Tournament | Johnny Bedford |
Reggie Barnett Jr. |
BKFC 6: Malignaggi vs. Lobov | June 22, 2019 | Lightweight Tournament Bracket |
| Super Welterweight Championship Tournament | Luis Palomino |
Isaac Vallie-Flagg |
BKFC 11: Palomino vs. Vallie-Flagg | July 24, 2020 | Super Welterweight Tournament Bracket |
| Oldest champion | Héctor Lombard | 43 years, 8 months |
| Youngest champion | Kai Stewart | 22 years, 11 months |
| Longest championship reign | Luis Palomino | 1288 days |
| Shortest championship reign | Chase Sherman | 98 days |
| Most title fight wins | Luis Palomino | 8 |
| Most wins | Lorenzo Hunt | 11 |
| Most consecutive title defenses | Luis Palomino | 6 |
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