Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American
bare-knuckle boxing
Bare-knuckle boxing (or simply bare-knuckle) is a combat sport which involves two individuals throwing punches at each other for a predetermined amount of time without any boxing gloves or other form of padding on their hands. It is a regulated ...
promotion based in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
. BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
since 1889.
Its first event was held in 2018, with 24 "numbered" events held as of April 2022. It is the largest bare knuckle boxing promotion company in the world and has featured notable talents such as
Luis Palomino
Luis Vicente Palomino (born October 9, 1980) is a Peruvian-American mixed martial artist and bare-knuckle fighter who is the current Lightweight and Welterweight champion for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, making him the first “double c ...
, Elvin Leon Brito,
Jim Alers
Jim Alers (born October 14, 1986) is an American professional bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA fighter from 2008 until 2018, he fought in the UFC and is the former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion.
Background
Alers attended University ...
,
Artem Lobov
Artem Lobov (russian: Артём Лобов; born August 11, 1986) is a Russian, former professional mixed martial artist and boxer based in Ireland. He previously competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UF ...
,
Ricco Rodriguez
Ricco Rodriguez (born August 19, 1977) is an American semi-retired mixed martial artist currently competing in the heavyweight division. A professional competitor since 1999, he has competed for the UFC, PRIDE Fighting Championships, EliteXC, I ...
,
Charles Bennett,
Kendall Grove
Kendall Grove (born November 12, 1982) is an American mixed martial artist who is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2003, he has also competed for the Bellator MMA, UFC, KSW, ProElite, King ...
,
Chris Lytle
Chris Scott Lytle (born August 18, 1974) is a retired American mixed martial artist and boxer. An MMA professional from 1999 until 2011 and 20-fight veteran of the UFC, Lytle also fought in Pancrase, Cage Rage, and the WEC. He held the inaug ...
,
Joe Riggs
Joseph Jonathan Riggs (born September 23, 1982) is an American professional bare-knuckle boxer and former mixed martial artist who is currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2001, Riggs formerly c ...
,
Chase Sherman
Chase Sherman (born November 16, 1989) is an American professional mixed martial artist and former bare-knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor since 2014, he has competed for the UFC and Titan FC.
Background
Born and raised in D'Ibervill ...
,
Leonard Garcia
Leonard Garcia (born July 14, 1979, in Plainview, Texas) is an American former mixed martial artist who most recently competed in the Featherweight division of the Legacy Fighting Championship, and is the former Legacy FC Featherweight Champion. ...
,
Eric Prindle
Eric Prindle (born August 30, 1976) is an American Heavyweight mixed martial artist who last competed in 2018. A professional competitor since 2008 he has fought in Bellator MMA and Pancrase, and was the Bellator Season Five Heavyweight Tourname ...
,
Joey Beltran
José Felipe Beltran (born December 9, 1981) is an American bare-knuckle fighter and mixed martial artist. A professional MMA competitor since 2007, he has competed for the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and King of the Cage. He currently compe ...
,
Bec Rawlings
Rebecca Anne Rawlings (born 11 February 1989) is an Australian mixed martial artist and bare-knuckle boxer, who currently competes in the flyweight division. She was ranked as a contender strawweight (106-115 lb) fighter according to the ...
,
Shannon Ritch
Shannon Grey Ritch (born September 27, 1970) is an American professional mixed martial artist, boxer, grappler, professional wrestler and kickboxer. In mixed martial arts competition he is the former King of the Cage Middleweight Champion and th ...
,
Bobby Gunn,
Jason Knight,
Johnny Bedford
John Charles "Johnny" Bedford (born January 6, 1983) is an American retired mixed martial artist and bare knuckle boxer. A professional since 2003, he has fought in the UFC, Bellator, the Legacy Fighting Alliance, and was a competitor on Spike ...
,
Paulie Malignaggi
Paul "Paulie" Malignaggi (; ; born November 23, 1980) is an American former professional boxer who competed from 2001 to 2017 and has since worked as a boxing commentator and analyst. He held world championships in two weight classes, including ...
, Steve Banks,
Sirimongkol Singmanasak
Sirimongkol Singmanasak ( th, ศิริมงคล สิงห์มนัสศักดิ์; born 2 March 1977) is a Thai professional boxer, bare-knuckle boxer and kickboxer. He is a world champion in two weight classes, having held th ...
,
Buakaw Banchamek
Sombat Banchamek ( th, สมบัติ บัญชาเมฆ, born May 8, 1982) a.k.a. Buakaw Banchamek ( th, บัวขาว บัญชาเมฆ, links=no, Buakaw meaning "white lotus") is a martial artist from Thailand of ethnic ...
,
Saenchai
Suphachai "Saenchai" Saepong (born July 30, 1980), formerly known as Saenchai Sor. Kingstar ( th, แสนชัย ส.คิงสตาร์), is a Muay Thai fighter of Khon Isan descent. Saenchai won the Lumpinee Stadium title, which is ...
, Robert Morrow, and
Chris Leben
Christian Cyrus Leben (born July 21, 1980) is an American former mixed martial artist, referee, and bare knuckle boxer. A professional MMA competitor from 2002 until 2013, he most notably competed in the UFC in the Middleweight division, compili ...
.
History
BKFC was founded in April 2018 and is presided over by former American professional boxer David Feldman. After first receiving approval to hold a sanctioned event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, BKFC held the first state sanctioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. Each fight takes place in a specialized circular four-rope ring, referred to as the "Squared Circle.” BKFC 1, which took place on June 2, 2018, featured the first American sanctioned women's bare-knuckle fight in modern history. The
Bare-Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame recognized this milestone and awarded the victor of this contest,
Bec Rawlings
Rebecca Anne Rawlings (born 11 February 1989) is an Australian mixed martial artist and bare-knuckle boxer, who currently competes in the flyweight division. She was ranked as a contender strawweight (106-115 lb) fighter according to the ...
, with the
National Police Gazette
The ''National Police Gazette'', commonly referred to as simply the ''Police Gazette'', is an American magazine founded in 1845. Under publisher Richard K. Fox, it became the forerunner of the men's lifestyle magazine, the illustrated sports w ...
World Diamond Belt several days after her victory.
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. In February, 2019, former UFC light heavyweight title contender
Anthony Johnson announced that he will be joining the company in an administrative role.
On February 24, 2022, David Feldman announced on
Ariel Helwani's show that
TrillerNet
Triller, Inc is an American company specializing in online video, social media, and combat sports. It is named after, and is the owner of, the epynomous social networking service Triller; which was launched in 2015 by co-founders David Leiberma ...
had acquired a majority stake of BKFC, while not disclosing the value of the deal or percentages of the stake.
On June 24, 2022, Luis Palomino, Lightweight Champion, won the Welterweight Championship and becomes the first double champion in BKFC History.
In September 2022 it was announced by David Feldman that BKFC had acquired the U.K. based Bare Fist Boxing Association (BFBA) forming
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship UK (BKFC UK).
Death of Justin Thornton
On August 20, 2021, BKFC was involved in controversy after the death of boxer Justin Thornton at
BKFC 20.
Justin Thornton died as a result of spinal injury suffered during his BKFC debut. Thornton had been on a five-fight losing streak ahead of the fight. The matchmaking and regulations were criticised following the news on social media and by UFC president Dana White.
Broadcasting partners
Initially, BKFC pay-per-view bouts were carried worldwide via
FITE TV
Fite (stylized as FITE by Triller) is an American digital video streaming service launched on May 20, 2012, that is dedicated to combat sports-related programming (including boxing, mixed martial arts, and professional wrestling). The network dis ...
. On July 24, 2020 it was announced that starting on August,
DAZN
DAZN ( "da zone") is a global sports entertainment platform. Different to traditional linear and satellite broadcasting, DAZN is an over-the-top (OTT) streaming service meaning that it is delivered directly to viewers via the internet.
The ...
will be streaming BKFC events.
Unique ring
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.
List of selected BKFC events
;List of BKFC events
*
2018 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
The year 2018 is the 1st year in the history of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, a bare-knuckle fighting promotion based in Philadelphia. The season started with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 1: The Beginning. BKFC is available on PPV ...
*
2019 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
*
2020 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
*
2021 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
*
2022 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
BKFC weight classes
Current champions
Championship history
Heavyweight Championship
::''Weight limit: above 210 lbs (95.3 kg)''
::The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament.
Cruiserweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 210 lbs (95.3 kg)''
Light Heavyweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 185 lbs (83.9 kg)''
Middleweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 175 lbs (79.3 kg)''
Welterweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 165 lbs (74.8 kg)''
Lightweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 155 lbs (70.3 kg)''
::The inaugural champion was determined by a 4-man tournament
Bantamweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 135 lbs (61.2 kg)''
::The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament.
Women's Flyweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 125 lbs (56.7 kg)''
Women's Strawweight Championship
::''Weight limit: 115 lbs (52.2 kg)''
Tournament winners
See also
*
List of boxing organisations
List of boxing organisations in chronological order by the year of their establishment. The four major sanctioning bodies are in bold.
See also
*List of judo organizations
*List of kickboxing organizations
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:List of ...
*
BYB Extreme Fighting Series
BYB Extreme Fighting Series (BYB) is a bare knuckle fighting organization founded in 2015 by former MMA fighter Dhafir ("Dada 5000") Harris and former NASCAR team owner Mike Vazquez whose HRT Motorsports was NASCAR's first Hispanic team. Harr ...
References
External links
*
{{Triller
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
Bare-knuckle boxing
Boxing organizations
2018 establishments in Pennsylvania
Sports organizations established in 2018