BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. For each BKFC battle, money will be deposited in a pension account, from which they will be able to collect when they reach the age of retirement.. In the Squared Circle, which is a customized circular four-rope ring, each bout takes place in front of an audience. Its not really getting there; its the climb.. 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While he didnt have anything to gain from another promotion putting on a bare-knuckle fight, Feldman still felt a sense of pride seeing the influence that BKFC had on the sport since debuting in 2018. 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Russell Peltz Celebrates Half Century in Boxing. Because the stars are aligning for us. Baltimore Jewish Times We are giving the fans something great, the fighters are fighting their asses off. They both have a killer instinct as you saw with Jim Alers jumping off in each and every one of his fights trying to crack the guys. By that time I am sure we are really going to change the minds of a lot of people., Justin Gaethje responds to Michael Chandler: Hes slandering my name. ", "After exceeding expectations in first bare knuckle event, Bare Knuckle FC ready to usher in 'new era', "Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to Be 1st Event of Its Kind in USA Since 1889", "BKFC 9 Results: Jason Knight avenges loss to Artem Lobov with fifth-round KO, Joey Beltran captures heavyweight title", "BKFC 30 results, video: 292 lb Ben Rothwell destroys Bobo O'Bannon in 19 seconds", "Bare Knuckle FC 22 results: Lorenzo Hunt wins cruiserweight championship over Hector Lombard", "BKFC unable to come to terms with Dat Nguyen, new 135-pound champion to be crowned in July", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bare_Knuckle_Fighting_Championship&oldid=1152761123, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. But hes always loved fighting, from the inherent narratives to the way it can change peoples lives to the science of boxing, as he put it. SN: What are the type of fighters who you're looking to bring in? So I then gave the next two and a half years just trying to get this thing going. It's hard because every time the bar gets set a little higher. It was a gruesome scene for a featherweight title bout at UWC 43 when Jos Pealozas ear exploded. I hatched it and made it happen. that is what is helping to open up these doors that have been shut for so long., David Feldman: I think its just staying the course really. These are just two different breeds of guys and thats whats going to make for such an exciting fight.. It was all worth it. But it didnt have the atmosphere as much there. And we've always given the fans what they want. I gave ten years of my life to try and get this thing sanctioned. The event on June 22, which is available on pay-per-view, will feature 10 fights, though with bigger names than in the past. We are the new kid on the block. We have a fantastic staff, and they did a fantastic job of coming together and supporting one another during the process. Which brings us to bare-knuckle fighting. The following month we do Birmingham, Alabama, then the following month we're coming back here (Ft. Lauderdale) for a big event on May 16. A daily roundup of all your fighting news from MMA Fighting, By submitting your email, you agree to our, Mike Perry shows aftermath of breaking Luke Rockholds teeth with his fist at BKFC 41. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. But you know I am a passionate person. Alves was stripped of the title in June 2022 after he and the organization were not able to reach agreement on new contract. "Throughout this time period, Stewart continued to ask Feldman for a written contract evidencing their agreement and for more information regarding the finances and affairs of their venture," the complaint states. [6] 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 after her victory. The offer was official, we talked to the team a couple of times. Its not in his DNA. Bare Knuckle FC president David Feldman confirmed to MMA Fighting on Monday that fighter Justin Thornton had died after a loss to Dillon Cleckler on the BKFC 20 card Aug. 20 in Biloxi, Mississippi. The matchmaking and regulations were criticised following the news on social media and by UFC president Dana White. Justin Barrasso. On Wednesday, the founder of the promotion, David Feldman, announced that Triller, a social media company that has expanded into the promotion of boxing and other combat sports, has acquired a majority stake of BKFC. [9], On February 24, 2022, David Feldman announced on Ariel Helwani's show that TrillerNet had acquired a majority stake of BKFC, while not disclosing the value of the deal or percentages of the stake.[10]. This event also hosted the quarterfinals of a tournament to crown a Lightweight champion. ), Join DAZN and watch more than 100 fight nights a year. I saw the UFC did one, it was tremendous and it was great for them to set the tone. April 14, 2021 1:00 pm ET . Tom Shoaff at BKFC 34 on December 3, 2022, 1. def. SN: How do you temper everybody'sexpectations when you get big success because everyone wants to go bigger and bigger? "Look, it might not be life-changing for them, but at that time, it could be," Feldman said. Earlier this month, BKFC executives announced a . Bobby Gunn is the undisputed ruler of the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing. It allows the fighters to put their foot on the gas pedal from the opening bell and really go at it. So we'll go from anywhere, but they have to be able to want to fight. As the founder and president of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), Feldman is making waves in the industry. So I said lets do a live event where we can have fans. View David Feldman's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. [7] BKFC recognizes the Police Gazette champions, and they may defend their titles within this promotion. It should be a lot easier for us to then open up these doors., David Feldman: I was offered a lot of money just last week to sell. Because I know what we do right and in order for anyone to catch us, its not going to be easy. The lightweights have engaged in a fiery war of words after an altercation erupted as a BKFC press conference earlier this year and Feldman believes thats going to translate into a crowd-pleasing battle on Friday night. Its simply something I believe has to be done, Feldman said in an interview with MMA Junkie. He has worked for the Jewish Exponent since 2018. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. The participants are being paid well and can fight more often due to the favorable format. Sep 13, 2022. Were now just going to have more assets, more resources, and more possibilities.. According to Stewart, Feldman now holds BKFC events through a different business entity than the original Wyoming events. We have two very big either platform or network deals in talks right now and hoping to close that out within the next 30 to 60 days. But on that same note, I want competition to teach people and get all the different combat sports fans watching bare-knuckle and ultimately watching BKFC.. He also claims to have been provided a profit and loss spreadsheet at a February 2019 meeting after BKFC's first four events. March 15, 2021 10:59 AM. He would tap it a little bit. Bare Knuckle FC Fist Fighting League president David Feldman commented on the stoppage of the fight between Mike Perry and Luke Rockhold at the BKFC 41 tournament. Born October 4, 1970, Broomall, Pennsylvania, United States. It also creates a sense of urgency going into the final round if one fighter has been knocked down in a previous round, or it's obvious that a fighter is down on the scorecards or if it's two rounds a piece going into the fifth round. Feldman maintains that his firm is just doing well financially and that he merely wants to give back to the sportsmen who have helped him. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships is looking to make their mark in the combat sports landscape. And by bringing in some of these bigger names and we're going to have more and bigger names by the end of the year. With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from April 2023. We're doing everything right. Every time I get a nasty email, or a Facebook message, people saying, This isnt going to last, its a gimmick, this and that, it just drives me more and more to make it something more legitimate, he said. We're growing exponentially, only way faster than we ever thought we were going to be. I love this, its not a job, its something I really love. We knew it as we were doing it but now we have data. Because these men and women go in there and battle their butts off each and every time, lets give them a little something to say thank you for your efforts.. [13] Thornton had been on a five-fight losing streak ahead of the fight. Then boom, he would crack it. DF: I think kickboxing could be one,but not jiu jitsu. His brother, Damon Feldman, is the promoter of Celebrity Boxing. I didnt know if it ever would get sanctioned, and finally it did. After deciding to stick to his guns, Feldman is now focused on executing BKFC 19, which is headlined by former UFC strawweights Paige Van Zant and Rachael Ostovich. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. [17], 1. def. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou wont join ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong announced. I would do two simple things. Feldman said bare-knuckle boxing is currently legal in 14 states, with the goal of reaching 22 by the end of 2022. I am a passionate person, Feldman said. [11], On August 20, 2021, BKFC was involved in controversy after the death of boxer Justin Thornton at BKFC 20. that was the big question. Bare-knuckle fighting has long been an underground hit, but until last March, when Wyoming got into the game, no state or federal body had legally sanctioned it. 2. def. Were doing an event in Thailand in December. Glorifying bloodsport. BKFC boss David Feldman is a boxing promoter (since 2012) and a former pro boxer with a 4-1 record (1993-2003). Its amazing, Feldman told MMA Fighting ahead of BKFC 14. Finally, there are no politics and network issues preventing the best possible matchups. Its the climb for me, Feldman said. Baltimore Style Fredericks Child Yeah they are busted up, but you see a picture of them a week later and they are perfect. His . Many sportsbooks including BetOnlineare providing odds for the BKFC events including tonights Lobov vs. Knight main event in Biloxi. But I would love to be continually involved with it in some way, shape or form. And then June, we're actually going to London, England and in July, we're going to be at the Seneca Allegany Resort & Casino in New York. In the year that Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships has been doing business, a lot of things have happened - and not all of it unpleasant. Sometimes, they have stick with the path theyve paved while BKFC has been able to still mold its identity from show to show. Now, with Bare Knuckle 6 approaching on June 22, featuring brand-name fighters like Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi, Feldman is ready for everything to take another step forward. It was KnuckleMania, a tremendous event for us. BKFC already made waves earlier this year when signing former UFC star Paige VanZant to an exclusive contract after she reached free agency. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is only days away from its biggest event to date this Saturday with BKFC 41, which is a co-main event headlined by two former UFC . Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. We have a tremendous team, they did a really good job of coming together and having each others back. Credit social media, credit YouTube, credit streaming, credit what you like, but Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has done in less than a year, what its competitive sports took a decade or more to accomplish. When COVID came, it was really just another speedbump. Yes, other combat sports have the same tools, however, their infrastructure and value proposition is already so established that its hard for them to make dramatic changes to adapt to the consumer. The third fighter to mention is David Feldman, who recently took home $1 million after winning the main event at BKB 12: USA vs UK 2. If bare knuckle fans didnt think it could get any better than BKFC 5, featuring the first bout between Lobov and Knight, Feldman followed it up with BKFC 6, getting former outspoken boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi and Artem Lobov to compete in in Tampa, Florida, the most recent state at the time to pass legislation approving bare knuckle fighting. [1] Its first event was held in 2018, with 24 "numbered" events held as of April 2022. For Feldmans full interview with Van Vliet, click below. So I had to ram it down peoples throats because they didnt know what it was. I think we can certainly open up a new fanbase. I mean its good that we have competition around the world. Home Services Magazine "Feldman claimed that the events lost substantial money," according to the complaint. Jesse Bernstein's writing has appeared in The Philadelphia Inquirer, Tablet, The Forward, and the Jewish Review of Books. It was a turning year for us. We're signing these guys that are bigger names, and they'repulling a lot of notoriety, a lot of media, a lot of press, and a lot of fanfare to the show. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images). 2 talking about this. We know what the fans want. We've always given to the fans and we will continue to do that. By. SN: What was the biggest challenge in 2019 that you wereable to learn from and not make the same mistake, sayin 2020? Youve got nothing but action the entire fight. Still, Feldman believed that with the correct promotion, along with the best possible matchups, people would be drawn to bare-knuckle fighting. newsletter, Israel Adesanya Walkouts to Knockouts T-Shirt, Luke Rockhold reacts to BKFC 41 loss: Im not done. [15] In February 2023, Fite announced to include all events to its Fite+ subscription service. A number of UFC veterans have tested their skills under the BKFC banner, including Mike Perry, Chad Mendes, Artem Lobov, Jason Knight, Paige VanZant, Rachael Ostovich, Bec Rawlings, and more. This weekend at BKFC 14, the promotion will feature a pair of high profile fights including a 155-pound championship bout between former UFC fighter Jim Alers as he takes on World Series of Fighting veteran Luis Palomino. BKFC boss David Feldman is a boxing promoter (since 2012) and a former pro boxer with a 4-1 record (1993-2003). 2021 What an awesome time to be alive for a Combat Sports fan. And if this gets to where were planning to be, its going to be a monster. The challenge.. I cant wait for the growth., David Feldman: I dont know so much if something was missing or there was something extra that could be added.