sport news Inside the wild and controversial world of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship: ... trends now
Fresh from his role as 'Knox', the swaggering thug in the remake of Road House, Conor McGregor made a purchase very much in line with his Hollywood character's persona.
The Irishman became a part owner in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) this week, one of the fastest growing fight promotions in the world, a smaller, indirect competitor to his UFC paymasters, though a competitor all the same.
It is a fascinating development for the 35-year-old, who is finally returning to the octagon on June 29 after three years away from the sport in which he made his name and fortune.
He has proven himself as a savvy businessman and master of promotion, assets the president of Bare Knuckle FC David Feldman gushed about when welcoming him on board.
'Look, you’ve got the biggest guy in all of combat sports right now as a part owner of our company,' he said.
GRAPHIC IMAGES WARNING
Conor McGregor faced off with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship star Mike Perry at an event last year and is now the part owner of the promotion
BKFC is not for the faint-hearted and nasty cuts are common during bouts
Despite plenty of criticism, the promotion has emerged from the fringes to become more of a significant player in the combat sports space
'We’re partners with Conor McGregor. Everybody in the combat sports world, everybody in the world, knows who that guy is. So Conor, thank you, and let’s blow this s*** up.'
So what is Bare Knuckle FC? Is it destined to be a marginal organisation skirting the fringes of mainstream acceptance? Or, like the UFC, will it grow rapidly and break through to a wider audience?
The ruleset is simple, punches are the only strike allowed and must be a closed fist. (No kicks, elbows, knees, or grappling). Fighters are allowed to wrap and tape the wrist, thumb, and mid-hand. No gauze or tape can be within one inch of the knuckles.
Some have argued that the less padding and protection fighters have on their hands, the safer they are. There is less of an impact on punches but crucially, far more cuts as skin and bone are sliced open without the soft leather cushion.
For the bloodthirsty, the aesthetic is exactly what they're after on a Saturday night, for others, even fight fans, it can be too much.
Evidently McGregor sees the potential. He claimed his net worth to be in the region of £536million last year in an "interview with Megan Olivi and no doubt anticipates a further swelling of the coffers with BKFC on his portfolio.
BKFC shared this with their 1.4 million followers on Instagram when the deal was announced
The organisation has 1.4million followers on Instagram, a total not to be sniffed at but still about 30 times fewer than their new part-owner.
Feldman, an American former boxer, founded the company in 2018 and held the first sanctioned bareknuckle event in the US since 1889.
The company branched out and held events in Asia, featuring many fighters crossing over from MMA, often aging former stars or those with expired contracts.
BKFC has had plenty of critics. And those arguing against it's existence were backed up in their arguments by a tragedy in 2021.
Bare-knuckle fighter Justin Thornton died after sustaining an injury to his spinal chord following a 19-second KO at a BKFC event.
He was seemingly unresponsive in the ring, taken to hospital and put on a ventilator where he later died at the age of just 38.
Thornton had lost his previous five fights and was matched up with an MMA fighter with a record of 10 wins and one defeat.
