Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. 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 10 "numbered" events held as of Feb 2020. BKFC has featured notable talents such as Elvin Leon Brito, Jim Alers, Artem Lobov, Ricco Rodriguez, Charles Bennett, Kendall Grove, Chris Lytle, Joe Riggs, Chase Sherman, Leonard Garcia, Eric Prindle, Joey Beltran, Bec Rawlings, Shannon Ritch, Bobby Gunn, Jason Knight, Johnny Bedford, Paulie Malignaggi and Chris Leben .[2][3]

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
TypePrivate
Industrybare-knuckle boxing promotion
Founded2018
FounderDavid Feldman
Headquarters
Philadelphia
,
United States
Websitehttps://www.bareknuckle.tv

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.[4] 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.[5] 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.[6] In February, 2019, former UFC light heavyweight title contender Anthony Johnson announced that he will be joining the company in an administrative role.[7]

Broadcasting partners

Initially, BKFC pay-per-view bouts were carried worldwide via FITE TV. On July 24, 2020 it was announced that starting on August, DAZN will be streaming BKFC events.[8]

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, 3 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.[9]

List of BKFC events

Scheduled events
# Event Date Location
16 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 15: KnuckleMania February 5, 2021 Miami, U.S.

[10]

Past events
# Event Date Location Ref
15 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 15: Shewmaker vs. O'Bannon December 11, 2020 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
14 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 14: Palomino vs. Alers November 13, 2020 Miami, Florida, U.S.
13 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 13: Beltran vs. Stamps October 10, 2020 Salina, Kansas, U.S.
12 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 12: Alves vs. Lane September 11, 2020 Daytona Beach, Florida
11 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 11: Palomino vs. Vallie-Flagg July 24, 2020 Oxford, Mississippi, U.S.
10 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 10: Lombard vs. Mundell February 15, 2020 Fort Lauderdale, Florida, U.S.
9 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 9: Lobov vs. Knight 2 November 16, 2019 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S.
8 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 8: Silva vs. Gonzaga October 19, 2019 Tampa, Florida, U.S.
7 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 7: Alers vs. Garcia August 10, 2019 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. [11]
6 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 6: Malignaggi vs. Lobov June 22, 2019 Tampa, Florida, U.S. [12]
5 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 5: Lobov vs Knight April 6, 2019 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. [13]
4 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 4: USA vs Mexico February 2, 2019 Cancun, Mexico [14]
3 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 3: The Takeover October 20, 2018 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. [15]
2 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 2: A New Era August 25, 2018 Biloxi, Mississippi, U.S. [16]
1 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 1: The Beginning June 2, 2018 Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S. [17]

List of BKFC Events:

Current champions
BKFC Champions[18][19]
DivisionChampionSinceDefenses
Heavyweight Joey Beltran[20] November 16, 2019 1
Super Welterweight Luis Palomino July 24, 2020 1
Lightweight Dat Nguyen June 22, 2019 0
Police Gazette Champions[18][19]
DivisionChampionSinceDefenses
World Heavyweight Joey Beltran
Bobby Gunn (Champion Emeritus)		 October 10, 2020 0
American Heavyweight Chase Sherman August 10, 2019 0
Super Welterweight Luis Palomino[21] July 24, 2020 1
American Lightweight Johnny Bedford June 22, 2019 0
World Women's Featherweight Vacant
Bec Rawlings (Champion in recess)[22]		 November 4, 2019 0
American Women's Featherweight Helen Peralta August 10, 2019 0
See also: Police Gazette Championship History

Championship History

Heavyweight Championship
Weight limit: 205 lbs (93 kg) and above
The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament.[23]
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Arnold Adams
def. Sam Shewmaker		 BKFC 3
Biloxi, Mississippi		 October 20, 2018
2 Chase Sherman
def. Arnold Adams		 BKFC 7
Biloxi, Mississippi		 August 10, 2019
3 Joey Beltran
def. Chase Sherman		 BKFC 9
Biloxi, Mississippi		 November 16, 2019

1. def. Marcel Stamps at BKFC 13 on October 10, 2020

Super Welterweight Championship
Weight limit: 155 lbs (70 kg)
The inaugural champion was determined by a 4-man tournament
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

Lightweight Championship
Weight limit: 135 lbs (62.5 kg)
The inaugural champion was determined by an 8-man tournament.
No. Name Event Date Defenses
1 Johnny Bedford
def. Reggie Barnett Jr.		 BKFC 6
Tampa, Florida		 June 22, 2019

Tournament winners
Weight ClassChampionRunner-upEventDateTournament 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

See also

References
  1. "Bare 1st Event of Its Kind". bleacherReport. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  2. "BKFC About". bareknuckle.tv. Archived from the original on 2019-06-26. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  3. Foley, Matt. "28 States Said 'No' to Bare-Knuckle Boxing. But 1 Said 'Yes'". OZY. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  4. "Bare knuckles are coming out of the darkness". Phillyvoice.com. Retrieved 10 February 2019.
  5. "BKB Hall of Fame". BKB Hall of Fame. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  6. "Lightweight tournament quarterfinals". Mymmanews.com. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  7. "Rumble Johnson joins BKFC Front Office". RBR MMA. Retrieved 2019-02-08.
  8. "BKFC and DAZN agree to broadcast partnership starting in August". mmafighting.com. July 24, 2020.
  9. "Everything you need to know about Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship". MyMMANews.com. Retrieved 2019-04-16.
  10. "BKFC Events". bareknuckle.tv. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  11. "BKFC 7 | Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships | Home". bkfights.
  12. "NEWS | Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships | Home". bkfights.
  13. Thomas Myers (April 5, 2019). "Bare Knuckle FC 5 fight card for 'Lobov vs Knight' on April 6". mmamania.com.
  14. Hiergesell, Dan (2019-02-02). "Bare Knuckle FC 4 Complete Guide! How To Watch, Who Is Fighting & More!". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  15. Hiergesell, Dan (2018-10-20). "Bare Knuckle FC 3 Complete Guide! How To Watch, Who Is Fighting & More!". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  16. Mindenhall, Chuck (2018-08-24). "After exceeding expectations in first bare knuckle event, Bare Knuckle FC ready to usher in 'new era'". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  17. Newport, Kyle. "Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to Be 1st Event of Its Kind in USA Since 1889". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2019-02-09.
  18. "BKFC Fighters". bareknuckle.tv. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
  19. "CURRENT BARE KNUCKLE CHAMPIONS". bareknuckle.tv. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  20. Alexander K. Lee (November 17, 2019). "BKFC 9 Results: Jason Knight avenges loss to Artem Lobov with fifth-round KO, Joey Beltran captures heavyweight title". mmafighting.com.
  21. "BKFC 14: Palomino vs Alers Results". Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  22. "RANKINGS". Police Gazette Boxing Corporation. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  23. "Tournament". mymmanews.com. Retrieved 2019-02-07.
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