Quick Definition
Bare Knuckle FC (BKFC) is an American combat sports promotion, officially the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, that runs professional bare-knuckle boxing matches where fighters punch without gloves. Founded in 2018 and based in Philadelphia, it is the largest bare-knuckle promotion in the world.
What is Bare Knuckle FC?
Bare Knuckle FC is the common shorthand for the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, usually abbreviated BKFC. It is a promotion, meaning a company that signs fighters and puts on events, rather than a fighting style or a governing body. Philadelphia boxing promoter David Feldman started it in 2018, and its first show that June was the first legal, state-sanctioned bare-knuckle event held in the United States since 1889.
The idea behind it is plain. Two fighters box with bare fists, throwing punches only, until one is stopped or the judges pick a winner. Most people run into the name through its DAZN broadcasts, through fighters who crossed over from the UFC, or through Conor McGregor, who bought an ownership stake in 2024. BKFC now sits at the front of a sport that had spent more than a century pushed to the margins.
How a BKFC fight works
Every bout takes place in a circular four-rope ring the promotion calls the “Squared Circle.” Painted in the center are two scratch lines, three feet apart, taken from the 19th-century Broughton Rules. Before each round, a fighter places their front foot on their line, a ritual known as “toe the line,” and the referee’s call of “Knuckle Up” starts the action.
Bouts run five two-minute rounds, or seven rounds for a title. Only punches count. Kicks, elbows, knees, takedowns and submissions are all banned, which keeps the sport nearer to boxing than to mixed martial arts. Fighters may tape the wrist and part of the hand, but the wraps cannot cover the knuckles, so every blow lands with bare bone.
Three judges score each fight on the 10-point must system used in boxing. A brief clinch is allowed as long as a fighter keeps punching out of it, and stalling gets broken up by the referee. Because an ungloved fist splits skin so easily, cuts come thick and fast, and a ringside doctor can wave a fight off at any point.
BKFC vs boxing and MMA
Readers often land on the term unsure whether bare-knuckle fighting is just boxing without gloves or something closer to the UFC. It sits between the two. Like boxing, BKFC allows punches only and scores fights the same way. What changes is the hardware and the pace: no gloves, shorter rounds, and a round ring instead of a square one.
The gap with MMA is wider. Mixed martial arts promotions such as the UFC allow kicks, knees, elbows, wrestling, and submissions inside a caged octagon, with padded four-ounce gloves and five-minute rounds. BKFC takes all of that off the table and leaves punching on the feet.
| Feature | BKFC | Boxing | MMA (UFC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hand protection | Bare knuckles, taped wrist | Padded gloves | 4 oz open-finger gloves |
| Strikes allowed | Punches only | Punches only | Punches, kicks, knees, elbows |
| Grappling | No | No | Yes |
| Round length | 2 minutes | 3 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Number of rounds | 5 (7 for titles) | Up to 12 | 3 (5 for titles) |
| Fighting area | Circular four-rope ring | Square ring | Octagon cage |
Who fights in BKFC
This is not a promotion for beginners. Its rules limit the roster to established professionals from boxing, MMA, kickboxing or Muay Thai, so most competitors show up with years of cage or ring experience behind them. Several are familiar faces from the UFC, among them former welterweight Mike Perry, who grew into one of the promotion’s biggest draws.
Fights are split into men’s and women’s divisions that run from flyweight at 125 pounds up to heavyweight at 265 pounds. The company has spread well beyond Philadelphia, adding a British arm in BKFC UK and staging cards across Europe, the Middle East and Asia. McGregor’s investment in 2024 gave its profile another lift.
Is BKFC legal and safe?
The sport runs under the same state athletic commissions that oversee boxing and MMA, which is what separates it from the illegal bare-knuckle brawls of the past. Events are sanctioned and refereed under a fixed rulebook, and fighters go through medical screening before they compete.
Safety is still argued over. Supporters note that bare-knuckle rounds are short and that a bare fist may cause fewer concussions than a padded glove, since a fighter cannot hide behind a wall of foam. Critics answer that exposed knuckles cause heavy cuts and that the risk is real: in 2021, fighter Justin Thornton died from a spinal injury suffered at BKFC 20. Every event keeps a ringside doctor with the authority to stop a fight.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does BKFC stand for?
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. It is the largest professional bare-knuckle boxing promotion in the world, founded in 2018 and based in Philadelphia.
Are BKFC fighters completely bare-fisted?
Almost. They can tape the wrist and part of the hand for support, but the wrap has to stay clear of the knuckles, so punches land bare.
Does Conor McGregor own BKFC?
He is a part-owner. McGregor bought a stake through his company in 2024, though David Feldman remains the promotion’s president.
Is bare-knuckle boxing legal in the US?
Yes, in states whose athletic commissions sanction it. BKFC was the first promotion to hold a legal, commissioned bare-knuckle event in the country since 1889.
How is BKFC different from the UFC?
The UFC is mixed martial arts, with kicks, grappling, and gloves inside a cage. BKFC is punches only, bare-fisted, in a ring.
Sources
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. “About.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.bkfc.com/about - Wikipedia. “Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bare_Knuckle_Fighting_Championship - Boxing Insider. “Bare Knuckle Boxing: Rules, Regulation and the Boxers Crossing Over.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/bare-knuckle-boxing-rules-regulation-and-the-boxers-crossing-over/ - BoxBets. “The Rules of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.boxbets.co.uk/the-rules-of-bare-knuckle-fighting-championship/ - NY Fights. “Everything You Need to Know About Bare Knuckle Boxing.” Accessed August 2026.
https://nyfights.com/boxing/worldwide/bare-knuckle-boxing/ - Sportskeeda. “BKFC could see changes under newly approved unified rules for bare knuckle fighting.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-amateurs-prohibited-bouts-restricted-four-rounds-bkfc-see-changes-newly-approved-unified-rules-bare-knuckle-fighting
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