How to bet on Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Reviving a centuries-old sport and giving it a modern makeover, the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is the most daring endeavour yet in the thrill-a-minute world of professional martial arts. Let us show you the ropes regarding fight rules, viewing options and where you can bet on BKFC in United States.

BetOnline

Fast Payouts

Get up to $250 in Free Bets with no strings attached, plus 100 Free Spins.

Visit BetOnline Review

Terms & Conditions Apply. Visit BetOnline for more information.

What is Bare Knuckle FC?

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is a new-age interpretation of traditional bare-knuckle boxing — a sport that is now illegal in most developed nations. With a carefully crafted set of rules and some nifty innovations, BKFC president and former pro boxer David Feldman aims to deliver “the truest form of bare knuckle fighting” possible.

Is it really ‘bare knuckle’?

BKFC prides itself on sticking to the naked premise of bare-knuckle fighting: that fighters are not allowed to dress their knuckles or fingers with any material of any kind. This distinguishes it from other so-called ‘bare knuckle’ franchises where combatants are permitted to wrap their hands with gauze or tape.

Who are the fighters?

In order to promote a high standard of competition and ensure the safety of all who enter the ring, Bare Knuckle features only fighters who have professional experience in recognised combat sports such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai and MMA. The franchise has already lured former UFC combatants.

Where do they fight?

Consisting of a circular four-rope ring mounted on a platform of 28 square feet, BKFC’s patented Squared Circle is one of the most intriguing innovations in professional combat sports. The shape and dimensions of the arena are designed to encourage fast, free-flowing action.

What are the rules of BKFC?

The rules of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship could hardly be any simpler:

Fighters start face-to-face with their toes upon the lines in the canvas
The fight begins when the referee calls ‘knuckles up’
Knuckle punches are the only strikes allowed
Fighters may attempt to punch their way out of a clinch
The referee will separate a clinch if three seconds pass without any attacks
Victory is achieved by knockout, referee stoppage, or points decision

Top BKFC betting sites 2025

Best BKFC betting sites

Fast PayoutsBetOnline

Get up to $250 in Free Bets with no strings attached, plus 100 Free Spins.

No Code Required

Visit BetOnline Read Review

Terms & Conditions Apply. Visit BetOnline for more information.

No matter what sport you are betting on, it is important to find a bookmaker you can trust.

We at BettingPlanet.com only recommend licensed gambling operators that offer competitive odds across a wide array of Bare Knuckle FC betting markets.

BKFC betting can be done across devices, with it possible to place bets on computer, mobile (including sports betting apps) and even via the telephone in some wagering markets.

BKFC betting sites can be funded using a range of payment methods, including credit and debit cards, payment processors, web wallets and even cryptos (although these can be restricted in some jurisdictions).

While most betting sites will feature odds on major BKFC events, these websites are not all equal, with some clearly covering martial arts events in a more prolific way. For instance, some BKFC betting sites will only have head-to-head odds, while others will feature in-depth odds types, including round betting, winning method, handicap betting and even various props.

The BKFC betting sites above are all fully regulated, highly secure and open to gamblers in United States.

Bare Knuckle Fighting stars

It has not taken long for BKFC to draw some top-notch fighting talent. Some were already established fighters when they joined, while others have earned their stripes on the Bare Knuckle scene.

Johnny Bedford

Born: January 6, 1983 in Woodville, Ohio
Height: 5ft 10in (1.78m)
Division: Lightweight

Like many of his BKFC rivals, Johnny ‘Brutal’ Bedford was regular on the amateur and professional MMA circuits for many years. He defeated Nick Mamalis via TKO at the first-ever Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event and returned at BKFC 6 in June 2019, when he bested Reggie Barnett Jr to claim the lightweight title.

Bec Rawlings

Born: January 6, 1983 in Woodville, Ohio
Height: 5ft 10in (1.78m)
Division: Flyweight

Bec ‘Rowdy’ Rawlings made an immediate impact on the BKFC circuit, defeating Alma Garcia in the inaugural event in Cheyenne. The Australian star followed up with wins over Britain Hart and Cecilia Flores to become the undisputed women’s flyweight champion. She returned to MMA with Bellator in 2019, leaving BKFC with a 3-0 record.

Chase Sherman

Born: November 16, 1989 in D’Iberville, Mississippi
Height: 6ft 4in (1.93m)
Division: Heavyweight

Chase Sherman was something of a known quantity when he joined the Bare Knuckle Fighting scene in 2019. He made numerous appearances at UFC Fight Nights from 2016-2018 and had a short but successful stint with Island Fights. The Mississippi native claimed the heavyweight title at BKFC 7, where he defeated Arnold Adams.

Why all the hype about BKFC?

Because the most famous fighter of his generation didn’t just tip his cap to bare-knuckle — he bought in. While BKFC was founded by David Feldman, the promotion hit a fresh gear when Conor McGregor joined as a co-owner in 2024. Since then he’s been the face in front of the cameras at major announcements, the megaphone on social, and the connector who can pick up the phone and get star names to at least take the meeting. That kind of influence doesn’t just juice headlines; it changes matchmaking options, sponsor interest, and the quality of the talent pool.

McGregor’s pitch has been simple: make BKFC bigger and make it better for fighters. That has shown up in splashy roster moves, crossover chatter that grabs mainstream attention, and new incentives aimed at keeping champions around. The equity concept floated for long-tenured BKFC titleholders is the sort of “skin in the game” perk you rarely see in combat sports, and it fits the brand’s disruptor image. Put bluntly, when a global star brings his money, contacts, and showman instincts to a fast-growing promotion, you feel the ripple effects from ticket sales to TV segments.

It also helps that Feldman, as founder and president, provides steady operational hands while McGregor supplies the pop-culture voltage. That one-two punch gives BKFC both a plan and a spotlight. Result: bigger venues, louder pressers, deeper divisions, and a sense that bare-knuckle isn’t a curiosity anymore; it’s a must-watch fight night that keeps outpunching expectations.

“World’s Baddest” $25M tournament — Hollywood reveal, March 2026 kickoff

The game-changer dropped at the Seminole Hard Rock in Hollywood, Florida: a year-long, $25 million “World’s Baddest” tournament set to kick off in March 2026. The format is built for spectacle—32 fighters drawn from the 185–265 lb range, moving through a bracket designed to crown one king of bare-knuckle. It’s the kind of audacious, big-purse concept that grabs casual fans, motivates signings, and gives broadcasters a clean storyline to sell from spring to spring.

The money is real and the runway is long. BKFC has framed this as a global showcase, with early talk of an opening U.S. leg and a finale targeted for March 2027 in the Middle East. That year-long build lets the promotion tell fighter stories, seed rivalries, and keep the spotlight burning between tent-pole events. Alongside the tournament, the team also floated a fighter-equity pathway for champions and veterans — further evidence that BKFC wants to be seen as both the wildest show in town and a smarter business for athletes.

Bottom line: the tournament gives BKFC a season-style backbone, McGregor gives it celebrity torque, and Feldman’s crew gives it operational teeth. If they land the names they’re chasing, March 2026 won’t just be another date on the calendar—it’ll be the start of the most ambitious experiment in modern combat sports promotion.

BKFC weight classes

Division	Weight	Gender
Strawweight	≤ 115	Women
Flyweight	≤ 125	Men/Women
Bantamweight	≤ 135	Men
Featherweight	≤ 145	Men/Women
Lightweight	≤ 155	Men
Welterweight	≤ 165	Men
Middleweight	≤ 175	Men
Light Heavyweight	≤ 185	Men
Cruiserweight	≤ 205	Men
Heavyweight	≤ 265	Men

Current Champions

Division	Champion
Heavyweight	Ben Rothwell
Cruiserweight	Chris Camozzi
Light Heavyweight	Josh Dyer
Middleweight	David Mundell
Welterweight	Julian Lane
Lightweight	Franco Tenaglia
Featherweight	Kai Stewart
Bantamweight	Alberto Blas
Flyweight	John Dodson
King of Streets	Luis Palomino
Women’s Featherweight	Jessica Borga
Women’s Flyweight	Christine Ferea
Women’s Strawweight	Britain Hart

Latest news and betting tips

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships sign UFC heavyweight Bigfoot Silva

BKFC fight schedule and past events

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship made its debut in June 2018 in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Stay tuned for more announcements regarding the card, fight times and available betting markets.