Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

The Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. The promotion was founded in April 2018, and is presided over by David Feldman.

BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. Its first event was held in 2018, with 142 events held as of December 2025.

History

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

BKFC's inaugural event, which took place on June 2, 2018, featured the first American-sanctioned, women's bare-knuckle fight in modern history. 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 later. 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. In February 2019, former UFC light heavyweight title contender Anthony Johnson announced that he will be joining the company in an administrative role.

On March 6, 2021, before the establishment of BKFC Thailand, BKFC organized BKFC: Bare Knuckle Kingdom in partnership with Full Metal Dojo in Thailand. In October 2021, Nick Chapman established Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Thailand (BKFC Thailand), the first, officially-licensed branch of BKFC in Asia. BKFC Thailand held its inaugural event on December 18, 2021, sub-titled "The Game Changer". BKFC Thailand also had matches featuring a distinct ruleset called Bare Knuckle Thai Rules were similar to Muay Thai, with the notable exception that competitors fight without gloves. Matches consist of five rounds, with each round lasting two minutes. The rules permitted the use of kicks, punches, elbows, and knees, but explicitly prohibit trips and sweeps. Fighters had to remain active in a clinch, which lasts for three seconds. In the event of a draw, a sixth extension round was fought to determine a winner. BKFC Thailand held the first special rules Bare Knuckle Thai bout, featuring Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai, at BKFC Thailand 5: Legends of Siam on November 4, 2023. However, as of July 2024, BKFC Thailand ceased operations, and is now defunct.

On February 24, 2022, David Feldman announced on The MMA Hour that TrillerNet had acquired a majority stake of BKFC. At BKFC 26, on June 24, 2022, BKFC Lightweight Champion Luis Palomino won the Welterweight Championship to become the first double champion in BKFC history.

BKFC event at Mohegan Sun Arena, 2025

In September 2022, it was announced that BKFC had acquired the UK-based Bare Fist Boxing Association (BFBA), forming Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship United Kingdom (BKFC UK). The United Kingdom is a significant market for modern bare-knuckle boxing, hosting prominent promotions such as Bare Knuckle Boxing (BKB™) in Coventry, Bad To The Bone (BTTB) in Stoke-on-Trent, and Ultimate Bare Knuckle Boxing (UBKB) in Warrington. Before acquiring the Bare Fist Boxing Association and officially establishing BKFC UK, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship made its debut in the United Kingdom with BKFC 27: London, which took place on 20 August 2022. The event was headlined by MMA veterans Mike Perry and Michael Page. On November 14, 2022, BKFC Thailand underwent a rebranding to BKFC Asia, though events hosted in Thailand retained the "BKFC Thailand" designation to maintain regional recognition.

In 2023, BKFC announced the launch of the BKFC Prospects Series. Fighters on the Prospects Series will compete in front of BKFC President David Feldman for a chance at a contract with BKFC; similar in format to Dana White's Contender Series, or the PFL Challenger Series in mixed martial arts. Competitors in the Prospects Series include previous participants at BKFC open tryouts, as well as athletes with backgrounds in boxing, Muay Thai, and mixed martial arts. The first edition of the BKFC Prospects Series premiered on August 24, 2023, in Miami, with six contracts being awarded.

In 2024, at the occasion of BKFC: Knucklemania IV, it was announced that Conor McGregor and his company "McGregor Sports and Entertainment" were now part owners of BKFC. On June 5, 2024, BKFC announced a talent-sharing program with the Japan-based Rizin Fighting Federation, in which both companies would allow talent fight in each other's organizations in bareknuckle bouts. At Super Rizin 3 on July 28, 2024, Charisa Sigal, Tai Emery, Takaki Soya, and John Dodson all fought in bareknuckle bouts on the undercard.

In July, 2025, Conor McGregor and David Feldman made a number announcements at the inaugural BKFC 2025 Champions Summit on Hollywood, Florida. The announcements included launching the BKFC’s World's Baddest Man $25 Million Tournament and acquiring majority shares in a Lethwei promotion in Asia. This new branch of BKFC was named "BKFC Lethwei" and headed by former BKFC Thailand CEO, Nick Chapman. In January 12, 2026, the promotion was renamed Lethwei Fighting Championship via fan voting.

BKFC is scheduled to start doing "Fight Club" events from April 2026, small‑scale shows held in warehouse‑style venues with limited attendance, featuring competitors matched by similar weight and experience levels. All bouts are approved by the local athletic commission, and fighters are paired through a random draw shortly before competing. The promotion plans to stage one Fight Club event per month.

Rules

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

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, three 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.

Broadcasting partners

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

BKFC pay-per-view events were initially carried worldwide on FITE TV. On July 24, 2020, it was announced that DAZN would begin streaming BKFC events in August.

After the Triller acquisition, Fite announced in February 2023 that all BKFC events would be included for Fite+ subscribers.

On September 13, 2024, it was announced that BKFC and DAZN formed a three-year agreement which will allow DAZN to broadcast the BKFC events starting in October.

List of BKFC events

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

<table><thead><tr><th>#</th><th>Event</th><th>Date</th><th>Venue</th><th>Location</th><th>Ref</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>153</td><td>BKFC Blood 4 Blood</td><td>May 6, 2026</td><td>Ocean Center</td><td>Daytona Beach, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>152</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Clearwater: Warren vs. Cooke</td><td>April 25, 2026</td><td>OCC Road House</td><td>Clearwater, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>151</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Australia: Hepi vs. Wiśniewski 2</td><td>April 18, 2026</td><td>Townsville Entertainment and Convention Centre</td><td>Townsville, Australia</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>150</td><td>BKFC 88 Denver: Camozzi vs. Rodrigueze</td><td>April 17, 2026</td><td>National Western Center</td><td>Denver, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>149</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Honolulu: Pitolo vs. Coltrane</td><td>April 11, 2026</td><td>Blaisdell Center</td><td>Honolulu, Hawaii</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>148</td><td>BKFC Fight Club</td><td>April 7, 2026</td><td>2300 Arena</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>147</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun: Porter vs. Watson</td><td>March 28, 2026</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>146</td><td>BKFC 87 Hollywood, FL: Stewart vs. Gaffie</td><td>March 20, 2026</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>145</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Newcastle: Terrill vs. McFarlane</td><td>March 14, 2026</td><td>Utilita Arena Newcastle</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>144</td><td>BKFC Knucklemania VI</td><td>February 7, 2026</td><td>Xfinity Mobile Arena</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>143</td><td>BKFC 86 Mohegan Sun: Lane vs. Pague</td><td>January 17, 2026</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>142</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun: Porter vs. Copeland</td><td>December 20, 2025</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>141</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Derby: Cooke vs. Holmes</td><td>December 13, 2025</td><td>Vaillant Live</td><td>Derby, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>140</td><td>BKFC 86 Hollywood, FL: Trout vs. Palomino 2</td><td>December 5, 2025</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>139</td><td>BKFC 84 Palm Desert: Dyer vs. Hunt 2</td><td>November 15, 2025</td><td>Acrisure Arena</td><td>Thousand Palms, California</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>138</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Michigan: Rodriguez vs. Cavender</td><td>November 1, 2025</td><td>Soaring Eagle Casino</td><td>Mount Pleasant, Michigan</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>137</td><td>BKFC 83 Italy: Camozzi vs. Sakara</td><td>October 25, 2025</td><td>Palazzetto dello Sport</td><td>Rome, Italy</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>136</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Hammond: Henry vs. Stewart</td><td>October 18, 2025</td><td>Horseshoe Hammond</td><td>Hammond, Indiana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>135</td><td>BKFC 82 Newark: Perry vs. Stephens</td><td>October 4, 2025</td><td>Prudential Center</td><td>Newark, New Jersey</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>134</td><td>BKFC 81 Manchester: DeGale vs. Floyd</td><td>September 27, 2025</td><td>AO Arena</td><td>Manchester, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>133</td><td>BKFC 80 Hollywood, FL: Perdomo vs. Adams 2</td><td>September 12, 2025</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>132</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Montenegro: Bakočević vs. Ott</td><td>August 30, 2025</td><td>Top Hill</td><td>Budva, Montenegro</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>131</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Edmonton: Stuve vs. Manno</td><td>August 9, 2025</td><td>River Cree Resort and Casino</td><td>Enoch, Alberta, Canada</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>130</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Sturgis: Gogo vs. Lane</td><td>August 5, 2025</td><td>Buffalo Chip Campground</td><td>Sturgis, South Dakota</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>129</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Philly: Pague vs. Petersen</td><td>July 25, 2025</td><td>2300 Arena</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>128</td><td>BKFC 78 Hollywood, FL: Perdomo vs. Adams</td><td>July 12, 2025</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>127</td><td>BKFC 77 Birmingham: Tierney vs. Christie</td><td>June 28, 2025</td><td>bp pulse LIVE</td><td>Birmingham, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>126</td><td>BKFC 76 Texas: Tenaglia vs. Soto</td><td>June 21, 2025</td><td>Dickies Arena</td><td>Fort Worth, Texas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>125</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Mohegan Sun: Porter vs. Cleckler</td><td>June 14, 2025</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>124</td><td>BKFC 75 Albuquerque: Mundell vs. Sanchez</td><td>June 6, 2025</td><td>Tingley Coliseum</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>123</td><td>BKFC 74 Salt Lake City: Richman vs. Dyer</td><td>May 11, 2025</td><td>Maverik Center</td><td>West Valley City, Utah</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>122</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Clearwater: Warren vs. Creer</td><td>May 2, 2025</td><td>OCC Road House & Museum</td><td>Clearwater, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>121</td><td>BKFC 73 Italy: Camozzi vs. Bicchi</td><td>April 26, 2025</td><td>Palazzo Wanny</td><td>Florence, Italy</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>120</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Cochrane vs. Edwards</td><td>April 18, 2025</td><td>The Astro</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>119</td><td>BKFC 72 Dubai Day 2: Stewart vs. Strydom</td><td>April 5, 2025</td><td>Dubai Tennis Stadium</td><td>Dubai, United Arab Emirates</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>118</td><td>BKFC 71 Dubai Day 1: Trout vs. Trinidad-Snake</td><td>April 4, 2025</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>117</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Manchester: Chipchase vs. Fox</td><td>March 29, 2025</td><td>Planet Ice</td><td>Altrincham, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>116</td><td>BKFC 70 Hollywood, FL: Palomino vs. Davis</td><td>March 27, 2025</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>115</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Philly: Pague vs. Angelcor</td><td>March 21, 2025</td><td>2300 Arena</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>114</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Albuquerque: Richardson vs. Usmanov</td><td>February 28, 2025</td><td>Kiva Auditorium</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>113</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Newcastle: Thompson vs. Boardman</td><td>February 8, 2025</td><td>Walker Activity Dome</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>112</td><td>BKFC on DAZN Mohegan Sun: Lane vs. VanCamp</td><td>February 1, 2025</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>111</td><td>BKFC Knucklemania V</td><td>January 25, 2025</td><td>Wells Fargo Center</td><td>Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>110</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Pechanga: Kurdanov vs. Brito</td><td>January 18, 2025</td><td>Pechanga Resort Casino</td><td>Temecula, California</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>109</td><td>BKFC on DAZN Hollywood, FL: Warren vs. Richman</td><td>December 21, 2024</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>108</td><td>BKFC 69 Atlanta: Richardson vs. Larrimore</td><td>December 6, 2024</td><td>Gas South Arena</td><td>Duluth, Georgia</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>107</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Los Angeles: Warr vs. Khanakov</td><td>November 23, 2024</td><td>Thunder Studios</td><td>Los Angeles, California</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>106</td><td>BKFC on DAZN Montana: Stewart vs. Rivera</td><td>November 9, 2024</td><td>First Interstate Arena</td><td>Billings, Montana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>105</td><td>BKFC 68 Newcastle: Faulkner vs. Oscar</td><td>November 2, 2024</td><td>Utilita Arena Newcastle</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>104</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Myrtle Beach</td><td>October 26, 2024</td><td>John T. Rhodes Myrtle Beach Sports Center</td><td>Myrtle Beach, South Carolina</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>103</td><td>BKFC 67 Denver: Camozzi vs. Depee</td><td>October 25, 2024</td><td>Denver Coliseum</td><td>Denver, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>102</td><td>BKFC on DAZN: Tenaglia vs. Soto</td><td>October 12, 2024</td><td>Marbella Arena</td><td>Marbella, Spain</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>101</td><td>BKFC 66 Hollywood, FL: Blas vs. Reber</td><td>September 13, 2024</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>100</td><td>BKFC 65 Salt Lake City: Ferea vs. Masson-Wong</td><td>September 6, 2024</td><td>Maverik Center</td><td>Salt Lake City, Utah</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>99</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Edmonton</td><td>August 31, 2024</td><td>River Cree Resort and Casino</td><td>Enoch, Alberta, Canada</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>98</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Kansas City: Lindsay vs. Brito</td><td>August 16, 2024</td><td>Memorial Hall</td><td>Kansas City, Kansas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>97</td><td>BKFC 64 Coventry: Tierney vs. Graham</td><td>August 10, 2024</td><td>Coventry Skydome</td><td>Coventry, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>96</td><td>BKFC 63 Sturgis: Hart vs. Starling</td><td>August 3, 2024</td><td>Buffalo Chip Campground</td><td>Sturgis, South Dakota</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>95</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Pechanga: Peralta vs. Warr</td><td>July 12, 2024</td><td>Pechanga Resort and Casino</td><td>Temecula, California</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>94</td><td>BKFC 62 Hollywood, FL: Stewart vs. Duran</td><td>June 21, 2024</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>93</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Newcastle</td><td>June 8, 2024</td><td>Walker Activity Dome</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>92</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Denver</td><td>May 31, 2024</td><td>National Western Center</td><td>Denver, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>91</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Puebla, Mexico: Rubio vs Rey Gallegos</td><td>May 25, 2024</td><td>Auditorio Explanada Pachuca</td><td>Puebla, Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>90</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Trinidad-Snake vs. Pague</td><td>May 17, 2024</td><td>Liberty First Credit Union Arena</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>89</td><td>BKFC 61 Connecticut: Rivera vs. Straus</td><td>May 11, 2024</td><td>Mohegan Sun Arena</td><td>Uncasville, Connecticut</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>88</td><td>BKFC: Knucklemania IV</td><td>April 27, 2024</td><td>Peacock Theater</td><td>Los Angeles, California</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>87</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Clearwater: Richman vs. Lozano</td><td>April 12, 2024</td><td>Bert's Barracuda Harley-Davidson</td><td>Clearwater, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>86</td><td>BKFC 60 Milton Keynes: Lilley vs. Tenaglia</td><td>April 6, 2024</td><td>Planet Ice Arena Milton Keynes</td><td>Milton Keynes, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>85</td><td>BKFC 59 Albuquerque: Dodson vs. Aguero</td><td>March 29, 2024</td><td>Tingley Coliseum</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>84</td><td>BKFC 58 Bulgaria: Markulev vs. Kolev</td><td>March 22, 2024</td><td>Arena Sofia</td><td>Sofia, Bulgaria</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>83</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Miami: Davis vs. Wilson</td><td>March 15, 2024</td><td>Dolphin Mall</td><td>Miami, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>82</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Canada</td><td>March 3, 2024</td><td>River Cree Resort and Casino</td><td>Enoch, Alberta, Canada</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>81</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Manassas</td><td>February 16, 2024</td><td>The Salisbury Center</td><td>Manassas, Virginia</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>80</td><td>BKFC 57: Palomino vs. Trout</td><td>February 2, 2024</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>79</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Prospects: Albuquerque</td><td>January 27, 2024</td><td>Revel Arena</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>78</td><td>BKFC 56 Utah: Perry vs. Alvarez</td><td>December 2, 2023</td><td>Maverik Center</td><td>West Valley City, Utah</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>77</td><td>BKFC 55 Leeds: Christie vs. Warren</td><td>November 18, 2023</td><td>Planet Ice Leeds</td><td>Leeds, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>76</td><td>BKFC 54 Bulgaria: Dimitrov vs. Zhelyakov</td><td>November 17, 2023</td><td>Arena Sofia</td><td>Sofia, Bulgaria</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>75</td><td>BKFC Thailand 5: Legends of Siam</td><td>November 4, 2023</td><td>Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya</td><td>Pattaya, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>74</td><td>BKFC 53 Orlando: Mundell vs. Coltrane</td><td>November 3, 2023</td><td>Orange County Convention Center</td><td>Orlando, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>73</td><td>BKFC 52 South Carolina: Barnett vs. Richardson</td><td>October 20, 2023</td><td>Colonial Life Arena</td><td>Columbia, South Carolina</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>72</td><td>BKFC Prospects Series 2</td><td>October 14, 2023</td><td>Liverpool Olympia</td><td>Liverpool, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>71</td><td>BKFC 51 Salem: Hart vs. Shah</td><td>September 29, 2023</td><td>Salem Civic Center</td><td>Salem, Virginia</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>70</td><td>BKFC 50 Denver: Hunt vs. Camozzi</td><td>September 22, 2023</td><td>1stBank Center</td><td>Broomfield, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>69</td><td>BKFC 49 Miami: Slaveski vs. Lindsey</td><td>August 25, 2023</td><td>Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds</td><td>Miami, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>68</td><td>BKFC Prospects Series 1</td><td>August 24, 2023</td><td>Miami-Dade County Fairgrounds</td><td>Miami, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>67</td><td>BKFC 48 Albuquerque: Dodson vs. Ridge</td><td>August 11, 2023</td><td>Tingley Coliseum</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>66</td><td>BKFC 47 Lakeland: Mundell vs. Richman</td><td>July 14, 2023</td><td>RP Funding Center</td><td>Lakeland, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>65</td><td>BKFC 46 Newcastle: Franco vs. Harris</td><td>July 1, 2023</td><td>Walker Activity Dome</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>64</td><td>BKFC 45 Hollywood, FL: Palomino vs. Lilley</td><td>June 23, 2023</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>63</td><td>BKFC 44 Montana: Stewart vs. Lopez</td><td>June 9, 2023</td><td>Four Seasons Arena</td><td>Great Falls, Montana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>62</td><td>BKFC 43 Omaha: Alexander vs. Smith</td><td>May 19, 2023</td><td>Liberty First Credit Union Arena</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>61</td><td>BKFC 42 Greenville: Soto vs. Goodjohn</td><td>May 12, 2023</td><td>Bon Secours Wellness Arena</td><td>Greenville, South Carolina</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>60</td><td>BKFC 41 Colorado: Perry vs. Rockhold</td><td>April 29, 2023</td><td>1stBank Center</td><td>Broomfield, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>59</td><td>BKFC 40 Leeds: Holmes vs. Christie</td><td>April 22, 2023</td><td>Planet Ice Leeds</td><td>Leeds, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>58</td><td>BKFC 38 Delray Beach: Nguyen vs. Straus</td><td>April 21, 2023</td><td>Delray Beach Tennis Center</td><td>Delray Beach, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>57</td><td>BKFC 39 Norfolk: Barnett vs. Alvarez</td><td>March 24, 2023</td><td>Norfolk Scope</td><td>Norfolk, Virginia</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>56</td><td>BKFC 37 London: Tierney vs. Lindsey</td><td>March 4, 2023</td><td>Crystal Palace National Sports Centre</td><td>London, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>55</td><td>BKFC 36 New Orleans: Adams vs. Belcher</td><td>February 24, 2023</td><td>Pontchartrain Center</td><td>Kenner, Louisiana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>54</td><td>BKFC KnuckleMania 3</td><td>February 17, 2023</td><td>Tingley Coliseum</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>53</td><td>BKFC 35 Myrtle Beach: Cedeno vs. Slaveski</td><td>January 27, 2023</td><td>John T. Rhodes Sports Center</td><td>Myrtle Beach, South Carolina</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>52</td><td>BKFC Asia 4: The Big Bash</td><td>December 10, 2022</td><td>SpacePlus Bangkok RCA</td><td>Bangkok, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>51</td><td>BKFC 34 Hollywood, FL: Palomino vs. Shoaff</td><td>December 3, 2022</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>50</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Newcastle: Terrill vs. Banks</td><td>November 26, 2022</td><td>Walker Activity Dome</td><td>Newcastle, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>49</td><td>BKFC 33 Omaha: Beltran vs. Alexander</td><td>November 18, 2022</td><td>Liberty First Credit Union Arena</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>48</td><td>BKFC 32 Orlando: Barnett vs. Herrera</td><td>November 5, 2022</td><td>Caribe Royale</td><td>Orlando, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>47</td><td>BKFC 31 Denver: Richman vs. Doolittle</td><td>October 15, 2022</td><td>1stBank Center</td><td>Broomfield, Colorado</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>46</td><td>BKFC 30 Monroe: Hunt vs. Henry</td><td>October 1, 2022</td><td>Fant-Ewing Coliseum</td><td>Monroe, Louisiana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>45</td><td>BKFC 29 Montana 2: Hart vs. Sigala</td><td>September 10, 2022</td><td>Pacific Steel & Recycling Arena</td><td>Great Falls, Montana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>44</td><td>BKFC Thailand 3: Moment of Truth</td><td>September 3, 2022</td><td>CentralWorld</td><td>Bangkok, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>43</td><td>BKFC 28 Albuquerque: Ferea vs. Starling</td><td>August 27, 2022</td><td>Rio Rancho Events Center</td><td>Albuquerque, New Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>42</td><td>BKFC 27 London: MVP vs. Platinum</td><td>August 20, 2022</td><td>Wembley Arena</td><td>London, England</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>41</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Tampa 2: Grant vs. Barnett</td><td>July 23, 2022</td><td>Florida State Fairgrounds</td><td>Tampa, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>40</td><td>BKFC 26 Hollywood, FL: Brito vs. Palomino</td><td>June 24, 2022</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>39</td><td>BKFC Fight Night: Jackson 2: Belcher vs. Tate</td><td>June 11, 2022</td><td>Jackson Convention Complex</td><td>Jackson, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>38</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Omaha: Cochrane vs. Dyer</td><td>May 13, 2022</td><td>Liberty First Credit Union Arena</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>37</td><td>BKFC Thailand 2: Iconic Impact</td><td>May 7, 2022</td><td>Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya</td><td>Pattaya, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>36</td><td>BKFC 25: Adams vs. Cleckler</td><td>May 6, 2022</td><td>Caribe Royale Orlando</td><td>Orlando, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>35</td><td>BKFC 24: Hunt vs. Riggs</td><td>April 30, 2022</td><td>Montana ExpoPark</td><td>Great Falls, Montana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>34</td><td>BKFC Fight Night: Ft. Lauderdale: Beltran vs. Tate</td><td>April 21, 2022</td><td>Charles F. Dodge City Center</td><td>Pembroke Pines, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>33</td><td>BKFC 23: Richman vs. Rickels</td><td>April 8, 2022</td><td>Intrust Bank Arena</td><td>Wichita, Kansas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>32</td><td>BKFC Fight Night New York 2: Grant vs. Retic</td><td>March 12, 2022</td><td>Seneca Allegany Casino</td><td>Salamanca, New York</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>31</td><td>BKFC KnuckleMania 2</td><td>February 19, 2022</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>30</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Jackson: Brito vs. Harris II</td><td>January 29, 2022</td><td>Jackson Convention Complex</td><td>Jackson, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>29</td><td>BKFC Thailand 1: The Game Changer</td><td>December 18, 2021</td><td>Royal Cliff Beach Hotel Pattaya</td><td>Pattaya, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>28</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Tampa: Brown vs. Taylor</td><td>December 9, 2021</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Tampa</td><td>Tampa, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>27</td><td>BKFC 22 Miami: Lombard vs. Hunt</td><td>November 12, 2021</td><td>James L. Knight Center</td><td>Miami, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>26</td><td>BKFC Fight Night New York: Beltran vs. Adams</td><td>November 6, 2021</td><td>Seneca Allegany Casino</td><td>Salamanca, New York</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>25</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Wichita: Rickels vs. Lane</td><td>October 23, 2021</td><td>Hartman Arena</td><td>Park City, Kansas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>24</td><td>BKFC Fight Night Montana: Riggs vs. Guillard</td><td>October 9, 2021</td><td>First Interstate Arena</td><td>Billings, Montana</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>23</td><td>BKFC 21: Cochrane vs. Burns</td><td>September 10, 2021</td><td>Ralston Arena</td><td>Omaha, Nebraska</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>22</td><td>BKFC 20: Bedford vs. Barnett</td><td>August 20, 2021</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>21</td><td>BKFC 19: VanZant vs. Ostovich</td><td>July 23, 2021</td><td>Florida State Fairgrounds</td><td>Tampa, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>20</td><td>BKFC 18: Beltran vs. Shewmaker</td><td>June 26, 2021</td><td>Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood</td><td>Hollywood, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>19</td><td>BKFC 17: Tate vs. Burns</td><td>April 30, 2021</td><td>Boutwell Memorial Auditorium</td><td>Birmingham, Alabama</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>18</td><td>BKFC 16: Garcia vs. Elmore</td><td>March 19, 2021</td><td>Biloxi Civic Center</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>17</td><td>BKFC: Bare Knuckle Kingdom</td><td>March 6, 2021</td><td>The Sea Galleri</td><td>Phuket, Thailand</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>16</td><td>BKFC Knucklemania</td><td>February 5, 2021</td><td>RP Funding Center</td><td>Lakeland, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>15</td><td>BKFC 15: O'Bannon vs. Shewmaker</td><td>December 11, 2020</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>14</td><td>BKFC 14: Palomino vs. Alers</td><td>November 13, 2020</td><td>InterContinental Miami</td><td>Miami, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>13</td><td>BKFC 13: Beltran vs. Stamps</td><td>October 10, 2020</td><td>Tony's Pizza Events Center</td><td>Salina, Kansas</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>12</td><td>BKFC 12: Alves vs. Lane</td><td>September 11, 2020</td><td>Ocean Center</td><td>Daytona Beach, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>11</td><td>BKFC 11: Vallie-Flagg vs. Palomino</td><td>July 24, 2020</td><td>Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena</td><td>Oxford, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>10</td><td>BKFC 10: Lombard vs. Mundell</td><td>February 15, 2020</td><td>Broward County Convention Center</td><td>Fort Lauderdale, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>9</td><td>BKFC 9: Lobov vs. Knight II</td><td>November 16, 2019</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>8</td><td>BKFC 8: Silva vs. Gonzaga</td><td>October 19, 2019</td><td>Florida State Fairgrounds</td><td>Tampa, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>7</td><td>BKFC 7: Alers vs. Garcia</td><td>August 10, 2019</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>6</td><td>BKFC 6: Malignaggi vs. Lobov</td><td>June 22, 2019</td><td>Florida State Fairgrounds</td><td>Tampa, Florida</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>5</td><td>BKFC 5: Lobov vs. Knight</td><td>April 6, 2019</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>4</td><td>BKFC 4: USA vs Mexico</td><td>February 2, 2019</td><td>Beto Ávila Stadium</td><td>Cancun, Mexico</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>3</td><td>BKFC 3: Adams vs. Shewmaker</td><td>October 20, 2018</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2</td><td>BKFC 2: A New Era</td><td>August 25, 2018</td><td>Mississippi Coast Coliseum</td><td>Biloxi, Mississippi</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>1</td><td>BKFC 1: The Beginning</td><td>June 2, 2018</td><td>Cheyenne Ice and Events Center</td><td>Cheyenne, Wyoming</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>

• 2025 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2024 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2023 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2022 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2021 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2020 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2019 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship • 2018 in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

BKFC weight classes

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Division	Upper weight limit	Gender
Heavyweight	Unlimited	Male
Cruiserweight	205 lb (93 kg)	Male
Light heavyweight	185 lb (84 kg)	Male
Middleweight	175 lb (79 kg)	Male
Welterweight	165 lb (75 kg)	Male
Lightweight	155 lb (70 kg)	Male
Featherweight	145 lb (66 kg)	Male
Bantamweight	135 lb (61 kg)	Male
Flyweight	125 lb (57 kg)	Male / Female
Strawweight	115 lb (52 kg)	Female

Current champions

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

<table><thead><tr><th>Division</th><th>Champion</th><th>Since</th><th>Defenses</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Heavyweight</td><td>Andrei Arlovski</td><td>February 7, 2026</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Cruiserweight</td><td>Alessio Sakara</td><td>October 25, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Light heavyweight</td><td>Lorenzo Hunt</td><td>Nov 15, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Middleweight</td></tr><tr><td>David Mundell</td><td>December 3, 2022</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>Welterweight</td><td>Dustin Pague</td><td>January 17, 2026</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Lightweight</td><td>Ben Bonner (interim)</td><td>June 21, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Featherweight</td><td>Kai Stewart</td><td>June 9, 2023</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Bantamweight</td><td>Justin Ibarrola</td><td>December 5, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Flyweight</td><td>John Dodson</td><td>August 11, 2023</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>King of Streets</td><td>Luis Palomino</td><td>March 27, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Women's Featherweight</td><td>Jessica Borga</td><td>April 5, 2025</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Women's Flyweight</td><td>Christine Ferea</td><td>February 19, 2022</td><td>5</td></tr><tr><td>Women's Strawweight</td><td>Britain Hart</td><td>September 10, 2022</td><td>4</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Division</th><th>Champion</th><th>Since</th><th>Defenses</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>World Heavyweight</td><td>Arnold Adams</td><td>November 6, 2021</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>World Light Heavyweight</td><td>Lorenzo Hunt</td><td>October 10, 2020</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>World Middleweight</td><td>Barrie Jones</td><td>April 10, 2021</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>World Welterweight</td><td>Elvin Brito</td><td>January 9, 2022</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>World Lightweight</td><td>Luis Palomino</td><td>July 24, 2020</td><td>4</td></tr><tr><td>World Bantamweight</td><td>Johnny Bedford</td><td>August 20, 2021</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>World Women's Bantamweight</td><td>Patricia Juarez</td><td>May 28, 2022</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>World Women's Flyweight</td><td>Christine Ferea</td><td>February 19, 2022</td><td>0</td></tr></tbody></table>

<table><thead><tr><th>Division</th><th>Champion</th><th>Since</th><th>Defenses</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Light Heavyweight</td><td>Sirimongkol Singmanasak</td><td>May 7, 2022</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Featherweight</td><td>Krisana Srisang</td><td>November 4, 2023</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Women's Strawweight</td><td>Po Denman</td><td>November 4, 2023</td><td>0</td></tr></tbody></table>

Division	Champion	Since	Defenses
Heavyweight	Mick Terrill	March 14, 2026	0
Light Heavyweight	Conor Cooke	December 13, 2025	0
Cruiserweight	Karl Thompson	February 8, 2025	0
Welterweight	Connor Tierney	August 10, 2024	0
Lightweight	Jonny Graham	September 27, 2025	0
Featherweight	Gary Fox	March 29, 2025	0

Division	Champion	Since	Defenses
Heavyweight	Agi Faulkner	November 2, 2024	0
Middleweight	Josef Hala	October 25, 2025	0
Welterweight	Rico Franco	April 26, 2025	0
Featherweight	Nico Gaffie	October 25, 2025	0

Men's championship history

Heavyweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Arnold Adams def. Sam Shewmaker	BKFC 3 Biloxi, Mississippi	October 20, 2018
2	Chase Sherman	BKFC 7 Biloxi, Mississippi	August 10, 2019
3	Joey Beltran	BKFC 9 Biloxi, Mississippi	November 16, 2019	1. def. Marcel Stamps at BKFC 13 on October 10, 2020 2. def. Sam Shewmaker at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021
4	Arnold Adams (2)	BKFC Fight Night 3 Salamanca, New York	November 6, 2021	1. def. Dillon Cleckler at BKFC 25 on May 6, 2022
5	Alan Belcher	BKFC 36: Adams vs. Belcher Kenner, Louisiana	February 24, 2023
Belcher was stripped of the title in June 2023 after he accepted a boxing fight outside the organization against Chase DeMoor
6	Mick Terrill def. Arnold Adams	BKFC 56 Salt Lake City, Utah	December 2, 2023	1. def. Lorenzo Hunt at BKFC: Knucklemania IV on April 27, 2024
7	Ben Rothwell def. Mick Terrill	BKFC Knucklemania V Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	January 25, 2025
8	Andrei Arlovski def. Ben Rothwell	BKFC Knucklemania VI Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	February 7, 2026

Cruiserweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Héctor Lombard def. Joe Riggs	BKFC 18 Miami, Florida	June 26, 2021
The Cruiserweight title was vacated.
2	Lorenzo Hunt def. Quentin Henry	BKFC 30 Monroe, Louisiana	October 1, 2022	1. def. Chris Camozzi at BKFC 50 on September 22, 2023
The Cruiserweight title was vacated.
3	Chris Camozzi def. Sawyer Depee	BKFC 67 Denver, Colorado	October 25, 2024	1. def. Andrea Bicchi at BKFC 73 on April 26, 2025
4	Alessio Sakara	BKFC 83 Rome, Italy	October 25, 2025

Light Heavyweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Lorenzo Hunt def. Héctor Lombard	BKFC 22 Miami, Florida	November 12, 2021	1. def. Joe Riggs at BKFC 24 on April 30, 2022 2. def. interim champion Mike Richman at KnuckleMania 3 on February 17, 2023
-	Mike Richman def. Isaac Doolittle for interim title	BKFC 31 Broomfield, Colorado	October 15, 2022
Josh Dyer and Jared Warren fought to a No-Contest on July 14, 2023, at BKFC 47 for the BKFC Light Heavyweight interim title.
Lorenzo Hunt vacated his undisputed Light Heavyweight title to challenge for the Heavyweight title.
2	Jared Warren def. Jomi Escoboza	BKFC 62 Hollywood, Florida	June 21, 2024
3	Mike Richman	BKFC on DAZN 3 Hollywood, Florida	December 21, 2024
4	Josh Dyer	BKFC 74 West Valley City, Utah	May 10, 2025
5	Lorenzo Hunt (2)	BKFC 84 Thousand Palms, California	November 15, 2025

Middleweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Thiago Alves def. Ulysses Diaz	BKFC 18 Miami, Florida	June 26, 2021
Alves was stripped of the title in June 2022 after he and the organization were not able to reach agreement on new contract.
-	Francesco Ricchi def. Ulysses Diaz for the interim title	BKFC 26 Hollywood, Florida	June 24, 2022
2	David Mundell def. Francesco Ricchi for undisputed title	BKFC 34 Hollywood, Florida	December 3, 2022	1. def. Mike Richman at BKFC 47 on July 14, 2023 2. def. Doug Coltrane at BKFC 53 on November 3, 2023 3. def. Danny Christie at BKFC on DAZN on October 12, 2024 4. def. Donald Sanchez at BKFC 75 on June 6, 2025

Welterweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Elvin Brito def. Kaleb Harris	BKFC Fight Night 5 Jackson, Mississippi	January 29, 2022
2	Luis Palomino	BKFC 26 Hollywood, Florida	June 24, 2022
The Welterweight title was vacated.
3	Gorjan Slaveski def. Jake Lindsey	BKFC 49	August 25, 2023
Slaveski was stripped of the title on December 14, 2023, after he accepted a karate fight against Brandon Jenkins without the permission of BKFC.
4	Austin Trout def. Luis Palomino	BKFC 57 Hollywood, California	February 2, 2024	1. def. Ricardo Franco at BKFC on DAZN on October 12, 2024 2. def. Carlos Trinidad-Snake at BKFC 71 on April 4, 2025
For unknown reasons, it was reported that the title was vacated from Trout in June 2025.
5	Julian Lane def. Gorjan Slaveski	BKFC 79 Sturgis, South Dakota	August 2, 2025

Lightweight Championship

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 2. def. Tyler Goodjohn at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021 3. def. Dat Nguyen at BKFC 22 on November 12, 2021 4. def. Martin Brown at BKFC: KnuckleMania 2 on February 19, 2022 5. def. Tom Shoaff at BKFC 34 on December 3, 2022 6. def. James Lilley at BKFC 45 on June 23, 2023
In January 2024, Palomino stated the title was vacated because he felt he had no more to achieve in the division.
2	Franco Tenaglia def. Tony Soto	BKFC on DAZN Marbella, Spain	October 12, 2024
Tenaglia was stripped of the lightweight title in June 2025 after pulling out of his schedule title defense against Tony Soto.
-	Ben Bonner def. Tony Soto for the interim title	BKFC 76 Fort Worth, Texas	June 21, 2025

Featherweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Kai Stewart def. Louie Lopez	BKFC 44 Great Falls, Montana	June 9, 2023	1. def. Howard Davis at BKFC 56 on December 2, 2023 2. def. Bryan Duran at BKFC 62 on June 21, 2024 3. def. Jimmie Rivera at BKFC on DAZN 2 on November 9, 2024 4. def. Tommy Strydom at BKFC 72 on April 5, 2025

Bantamweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Johnny Bedford def. Reggie Barnett Jr.	BKFC 6 Tampa, Florida	June 22, 2019
2	Dat Nguyen	BKFC KnuckleMania Lakeland, Florida	February 5, 2021
Nguyen was stripped of the title in June 2021 after he and the organization were not able to reach agreement on new contract.
3	Johnny Bedford (2) def. Reggie Barnett Jr.	BKFC 20 Biloxi, Mississippi	August 20, 2021
—	Jarod Grant def. Anthony Retic for interim title	BKFC Fight Night 6 Salamanca, New York	March 12, 2022
—	Reggie Barnett Jr. def. Jarod Grant for interim title	BKFC Fight Night 10 Tampa, Florida	July 23, 2022	1. def. Geane Herrera at BKFC 32 on November 5, 2022
Bedford retired from combat sports.
4	Reggie Barnett Jr. promoted to undisputed champion		January, 2023	1. def. Daniel Alvarez at BKFC 39 on March 24, 2023
5	Keith Richardson	BKFC 52 Columbia, South Carolina	October 20, 2023
6	Alberto Blas	BKFC 62 Hollywood, Florida	June 21, 2024	1. def. Ryan Reber at BKFC 66 on September 13, 2024
Blas vacated the title in June 2025 due to a lack of competition
7	Justin Ibarrola def. Ryan Reber	BKFC 85 Hollywood, Florida	December 5, 2025
Ibarrola vacated the title in March 2026 after signing with Misfits Boxing

Flyweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	John Dodson def. JR Ridge	BKFC 48 Albuquerque, New Mexico	August 11, 2023	1. drew with Dagoberto Aguero at BKFC 59 on March 29, 2024
-	Andrew Strode def. Guillermo Perez for the interim title	BKFC 78 Hollywood, Florida	July 12, 2025

King of Streets Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Luis Palomino def. Howard Davis	BKFC 70 Hollywood, Florida	March 27, 2025

Women's championship history

Women's Featherweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Jessica Borga def. Hannah Rankin	BKFC 72: Day 2 Dubai, United Arab Emirates	April 5, 2025

Women's Flyweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Christine Ferea def. Britain Hart	BKFC KnuckleMania 2 Hollywood, Florida	February 19, 2022	1. def. Taylor Starling at BKFC 28 on August 27, 2022 2. def. Bec Rawlings at BKFC 41 on April 29, 2023 3. def. Bec Rawlings at BKFC 56 on December 2, 2023 4. def. Jade Masson-Wong at BKFC 65 on September 6, 2024 5. def. Christine Vicens at BKFC on DAZN 3 on December 21, 2024

Women's Strawweight Championship

No.	Name	Event	Date	Defenses
1	Britain Hart def. Charisa Sigala	BKFC 29 Great Falls, Montana	September 10, 2022	1. def. Jenny Clausius at BKFC 39 on March 24, 2023 2. def. Melanie Shah at BKFC 51 on September 29, 2023 3. def. Taylor Starling at BKFC 63 on August 3, 2024 4. def. Tai Emery at BKFC 71 on April 4, 2025

Tournament winners

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Weight Class	Champion	Runner-up	Event	Date	Tournament 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
Super Welterweight Championship Tournament	Luis Palomino	Isaac Vallie-Flagg	BKFC 11: Palomino vs. Vallie-Flagg	July 24, 2020	Super Welterweight Tournament Bracket

BKFC records

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

Oldest champion	Andrei Arlovski	47 years, 3 days
Youngest champion	Kai Stewart	22 years, 11 months
Longest championship reign	Luis Palomino	1288 days
Shortest championship reign	Chase Sherman	98 days
Most title fight wins	Luis Palomino	9
Most wins	Lorenzo Hunt	13
Most consecutive title defenses	Luis Palomino	6
Most consecutive wins	Leonardo Perdomo	11

Death of Justin Thornton

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship

The BKFC was involved in controversy after the death of boxer Justin Thornton on August 20, 2021, at BKFC 20. Justin Thornton died as a result of spinal injury suffered during his BKFC debut. Thornton had been on a five-fight losing streak ahead of the fight.

The matchmaking and regulations were criticized by UFC president Dana White, who said “...is anybody shocked? I mean, in bare-knuckle fighting? I’m not a big fan. ...We’ve been putting on fights for 25 years. I’ve done over 7,000 fights with no serious injuries in the UFC. That if they weren’t in the UFC, they probably would’ve fought and they probably would’ve died. So we shouldn’t even be talked about in the same sentence as bare-knuckle boxing."