BKFC News

Adam Martin - October 4, 2019

MMA legend Wanderlei Silva, who recently signed with Bare Knuckle FC, has called out long-time rival Vitor Belfort to a bare-knuckle fight. Speaking to AgFight.com, Silva said he badly wants to get his hands on Belfort.

Chris Taylor - September 27, 2019

Mixed Martial Arts legend Wanderlei Silva is not hanging up the gloves just yet and instead has signed a deal to fight under the Bare Knuckle FC banner. The news comes from FanSided who reported earlier that the now 43-year-old ‘Axe Murderer’ has signed a deal with Bare Knuckle FC.

Tom Taylor - September 24, 2019

Earlier this year, arch enemies Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi stepped through the ropes to battle in a bare knuckle boxing match. In the end, the mixed martial arts veteran Lobov won this fight by decision, although the former boxing champ Malignaggi — and a good portion of viewers — felt the judges got it wrong. Given the controversy surrounding this fight, and the lingering beef between the two stars, Lobov says he’s willing to rematch Malignaggi in the boxing ring. The Russian-born Irishman suggested the fight could occur on the undercard of the upcoming rematch between YouTube stars Logan Paul and KSI, which will air on DAZN on November 9.

Chris Taylor - August 31, 2019

Move over Paige VanZant, there is a new mixed martial arts fighter taking the dance world by storm and his name is Artem Lobov. Yes your read that correctly, ‘The Russian Hammer’ recently showed off his fancy footwork during a friends wedding in Italy.

Cole Shelton - August 21, 2019

Artem Lobov and Jason Knight want to run it back. The two first fought at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 5. There, the two traded shots and put on an amazing scrap that captured the eyes of the combat sports world.

Adam Martin - August 15, 2019

Another MMA fighter has joined the world of bare-knuckle fighting as former UFC heavyweight contender Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva has signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. The promotion announced Thursday they have inked the gargantuan heavyweight to a contract. Here’s what BKFC said in its press release.

Adam D Martin - August 11, 2019

There was a brutal face plant knockout at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 7 on Saturday, and the fighter on the receiving end of the knockout has decided to retire. Kaleb Harris landed a devastating straight right directly on the chin of Johnavan Vistante, who was immediately knocked out cold, face planting on his way to the canvas.

Tom Taylor - August 6, 2019

Isaac Vallie-Flagg knows Melvin Guillard very well. The two UFC veterans previously trained together at JacksonWink MMA in Albuquerque, and even lived together for a brief period. But now, they’re poised to pummel each other, sans gloves, as part of the BKFC 7 card in Biloxi, Mississippi on Saturday, August 10. Vallie-Flagg admits there was some reluctance to agree to a fist fight with a man he considers a friend, yet he knows he and his opponent both understand that it’s purely business.

Tom Taylor - July 15, 2019

Fresh off a bare-knuckle win over former boxing champion Paulie Malignaggi, UFC veteran Artem Lobov is now setting his sights on another star pugilist: Amir Khan. Lobov as expressed interest in this matchup previously, and is once again campaigning for it after his long-time coach John Kavanagh broached the possibility in a recent interview.

Tom Taylor - July 5, 2019

Earlier this week, BKFC President David Feldman proclaimed that BKFC 6 is estimated to have sold roughly 200,000 pay-per-views. This number would put the event ahead of several recent UFC cards, and represent a massive success for a relatively new company. “We got our digital numbers right away,” Feldman told MMA Junkie. “In April, we did a certain amount, and in June, we did six times that digitally. It’s given us a gauge that we’re going to end up at the 200,000 line.”

Tom Taylor - July 4, 2019

Former UFC strawweight and flyweight contender Bec Rawlings was one of the first fighters to make the jump to the surging sport of bare knuckle boxing. During her time as a bare knuckle fighter, which occurred under the BKFC banner, she picked up 3 impressive wins, and was hailed as the Queen of Bare Knuckle. While Rawlings has since returned to MMA roots, having recently signed with Bellator, she will soon be honored for her contributions to the sport of bare knuckle with an induction into the Bare Knuckle Boxing Hall of Hall of Fame.

Tom Taylor - July 3, 2019

Even from the early vantage point, BKFC 6 stood out as the biggest card yet from the upstart Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. The card, which was topped by a sizzling grudge match between UFC veteran Artem Lobov and former boxing champ Paulie Malignaggi, and featured a slew of UFC veterans and MMA notables, generated quite a bit of buzz throughout the combat sports world, and showed all the early signs of a major success for the promotion.

Fernando Quiles - June 26, 2019

Ben Askren has given his take on Artem Lobov’s victory over Paulie Malignaggi. Lobov vs. Malignaggi served as the main event of BKFC 6 inside the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall in Tampa on June 22. Malignaggi was the slight favorite going into the bout, but he dropped a unanimous decision after five rounds of bare-knuckle boxing action. Many were surprised that Lobov scored the win given Malignaggi’s boxing experience.

Tom Taylor - June 25, 2019

Paulie Malignaggi came up short in his long anticipated grudge match with Artem Lobov at BKFC 6, and he also re-injured his infamously fragile hands in the fight. That being said, he seems to be in good spirits after his decision loss, priding himself on trying something new and fighting through adversity. The former boxing champion issued a meditative statement — and shared a few pictures of his badly swollen hands — in a post to his official Instagram account on Monday night.

Cole Shelton - June 24, 2019

Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi finally settled their differences in the main event of BKFC 6. After months of trash talk, the two finally fought. It was a close fight, but when the scorecards were announced it was “The Russian Hammer” who got his hand raised as he beat Malignaggi by unanimous decision (48-47 x3). It was a massive win for the former UFC fighter, and a big win for his gym, SBG-Ireland. His coach, John Kavanagh said it was the best day of his life, as for his friend in Conor McGregor, well he had a different message for Lobov.

Fernando Quiles - June 24, 2019

Artem Lobov is done trading barbs with Paulie Malignaggi after their BKFC 6 scrap. This past Saturday night (June 22), Lobov and Malignaggi went the distance inside the Florida State Fairgrounds Expo Hall in Tampa. There was plenty of bad blood going into the bout. Malignaggi slapped Lobov and even spat on him in the lead-up to their BKFC 6 main event. Lobov ended up scoring the unanimous decision victory and the two embraced.

Tom Taylor - June 24, 2019

Shortly after Artem Lobov defeated Paulie Malignaggi in the main event of BFKC 6 last weekend, Jason Knight gave his take on the fight. Knight, who came up short to Lobov in an all-out war earlier this year, doesn’t sound too impressed with what he saw — particularly from Malignaggi.

Thomas Taylor - June 23, 2019

On Saturday night, in the co-main event of BKFC 6 in Tampa, Florida, UFC veteran Chris Leben stepped into the ring for his third bare knuckle bout. His opponent this time around was Ultimate Fighter veteran Dakota Cochrane, who was riding high on a knockout win over former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks. While Leben put forth a valiant effort in this fight, he ultimately lost a decision to Cochrane. As it turns out, he also sustained some of the hardest punches he’s ever felt in his long and illustrious career — perhaps even the hardest outright.