So July 24th 2020 we became the first live sporting event in the country with fans. . Committee urges those in bare-knuckle fighting to 'proceed with - ESPN We're signing these guys that are bigger names, and they'repulling a lot of notoriety, a lot of media, a lot of press, and a lot of fanfare to the show. Your email address will not be published. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by president and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare-knuckle fighting, while . DN: I thinkreally going into this whole thing, we thought pay-per-view was, you know, Everybody's going watch it on pay-per-view.' or thinks they have it. I feel so bad for everyone that lost their life or got seriously injured from this. A number of UFC veterans have tested their skills under the BKFC banner, including Mike Perry, Chad Mendes, Artem Lobov, Jason Knight, Paige VanZant, Rachael Ostovich, Bec Rawlings, and more. Because the stars are aligning for us. Lobov made his debut recently winning in a brutal five round war, but president David Feldman's actions have got people talking. Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou wont join ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong announced. I got three to five years left in this thing. Now, with Bare Knuckle 6 approaching on June 22, featuring brand-name fighters like Artem Lobov and Paulie Malignaggi, Feldman is ready for everything to take another step forward. Since starting the organization, BKFC has held 18 events and on Friday night it will hold its 19th event, with former UFC stars Paige VanZant and Rachael Ostovich in the headliner in a rematch. Twitter Reacts As Francis Ngannou Talks With ONE FC Collapse As previously expressed The five, two minutes per round format is perfect for this type of combat sport. It was a turning year for us. All the stress, I cant spend as much time with my family. I didnt know if it ever would get sanctioned, and finally it did. Feldman spent a lot of time trying to grow the niche sport of bare knuckle boxing within the combat sports world. No comments yet. In June I expressed how the sport skyrocketed after Malignaggi vs. Lobov, including my five takeaways from the historic event. Its the purest form of fighting that there is. Feldman first learned about bare-knuckle fighting when he was promoting fights in Arizona, and met a fighter named Bobby Gunn. UFC Fight Night 223 winners and losers react on social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. As 2020 nears, Feldman and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship continue to trend upwards. 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Russell Peltz Celebrates Half Century in Boxing. Now, you're doing events in Florida too. I think that's really the thing that took us by surprise was how much the pay-per-view was pirated and how to combat that. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. After deciding to stick to his guns, Feldman is now focused on executing BKFC 19, which is headlined by former UFC strawweights Paige Van Zant and Rachael Ostovich. SN: What event do you think was the turning point for the company in 2019? BKFC boss David Feldman is a boxing promoter (since 2012) and a former pro boxer with a 4-1 record (1993-2003). Right now, we're doing Florida again. In the co-main event, Dat Nguyen will scare off with Reggie Barnett Jr. with the winner likely moving onto a title fight against reigning BKFC champion Johnny Bedford. His brother, Damon Feldman, is the promoter of Celebrity Boxing. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship seeking first $1 million gate at But its great with all these other organizations because what it does is it makes the sport more popular. Yeah they are busted up, but you see a picture of them a week later and they are perfect. So I think that it could fit in to todays society and they love it. (Editors note: This interview was edited for length and clarity. So, that's just one step into getting New York. David Feldman talks growth of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, company's future. DF: It is the growth of the sport. Felipe Colares, a former UFC fighter, has died. Sporting News: How would you characterize 2019 for the company? This is a BETA experience. "On information and belief, Feldman has transferred Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship to other entities in order to defraud Stewart of his forty percent interest in the business," the complaint alleges. If they are broke and they can establish an account with $20,000, $30,000, or $40,000 in it for them, it will be a great feeling for them to be able to get their hands on it. He has worked for the Jewish Exponent since 2018. It was KnuckleMania, a tremendous event for us. DF: I mean, in all honesty, this is what we envisioned. What does it mean to youthat you're starting to expand into different states? Within a few days following Bec Rawlings triumph, the Bare-Knuckle Boxing Hall of Fame honored this historic achievement by presenting her with the National Police Gazette World Diamond Belt, which was presented to her by the Hall of Fame. When Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships launched just over two years ago, company founder and president David Feldman predicted that fight fans would fall in love with the sport. How To Watch, Who Is Fighting & More! And that's not a one-sided fight, not lopsided at all, but very competitive fights. On June 24, 2022, Luis Palomino, Lightweight Champion, won the Welterweight Championship and becomes the first double champion in BKFC History. STORY CONTINUES BELOW. When Lobov and Knight knuckle up this evening in Biloxi, Mississippi, it will further illustrate how BKFC boss David Feldmans vision continues to soar and how the sport resonates with both mixed martial arts fans and boxing fans. Required fields are marked *. Here we are seven months later as Artem Lobov and Jason Knight will meet again tonight for the second time since their historic bare knuckle battle in April. How fast this would grow and the kind of recognition and acceptance that we got so fast. She was the most expensive fighter that we ever had, on the most expensive card, and we brought in the most revenue. March 15, 2021 10:59 AM. On Wednesday, the founder of the promotion, David Feldman, announced that Triller, a social media company that has expanded into the promotion of boxing and other combat sports, has acquired a majority stake of BKFC. I couldnt be happier., jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740. I then say thats my case. I didnt have to explain it, they would get it. Feldman is the son of Marty Feldman, a widely respected boxing trainer and member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. It is the largest bare knuckle boxing promotion company in the world, and has featured notable talents such as Luis Palomino, 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, Reggie Barnett Jr., Bobby Gunn, Jason Knight, Johnny Bedford, Paulie Malignaggi, Rolando Dy, Reza Goodary, Souris Manfredi, Fani Peloumpi, Steve Banks, Sirimongkol Singmanasak, Buakaw Banchamek, Saenchai, Robert Morrow, and Chris Leben. We have compiled data that shows that in our fights we have less injuries than in boxing and MMA. And on that same shows where we're building our undercard, we're building our future stars. ONEs Chatri Sityodtong decided not to submit our final offer to Francis Ngannou after meeting. All rights reserved. A lot of guys might go I dont want competition I want competition. Oops. Hes had a lot of Fights of the Night. Taylor Starling at BKFC 28 on August 27, 2022, 1. def. Nothing is really going to change in the operations of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. According to BKFC President David Feldman, our fighters are the most significant asset of the organization. We want to make certain that they are rewarded not just on the night of the fight, but also that they are well taken care of thereafter. He has a 73-0 record in bouts that have taken place in parking garages, warehouses, repair shops, and other shady locales, among other things. David Feldman is one half of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, the latest fight sport emerging from a Broomall-based headquarters. Its been an incredible journey, and Im quite pleased with where weve arrived. According to Stewart, he invested a total of $250,500 between December 2013 and the first BKFC event on June 2, 2018, with payments ranging in size from $3,500 to $50,000 and some of the money earmarked for a purported BKFC event featuring legendary street fighter and former UFC athlete Kimbo Slice. Stewart subsequently purportedly received $26,500 worth of payments from Feldman, "allegedly for a return on Stewart's ownership of 40% of BKFC." He also claims to have been provided a profit and . 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. We have two very big either platform or network deals in talks right now and hoping to close that out within the next 30 to 60 days. The president of BKFC talks with Sporting News ahead of Saturday night's BKFC 10 event. You may opt-out by. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has not only survived but thrived during the pandemic. I then ask Which do you think is harder? Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship presents its first event of 2020 with BKFC 10from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Triller's Metaverz and Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Announce Feldman is still looking to get into Texas, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships is looking to make their mark in the combat sports landscape. That Poland fight was really cool because what they did initially when they advertised it as BKFC style fighting and I was like holy sh*t thats pretty cool! I love this, its not a job, its something I really love. Ahead of the show, BKFC president David Feldman sat down with DAZN News to discuss a tough 2020, the growth of the organization during the COVID-19 pandemic, and . The event on June 22, which is available on pay-per-view, will feature 10 fights, though with bigger names than in the past. Feldman maintains that his firm is just doing well financially and that he merely wants to give back to the sportsmen who have helped him. 2021 What an awesome time to be alive for a Combat Sports fan. Then we just moved on to September, October, November, December. BKFC's David Feldman says Malignaggi-Lobov will sell over 100K on PPV [16], BKFC holds all bouts in a circular four-rope ring, referred to as the "Squared Circle". Feldman is excited by the possibilities Lobov has an MMA background, while Malignaggi is a boxer but hes just as excited to further cement bare knuckles place in American combat sport. Perry took the win by TKO. April 14, 2021 1:00 pm ET . Founder and president of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship David Feldman said in an interview with Chris Van Vliet that he was recently offered a generous amount of money to sell the promotion . It was certainly a gamble at the time considering the kind of resistance mixed martial arts faced for years after being banned in numerous states in the U.S. not to mention countries around the world. Also I think its more adaptable to the common person than boxing or MMA. Do we do a closed door show? Washington Jewish Week, PHILADELPHIA JEWISH EXPONENT IS HERE FOR YOU. Until I can change their lives and change my life at the same time, leave money for the next generation, thats when I know it is time to go. [1] Its first event was held in 2018, with 24 "numbered" events held as of April 2022. This is something I believe needed to be done, and I am delighted that we are the first combat sports promotion to do so in the history of the sport.. Baltimores Child [13] Thornton had been on a five-fight losing streak ahead of the fight. SN: What are the target states you're looking to get regulated in this year? On July 24, 2020 it was announced that starting on August, DAZN will be streaming BKFC events. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. We skipped January, then we did February around the Superbowl. BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. Definitely she was every bit as valuable to us as what we paid for her, so it worked for us. I started researching it, and I was like, Wow, this stuff is really cool, man, he said. We do not share data with third party vendors. "Look, it might not be life-changing for them, but at that time, it could be," Feldman said. I was just done, Feldman said. His father, the late Marty Feldman, was a seasoned boxing trainer. While Diaz (21-13) is one of the . In addition to being praised for his work with the bare-knuckle promotion, hes been criticized for threatening to give half a fighter's purse to an opponent at BKFC 5 after declaring that the fighter "wanted to run" and stating, This is how we do it at Bare Knuckle, you fight or you dont get paid. Feldman would later clarify that the fighter in question, Rusty Crowder, was paid his full purse and characterize his comments as a "knee jerk reaction.". SOURCE SPORTS: Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Faces Lawsuit WWE 2K20 2K Showcase: The Women's Evolution Trailer. He didnt expect to like promoting, and he still doesnt like promoting qua promoting. "Feldman claimed that the events lost substantial money," according to the complaint. Before the show takes place, BKFC president David Feldman satdown with Sporting News to look back at 2019, the growth of the organization and what type of competitors he's looking to bringin. In fact just recently Polands KSW promoted a bare-knuckle style main event featuring former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. The event on June 22, which is available on pay-per-view, will feature 10 fights, though with bigger names than in the past. BKFCs interest has grown overseas as well with a lot of interest in Europe and Asia, where international rights are in demand to not only broadcast the events, but to host live events in the future. The really great thing is that next Wednesday BKFC becomes part of the Association of Boxing Comiisioners. One wonders what he would make of David Feldmans venture. . We're doing everything right. However, while he does not claim that the pension would make BKFC fighters wealthy at the conclusion of their careers, he does expect that it will serve as a reliable safety net in times of need. I was offered a lot of money just last week to sell, Feldman said to Van Vliet. Tyler Goodjohn at BKFC 18 on June 26, 2021, 5. def. You can argue my opinion all you want, but you cant argue the data. And then another. When reached for comment, Feldman said he was unaware a lawsuit had been filed and that his team will deal with it accordingly. Which brings us to bare-knuckle fighting. Feldman's father, nicknamed "The Hammer of . Consumers Eye Magazine Its not really getting there; its the climb.. Tom Shoaff at BKFC 34 on December 3, 2022, 1. def. Born October 4, 1970, Broomall, Pennsylvania, United States. He did his fight, which was a great fight against Roy Jones. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images), Early Returns From The New York Yankees And New York Mets Bring Mediocrity, Unlocking Josh Giddeys Offensive Game: The Rise Of The Thunders Perfect Sidekick, The Tampa Bay Rays Keep Finding New Ways To Fill Innings, Olympiacos Are The Best Basketball Team Outside The NBA, San Francisco 49ers Hoping Colton McKivitz Can Emulate Jake Brendel, Kelvin Hoefler And Rayssa Leal Win First SLS Championship Tour Stop In Chicago, Dillon Brooks Talks Like Jimmy Butler While Playing Like Ricky Davis, Dallas Cowboys Continue To Leave Door Open On Ezekiel Elliotts Return. David Feldman grew up the son of a boxing trainer and became a professional boxer himself, going 4-1 in his career. David Feldman BKFC - Facebook I always thought this was going to happen, but I thought it would take 5 to 7 years to get where we are at now. What's so important about it is those local fans can now say that they've become fans and hopefully buy the PPV and watch whatever platform we're on in the future. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Unfortunately, MMA Fighting's resident PPV expert Dave Meltzer is reporting that BKFC 6 sold a starkly different number of units than Feldman's estimate: just 18,000. David Feldman discusses growth of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, company's future. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is only days away from its biggest event to date this Saturday with BKFC 41, which is a co-main event headlined by two former UFC . Jason Knight (left) and Artem Lobov trade punches, Artem Lobov, David Feldman and Jason Knight at the. We are gaining new fans that have never watched combat sports before. Our streaming service is performing admirably. How is he telling us that bare knuckle is safer. It was a gruesome scene for a featherweight title bout at UWC 43 when Jos Pealozas ear exploded. Thats been the bulk of his life since then. You are still required to renew your free subscription. I have a core three or four people that have worked with me since the beginning. If bare knuckle fans didnt think it could get any better than BKFC 5, featuring the first bout between Lobov and Knight, Feldman followed it up with BKFC 6, getting former outspoken boxing world champion Paulie Malignaggi and Artem Lobov to compete in in Tampa, Florida, the most recent state at the time to pass legislation approving bare knuckle fighting. Feldman devoted a significant amount of effort to attempt to expand the unique sport of bare-knuckle boxing within the combat sports community. The pension plan does not take a portion of a fighters earnings, according to Feldman, but rather the organization has committed to matching a proportion of current contracts in order to put money into the pension account. I think that if you are a big MMA fan, you will stay a big MMA fan. And you know, it is hard. Yes, other combat sports have the same tools, however, their infrastructure and value proposition is already so established that its hard for them to make dramatic changes to adapt to the consumer. Feldman stated that he will be meeting with the plans directors later this week and that he wants to have specific facts to share with the public by the end of the day Friday. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship will remain as is, Feldman said. . David Feldman: Looking for the nicest restaurant to celebrate at and looking for the closest bridge to jump off of [laughs]. It was ultimately agreed that Stewart and Feldman would own 40% of the business each, with the remaining 20 % going to a third party, with Stewart providing financial backing, Feldman providing sweat equity, and the third party providing a well-known and respected fighting personality, according to the complaint. His brother, Damon Feldman, is the promoter of Celebrity Boxing. First thing I would do is have the main commissioner come over to the wall, and I would ask him to punch it with his bare knuckle. DF: It is phenomenal for us because every time we get to grow this new territory. How David Feldman And Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Are - Forbes Bare Knuckle FC has a new majority stakeholder. We know what the fans want. that was the big question. The following month we do Birmingham, Alabama, then the following month we're coming back here (Ft. Lauderdale) for a big event on May 16. He joins Chris Van Vliet from Philadelphia, PA to talk about how BKFC has become the fastest growing sport in the world, the struggles he went through to get it sanctioned, what signing Paige Van Zant meant for the company, the offer they made to Mike Tyson to have a bare knuckle fight, the 5-year plan for him and BKFC, why he feels this is safer than MMA or boxing and much more! Something went wrong. BKFC 6 PPV numbers fall far below Feldman's estimate They both have a killer instinct as you saw with Jim Alers jumping off in each and every one of his fights trying to crack the guys. It is a requirement that each fighter must start each round with their front foot on their scratch line. Glorifying bloodsport. I thought that if you could do something that is a little bit more fast paced in todays environment, I like to call it the A.D.D [attention deficit disorder] environment. Some have been working for free for more than two years. We will be self-sustained as far as operations continue, the fighters, everything. David feldman bkfc net worth is estimated to be around $500K. I have a core three or four people that have worked with me since the beginning. In the Squared Circle, which is a customized circular four-rope ring, each bout takes place in front of an audience. He knows the brutality of the sport isnt for everyone, but thats just fine with him. Feldman promises thats just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the plans he has in place for BKFC as he continues to conquer new mountains in the combat sports space. Its a dream but its seeing everything come to fruition. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. Same with boxing. The Monday press conference featuring Paul Malignaggi and Artem Lobov, touting their June 22 scrap in Florida on a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship card the . All of our sponsorship is booming, and our foreign distribution, along with everything else that weve been doing to generate income, has soared, and its exploded because I honestly, truly believe that we have the most entertaining combat sport on the globe on our hands. Feldman has come a long way since he was able to get Wyoming to approve the sport in March, 2018. I love the direction where this is going., David Feldman: My team, Brian Peterson for giving me a shot and my family., Your email address will not be published. I dont mean we overpaid what her value to us is, I mean we overpaid her compared to what other people were going to pay her. He joins Chris Van Vliet from Philadelphia, PA to talk about how BKFC has become the fastest growing sport in the world, the struggles he went through to get it sanctioned, what signing Paige Van Zant meant for the company, the offer they made to Mike Tyson to have a bare knuckle fight, the 5-year plan for him . David Feldman: It was a building year. [9], On February 24, 2022, David Feldman announced on Ariel Helwani's show that TrillerNet had acquired a majority stake of BKFC, while not disclosing the value of the deal or percentages of the stake.[10]. We have to show them that we really mean business and that we are sustainable. Because to me, it was the Paulie Malignaggi vs. Artem Lobov fight that people really started to know about BKFC. Bare Knuckle FC has a new majority stakeholder. David Feldman discusses growth of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Sometimes, they have stick with the path theyve paved while BKFC has been able to still mold its identity from show to show. The lightweights have engaged in a fiery war of words after an altercation erupted as a BKFC press conference earlier this year and Feldman believes thats going to translate into a crowd-pleasing battle on Friday night. Please enter a valid email and try again. Mind you, theyre only in their ninth event and have already garnered such a large piece of the combat sports market share. Some gloves would be nice, though, BKFC president David Feldman reveals why Luke Rockhold couldnt continue in BKFC 41 main event, Arnold Allen: No moral victory in Max Holloway fight, I got half my pay, I lost my winning streak, I missed out on a title shot. UFC every Saturday night. Fredericks Child 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. Championship 2: A New Era at Mississippi Coast Coliseum on August 25, 2018 in Biloxi, Mississippi.

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