We are gaining new fans that have never watched combat sports before. 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. Our streaming service is performing admirably. It took seven years for Feldman to convince one state, Wyoming, to legally sanction and apply regulations to a bare-knuckle fight and, on June 2, 2018, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 1: The Beginning featured 12 fights. Its a different presentation to what I was presenting without any experience under my belt. On June 24, 2022, Luis Palomino, Lightweight Champion, won the Welterweight Championship and becomes the first double champion in BKFC History. His father, the late Marty Feldman, was a seasoned boxing trainer. I said, Look, I dont want this anymore. His last fight was in 2003. 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this is going., David Feldman: My team, Brian Peterson for giving me a shot and my family., Your email address will not be published. Can David Feldman Become the New King of Combat Sports? McCain eventually recanted the sport had cleaned up, he said but the phrase remained. You may opt-out by. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Click an image below for Ring Girl Gallery, UFC 288 Countdown: Aljamain Sterling vs. Henry Cejudo, ONE Championship not offering deal to Francis Ngannou It is nothing personal, UFC 288 Countdown: Jessica Andrade vs. Yan Xiaonan, Conor McGregor faces off with Mike Perry at Bare Knuckle Fighting, Mike Perry makes Luke Rockhold quit in BKFC 41 main event, MMA Twitter reacts to Luke Rockhold quitting BKFC fight with Mike Perry, Mike Perry wants Conor McGregor next after stopping Rockhold, Nate Diaz reps issue Arrest Warrant statement following street fight, Conor McGregor announces new Netflix documentary detailing recovery from ankle injury, Arrest warrant issued for Nate Diaz for New Orleans street fight, Conor McGregor is rooting for Nate Diaz over Jake Paul, Nate Diaz launches water bottle, sparks scuffle inside boxing event. I have a core three or four people that have worked with me since the beginning. He has worked for the Jewish Exponent since 2018. 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. I feel closer to those that lost their livelihoods. But I dont think they went in there at a war trying to kill each other. SN: What was the biggest challenge in 2019 that you wereable to learn from and not make the same mistake, sayin 2020? Wojtek Kubik/Bare Knuckle FC. 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! Bare Knuckle FC has a new majority stakeholder. She was worth every cent that we spent on her. Born October 4, 1970, Broomall, Pennsylvania, United States. That was a tremendous setback for those individuals and I feel really bad., But on that note we had to make something happen. 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 . I then say thats my case. I didnt have to explain it, they would get it. Many sportsbooks including BetOnlineare providing odds for the BKFC events including tonights Lobov vs. Knight main event in Biloxi. We're growing exponentially, only way faster than we ever thought we were going to be. He is the number one fight doctor is all of the country, he is our consultant. 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. UFC Fight Night 223 winners and losers react on social media outlets such as Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Founded Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) Everybody either has A.D.D. So I think that it could fit in to todays society and they love it. ONEs Chatri Sityodtong decided not to submit our final offer to Francis Ngannou after meeting. 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. Hes had a lot of Fights of the Night. SN: What event do you think was the turning point for the company in 2019? We know what the fans want. 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. They agreed to a 40% stake each of the business and 20% would go to a third party. By Jim Varsallone. Feldman has given a platform for both boxers and mixed martial artists to compete against each other in the most purest form of standup fighting. No comments yet. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. . David Feldman is one half of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, the latest fight sport emerging from a Broomall-based headquarters. With another action-packed month of MMA in the books, MMA Junkie looks at the best knockouts from April 2023. It also keeps the crowd engaged and it's nearly impossible to have a snoozer. Feldman devoted a significant amount of effort to attempt to expand the unique sport of bare-knuckle boxing within the combat sports community. According to Meltzer: Reports the Paulie Malignaggi vs. Artem Lobov bare knuckle boxing match on June 22 did better numbers than UFC did on many of its pay-per-view shows appear to be greatly exaggerated. Sign up for the We're doing everything right. 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. The fight lasted 15 rounds before Feldman emerged victorious, solidifying himself as one of the highest earners in bare knuckle boxing history. David Feldman speaks to MMA Junkie Radio about the history of BKFC and name drops some big returns to the Bare Knuckle FC ring.Full story: https://mmajunkie.. after tragic death of bare-knuckle fighter", "BKFC and DAZN agree to broadcast partnership starting in August", "BKFC Live Events Headed to FITE+ Subscription Service", "Everything you need to know about Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship", "Paige VanZant vs. Rachael Ostovich official for BKFC 19 on July 23", "BKFC 7 | Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships | Home", "NEWS | Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships | Home", "Bare Knuckle FC 5 fight card for 'Lobov vs Knight' on April 6", "Bare Knuckle FC 4 Complete Guide! 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. BKFC president David Feldman details the success of the recent KnuckleMania pay-per-view and praises Paige VanZant for her debut despite coming up short in a decision with talks already started on . The participants are being paid well and can fight more often due to the favorable format. Feldman is the founder and CEO of Official Celebrity Boxing. Stewart subsequently purportedly received $26,500 worth of payments from Feldman, "allegedly for a return on Stewart's ownership of 40% of BKFC." It got everybody talking because it was an unbelievable war, and that fight got out, the pictures went viral. Required fields are marked *. BKFC hosted the first state-sanctioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States in 1889 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after initially getting the authority to organize a sanctioned event in the city. Eighteen months to two years from now, were going to be a major major player in combat sports.. Imagine I am going into a board of commissioners, ten of them, and I say I want you to sanction bare knuckle fighting, because its safer than boxing and MMA. They are looking at me like what is wrong with this dude? Steven Muehlhausen is a contributing writer for DAZN News. 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. Tom Shoaff at BKFC 34 on December 3, 2022, 1. def. I couldnt be happier., jbernstein@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0740. It was faced paced, exciting, shorter rounds and closer atmosphere. Please check your email for a confirmation. Felipe Colares, a former UFC fighter, has died. Bobby Gunn is the undisputed ruler of the underground world of bare-knuckle boxing. One of his fathers fighters had dropped out at the last minute, and he volunteered to step in; wish granted, he knocked out his opponent in 90 seconds, he said. Mike Perry is nursing an injury after the one he gave Luke Rockhold at BKFC 41 this past Saturday. We skipped January, then we did February around the Superbowl. This is not the first time Feldman has made the news with BKFC. And it's working. Influencers fighting in boxing matches. I hatched it and made it happen. Get Jewish Exponent's Newsletter by email and never miss our top storiesWe do not share data with third party vendors. His . 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. 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 . [8] In February, 2019, former UFC light heavyweight title contender Anthony Johnson announced that he will be joining the company in an administrative role. Thats been the bulk of his life since then. Im not in it for the money. The main event features former Bellator middleweight champion Hector Lombard taking on David Mundell. Thats definitely sitting on an island somewhere. But they see the fighters walk out of the ring fine, not carried out on stretchers, not groggy, they just walk out of the ring. [1] Its first event was held in 2018, with 24 "numbered" events held as of April 2022. 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. But there is always room for improvement of something different. "Feldman claimed that the events lost substantial money," according to the complaint. Despite his considerations of discontinuing the promotion, he finally opted to stick with the original plan. Were now just going to have more assets, more resources, and more possibilities.. Because I know what we do right and in order for anyone to catch us, its not going to be easy. Im not taking light of it. It also creates a sense of urgency going into the final round if one fighter has been knocked down in a previous round, or it's obvious that a fighter is down on the scorecards or if it's two rounds a piece going into the fifth round. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship will remain as is, Feldman said. While Stewart does not appear to be in possession of a written contract, he claims Feldman sent a "Bare Knuckle, LLC., Event Partnership Agreement" identifying Stewart as a Member in advance of BKFC's inaugural event in Wyoming. Its action packed, fast paced excitement. Feldman is the son of Marty Feldman, a widely respected boxing trainer and member of the Philadelphia Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. Born October 4, 1970, Broomall, Pennsylvania, United States. . Its the purest form of fighting that there is. We got to a point where were pretty well accepted among the combat sports community right now, and we needed to make a partnership that was going to take us to the next level, Feldman said Wednesday on The MMA Hour. Create more opportunities, more resources, more funding, more things like that to acquire some more fighters, take care of the fighters that are already there, and just create more opportunities for everybody.. 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! So I had to ram it down peoples throats because they didnt know what it was. I mean its good that we have competition around the world. The matchmaking and regulations were criticised following the news on social media and by UFC president Dana White. Pro wrestling almost every evening. After first receiving approval to hold a sanctioned event in Cheyenne, Wyoming, BKFC held the first state sanctioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. Then I would put a glove on him and ask him to do it again. Its the climb for me, Feldman said. Stewart claims that he and Feldman first discussed the prospect of conducting bare-knuckle contests in 2012 and that the conversation continued throughout the rest of 2012. His father, the late Marty Feldman, was a seasoned boxing trainer. Feldman first learned about bare-knuckle fighting when he was promoting fights in Arizona, and met a fighter named Bobby Gunn. In the Squared Circle, which is a customized circular four-rope ring, each bout takes place in front of an audience. For each BKFC battle, money will be deposited in a pension account, from which they will be able to collect when they reach the age of retirement.. Required fields are marked *. In April, I published a story about how Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship was ready to follow in the UFCs footsteps. David Feldman: It was a building year. "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. So, you know, it's a two-way thing that we're doing to develop this company right now. Bare Knuckle FC president David Feldman confirmed to MMA Fighting on Monday that fighter Justin Thornton had died after a loss to Dillon Cleckler on the BKFC 20 card Aug. 20 in Biloxi, Mississippi. In the first ever event in June 2018, Joey Beltran and . Championship 2: A New Era at Mississippi Coast Coliseum on August 25, 2018 in Biloxi, Mississippi. Nothing is really going to change in the operations of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. We are expanding at a tremendous pace, Feldman stated. BKFC boss David Feldman (Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship), Wrestling World Champions and their women. David Feldman (brother) Damon Richard Feldman (born October 5, 1975) is an American businessman, boxing promoter, producer, and author. Top Fighting Games Currently Trending In The World. We have less concussions, less head trauma, less facial fractures and even less hand fractures. 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. Did Mike Tyson want to get hit with a bare knuckle at his age? Since then, Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Florida have all approved bare knuckle as a combat sport. The only thing we have more of is more lacerations. BKFC 1, which took place on June 2, 2018, featured the first-ever womens bare-knuckle bout sanctioned by the United States Boxing Federation in contemporary history. So what does he like about it? I want to be able to do those things and I cant right now, they understand why. Everyone is doing tremendous and it seems to be working out., David Feldman: It was really just forward thinking. He would tap it a little bit. (pic: Twitter) On the under card for Artem Lobov's main event, president David Feldman was unhappy with how a fighter conducted himself during a bout. BKFC is the first promotion to hold an official state-sanctioned and commissioned bare-knuckle boxing event in the United States since 1889. These scratch lines are based on the Broughton Rules, which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century. The popularity of the promotion has attracted many notable combat sports athletes who made their names in traditional boxing and mixed martial arts. 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. 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Russell Peltz Celebrates Half Century in Boxing. We do not share data with third party vendors. A lot of guys might go I dont want competition I want competition. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is an American bare-knuckle boxing promotion based in Philadelphia. 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. he does hope it can provide a solid safety net in times of need. David Feldman talks growth of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, company's future. We never thought it was going to get here this fast, but it did. The thing about BKFC is that we stay in our own lane. UFC every Saturday night. I think we overpaid her. MetroKids Then I would also imitate smashing my knee into someones head. Taylor Starling at BKFC 28 on August 27, 2022, 1. def. This ring incorporates elements of historical bare knuckle fighting by containing two scratch lines, three feet apart and in the middle of the ring. I saw the UFC did one, it was tremendous and it was great for them to set the tone. In this day and age of having metrics on demand in real time, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has been able to adapt and pivot from the very beginning while assessing data. Waiting to find the greatest restaurant to celebrate at, as well as the nearest bridge to leap out of [laughs]. The ride has certainly been wild and crazy, but its also been an incredible experience that I could never have imagined when the idea for this project first came to me. Feldman, the son of legendary boxing trainer and promoter Marty Feldman, claimed he was motivated to start the school by his own combat sports experiences, in which he saw countless fighters waste their money without putting themselves in a position to succeed in the future. Thats how we were able to grow our fanbase., David Feldman: Right now, Im not going to say that its simple, but its a lot easier. Free Sign Up. This is a voluntary contribution. Mixed martial arts, he said, was akin to human cockfighting, an oft-repeated refrain that was part of his (and others) effort to regulate the sport out of existence. We just made a big splash that day. And if this gets to where were planning to be, its going to be a monster. David feldman bkfc net worth. Trillers first Triad Combat event, which pitted teams of MMA fighters against boxers with special rules inside a triangular boxing ring, was headlined by former UFC champion Frank Mir against boxings Kubrat Pulev. Then yes, Malignaggi vs. Lobov really turned a corner for us as far as getting us into the boxing world and the mixed martial arts world and put us in that mainstream category where some people were saying that it was the biggest fight of the summer for 2019. We are giving the fans something great, the fighters are fighting their asses off. Your email address will not be published. And then another. And now, BKFC. Sign up for the MMA Junkie newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. March 15, 2021 10:59 AM. WWE 2K20 2K Showcase: The Women's Evolution Trailer. Im not in it for the money. 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 . I think we can certainly open up a new fanbase. Also I think its more adaptable to the common person than boxing or MMA. Founded Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) in April 2018 and acted as its President ever since. For Feldmans full interview with Van Vliet, click below. Baltimores Child Former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou wont join ONE Championship, Chatri Sityodtong announced. But I would love to be continually involved with it in some way, shape or form. The former four-time NBA champion previously marveled at bare knuckle athletes, and called BKFC "the future of fighting" after he watched from ringside the combat sport firm's KnuckleMania event in February.. Feldman said last month that he was talking to O . Fredericks Child SN: What are the type of fighters who you're looking to bring in? 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. We knew it as we were doing it but now we have data. But 1 Said 'Yes', "The first appearance of an Iranian in BKFC", "Bare knuckles are coming out of the darkness", "Triller acquires 'majority stake' in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship", "BKFC Acquires England's Bare Fist Boxing Association", "Justin Thornton dies after BKFC 20 knockout loss to Dillon Cleckler in August", "Bare-knuckle fighter dies weeks after becoming paralysed following knockout loss", "Dana White asks "is anybody shocked?" Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Its kind of like a baby to me. This is a BETA experience. I really, truly just take it one day at a time but were planning, Feldman said. When COVID came, it was really just another speedbump. And why are we acting in this manner? Its a dream but its seeing everything come to fruition. But you know I am a passionate person. And any chance to bring more of that into the world is one he wants to take. 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. BKFC boss David Feldman is a boxing promoter (since 2012) and a former pro boxer with a 4-1 record (1993-2003). 2. def. What he is most remembered for in the world of mixed martial arts, especially to fans of the major promotion companies that grow in popularity each year, is a comment he made in 1996. He has a younger brother, David Feldman, who is the founder of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Mind you, theyre only in their ninth event and have already garnered such a large piece of the combat sports market share. And we've always given the fans what they want. Then we just moved on to September, October, November, December. And I think it put us into a semi-mainstream world of combat sports right now. When Gunn described the fighting style to Feldman, he was fascinated. He graduated from Marple-Newtown High School, and attended Delaware County Community College and Temple University both in the midst of his professional fighting career. Enter your email address to receive exclusive content from CVV! 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. . You just cant do that.. Your email address will not be published. He doesnt have that in him. We are the new kid on the block. You are still required to renew your free subscription. By that time I am sure we are really going to change the minds of a lot of people., Justin Gaethje responds to Michael Chandler: Hes slandering my name. Then I would ask So why cant I do this? When reached for comment, Feldman said he was unaware a lawsuit had been filed and that his team will deal with it accordingly. Some have been working for free for more than two years. And on that same shows where we're building our undercard, we're building our future stars. 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 . David Feldman is the Founder and President of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. Apr 26, 2023. He also claims to have been provided a profit and loss spreadsheet at a February 2019 meeting after BKFC's first four events. Home Services Magazine You brought in Paulie Malignaggi and Ishe Smith from the boxing world and different notable UFC and Bellator guys from the MMA world? Then boom, he would crack it. From there things have just started to explode. 18:43. Logan and Jake Paul prizefighting. This weekend at BKFC 14, the promotion will feature a pair of high profile fights including a 155-pound championship bout between former UFC fighter Jim Alers as he takes on World Series of Fighting veteran Luis Palomino. Feldman's father, nicknamed "The Hammer of . Montgomery Magazine that is what is helping to open up these doors that have been shut for so long., David Feldman: I think its just staying the course really. David Feldman grew up the son of a boxing trainer and became a professional boxer himself, going 4-1 in his career. We found a place in Oxford Mississippi. BKFC president David Feldman had an idea that fight fans would fall in love with bare-knuckle competition but even he couldn't have predicted the response the sport has received globally. We think we're about two years ahead of the plan right now. (Editors note: This interview was edited for length and clarity. David feldman bkfc net worth is estimated to be around $500K. I cant wait to see how things develop.. It was an auspicious beginning to a career that ended after just five fights (4-1). Every time I get a nasty email, or a Facebook message, people saying, This isnt going to last, its a gimmick, this and that, it just drives me more and more to make it something more legitimate, he said. We had no idea about that. Earlier this month, BKFC executives announced a . I got three to five years left in this thing. 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. 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. ", "Bare Knuckle FC 3 Complete Guide! Which brings us to bare-knuckle fighting. New Mexico and Massachusetts are right around the corner. The upstart promotion has since held nine more events giving fans such notable scraps as Joey Beltran vs. Tony Lopez 1 and 2 and Conor McGregor protg Artem Lobov vs. Jason Knight 1 and 2 as well as a Lobov grudge match with former boxing champion and one-time McGregor sparring partner Paulie Malignaggi.