The year 2023 was the sixth year in the history of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, a bare-knuckle fighting promotion based in Philadelphia.
The 2023 season started with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship 35 on January 27, 2023. BKFC is available on FITE TV PPV.
BKFC 35 Myrtle Beach: Cedeno vs. Slaveski was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on January 27, 2023, at the John T. Rhodes Sports Center in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA.
The event featured a welterweight title eliminator bout between Yosdenis CedenoÃÂ and Gorjan Slaveski.
The event was expected to have a rematch between BKFC Bantamweight Champion Johnny Bedford and former champion Dat Nguyen; however, the bout was cancelled after Bedford retired from combat sports just a few days into the camp.
BKFC KnuckleMania 3 was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on February 17, 2023, at the Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
The event was headlined by the BKFC Light Heavyweight Championship unification bout between the reigning champion Lorenzo Hunt and the interim champion Mike Richman
The event also featured the bare-knuckle debut of former WBA (Regular) Light Middleweight champion Austin Trout as he faced UFC Hall of Famer Diego Sanchez.
Also, former NFL defensive end and mixed martial artist Greg Hardy made his bare-knuckle debut on the card against Josh Watson. Additionally, the Albuquerque native, The Ultimate Fighter 14 winner and two-time UFC title challenger John Dodson and his brother Eric appeared on the card.
BKFC 36 New Orleans: Adams vs. Belcher was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on February 24, 2023, at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, Louisiana, USA.
The event was headlined by the heavyweight contender Alan Belcher challenging the reigning champion Arnold Adams.
BKFC 37 London: Tierney vs. Lindsey (also known as BKFC UK 2) was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on March 4, 2023, at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London, England.
The event was headlined by a bout between Connor Tierney and Jake Lindsey.
BKFC 38: Buakaw vs. Saenchai was scheduled to be a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on March 18, 2023.
The event was scheduled to be headlined by a special rules bare-knuckle Muay Thai bout between Muay Thai legends Buakaw Banchamek and Saenchai. However, In mid-February it was announced that due to legal implications regarding the use of name muay thai in marketing, the bout was indefinitely postponed. Being the only published bout, the event was removed from the organization's event schedule altogether.
BKFC 39 Norfolk: Barnett vs. Alvarez was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on March 24, 2023.
The event was initially scheduled to be headlined by the BKFC Bantamweight Championship bout between Reggie Barnett Jr. and Gustaf Cedermalm. However, Cedermalm withdrew from the bout and was replaced by Daniel Alvarez.
BKFC 38 Delray Beach: Nguyen vs. Straus was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on April 21, 2023. The event was initially scheduled to take place on March 17, but due to undisclosed reasons it was postponed on the day of the event.
BKFC 40 Leeds: Holmes vs. Christie (also known as BKFC UK 3) was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on April 22, 2023.
The event was initially scheduled to be headlined by welterweight bout between Elvin Brito and Jamie Cox, but the bout was cancelled after Cox withdrew.
BKFC 41 Colorado: Perry vs. Rockhold was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on April 29, 2023. This event featured the debut of former UFC Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, former UFC Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez and former UFC Featherweight title contender Chad Mendes.
Former UFC Lightweight and Featherweight champion Conor McGregor was in attendance for this sold-out event.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 42 Greenville: Soto vs. Goodjohn was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on May 12, 2023.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 43 Omaha: Alexander vs. Smith was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on May 19, 2023.
BKFC 44 Montana: Stewart vs. Lopez was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on June 9, 2023.
The card was headlined by Kai Stewart vs. Louie Lopez for the inaugural BKFC Featherweight Championship.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 45 Hollywood, FL: Palomino vs. Lilley was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on June 23, 2023.
The event was headlined by double champion Luis Palomino defending his BKFC Lightweight title against James Lilley.
BKFC 46 Newcastle: Franco vs. Harris (also known as BKFC UK 4) was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on July 1, 2023.
BKFC 47 Lakeland: Mundell vs. Richman was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on July 14, 2023.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 48 Albuquerque: Dodson vs. Ridge was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on August 11, 2023.
The event was headlined by John Dodson vs. JR Ridge, which crowned the inaugural BKFC Flyweight Champion.
Social media influencer Bryce Hall made his debut in the sport against Gee Perez at this event and was victorious.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC Prospects Series 1 was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on August 24, 2023. It was the first edition of the BKFC Prospects Series.
BKFC 49 Miami: Slaveski vs. Lindsey was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on August 25, 2023.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 50 Denver: Hunt vs. Camozzi was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on September 22, 2023.
The event was headlined by the two-division champion Lorenzo Hunt defending his BKFC Cruiserweight Championship for the first time against UFC veteran Chris Camozzi.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 51 Salem: Hart vs. Shah was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on September 30, 2023.
The event was headlined by Britain Hart defending her BKFC Women's Strawweight Championship for the second time against Melanie Shah.
BKFC Prospects Series 2 was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on October 14, 2023.
BKFC 52 South Carolina: Barnett vs. Richardson was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on October 20, 2023.
The event was headlined by Reggie Barnett Jr. defending his BKFC Bantamweight Championship against Keith Richardson.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 53 Orlando: Mundell vs. Coltrane was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on November 3, 2023.
BKFC Thailand 5: Legends of Siam was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on November 4, 2023.
The event was headlined by a Special Rules Bare Knuckle Thai Fight featuring Muay Thai icons Buakaw Banchamek vs. Saenchai, who were scheduled to face each other in March 2023.
The co-main event featured a title match between defending champion Fani Peloumpi and Po Denman for the BKFC Thailand Strawweight Championship. Also on the card was a title fight for the vacant BKFC Thailand Featherweight Championship between Krisana Srisang and Sarun Srioumboo.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses:
BKFC 54 Bulgaria: Dimitrov vs. Zhelyakov was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on November 17, 2023.
The event was headliend by a middleweight bout between Rosen Dimitrov and Todor Zhelyakov. This event was notable in part because all of the fighters were new to the BKFC.
BKFC 55 Leeds: Christie vs. Warren (also known as BKFC UK 5) was a bare-knuckle fighting event held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on November 18, 2023.
Antonio Moscatiello was set to face Patryk Sagan, however Sagan withdrew prior to the event for undisclosed reasons, and was replaced by Hynek Hospodarsky.
BKFC 56 Utah: Perry vs. Alvarez is a bare-knuckle fighting event being held by Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship on December 2, 2023.
This event featured former UFC fighter Mike Perry against former UFC Lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. This also had the bareknuckle debut of former UFC fighter Jeremy Stephens.
A Heavyweight bout between Ben Rothwell and Todd Duffee was scheduled for the co-main event. However, on November 30, it was announced the bout was cancelled due to Rothwell having an illness. The bout was rescheduled for on April 27, 2024. A bout between Nick Rossborough and Kevin Brooks was cancelled prior to the event.
Bonus awards
The following fighters were awarded bonuses: