May is a big month for the rapidly growing sport of bare knuckle, with events being held in the United States, United Kingdom, and Poland, among other places.
BKFC: Blood4Blood
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship continues its busy spring campaign with events in Florida, California, and the UK.
First up is Blood4Blood, the heavy violence and heavy music collaboration between BKFC, Slaughter to Prevail singer Alex Terrible
and music festival promoter Danny Wimmer Presents. The event takes place on 6 May in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Blood4Blood features four BKFC bouts and live performances by Black Label Society, Crowbar, Malevolence and Slaughter to Prevail.
Not only will Terrible be performing with Slaughter to Prevail, he’ll also be fighting. Has there ever been an instance of a someone performing and fighting in a sanctioned bout at the same event? This is combat sports history in the making.
Blood4Blood Fight Card
Alex Terrible is 1-1 in bare knuckle. His first two bouts were in Russia in the RCC and Top Dog Fighting Championship promotions. His BKFC debut comes against Cameron Delano.
While Terrible is a talented musician, Delano is an accomplished athlete. Delano was a talented American football player as a youngster, and competes professionally in rodeo in the Professional Bull Riders tour. He debuted impressively with a third-round stoppage over Jesse Desrosier last June.
Britain’s own Jake “Brutal” Bostwick faces Roderick Stewart in the co-main event. In a heavyweight bout, the debuting Kratos meets Brock Walker.
And former title challenger Taylor Starling takes on Sydney Smith, a late replacement for Marisol Ruelas.
BKB Holds its Biggest UK Event to Date on 16 May
BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing holds its biggest UK event to date the following weekend on 16 May, Saturday.
BKB 54 takes place at Manchester’s AO Arena, the same venue where the legendary boxing champion Ricky Hatton fought many times. As a gesture to honour Manchester’s beloved champion, BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing is donating proceeds from ticket sales to the late great’s charity foundation.
Paulie Malignaggi faces Rolando Dy in the main event of a huge fight card stacked with champions, former champions, and bare knuckle standouts. If that isn’t enough, unbeaten bare knuckler and former English boxing champion Dec Spelman makes his BKB debut.
It’s no exaggeration to say, in terms of talent, it may be the best bare knuckle boxing event ever organised in the UK. We’ll find out if the in-ring action lives up to expectations.
BKB 54 streams live in the UK on the Talksport Boxing YouTube Channel. Vice Sports is streaming the event for fans in the U.S.
BKFC 89: Return to Palm Desert
BKFC is back at the Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Californa on 23 May for BKFC 89
Former boxing world champion Jamel Herring continues his quest to become a two-sport champion in the main event. Herring faces Nate Maness.
Former light heavyweight title challenger Jomi Escoboza returns in the co-main. Escoboza will step foot in BKFC’s Squared Circle for the first time in over a year. He’ll face Cody Vidal (3-1), a California fighter coming off an exciting fifth-round stoppage win over David Simpson.
Fan favourite David Diaz and unbeaten cruiserweight prospect Iman Williams are also scheduled for action at BKFC 89.
Gromda 25: Luta v Zimus
Poland’s Gromda promotion is back with its latest event on 29 May.
If you’re not familiar with Gromda, it’s a long running Polish promotion who have held events since 2020. The promotion’s matches are in a small ring with 4 rounds of 2 minutes with an extra round if there is no winner. Events feature both Polish and international fighters. UK fighters such as Mark Godbeer, former BFBA standout Kofi King, and Brad Donovan have competed in Gromda events.
The Gromda 25 main event is for the Gromda Championship between Luta and Zimus. The rest of the fight card is to be announced. For more information, visit Gromda.pl.
BKFC 90: Franco, Tierney Rematch in Birmingham
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship makes its second visit to Birmingham on 30 May.
An anticipated grudge rematch headlines the event. Former BKB champion and BKFC title challenger Ricardo “Rico” Franco faces local hero Connor Tierney in the main event. Franco knocked Tierney out in their first meeting, and claims Tierney has been doing some talking. Tierney gets a chance to avenge the defeat in front of his hometown fans.
Former UFC star Darren Till makes his bare knuckle debut in the co-feature against Aaron Chalmers. Hard hitting Jonno Chipchase is also scheduled for action.
UK Legend Godbeer returns at Warlords BKB 6 in Bridgwater
Mark Godbeer needs no introduction to UK fight fans.
The “Hand of God” was one of the first Brits to compete in the UFC, and inspired many with his transformation from fan to fighter through hard work and self-belief.
Godbeer hung up the MMA gloves and pursued bare knuckle. He won a four-man tournament to become the inaugural Valor BK Heavyweight Champion, with wins over Mighty Mo and Jack May.
He signed with BKFC but Covid hit and Godbeer never fought for the promotion. He lost a bout in Gromda and many thought it was the end of the road for the veteran.
But Godbeer wasn’t done and returned to bare knuckle, fighting under the Warlords banner in Bridgwater in southwest England. He’s won three bouts in a row by knockout since he returned in 2024. His opponent is to be announced.
For more fight card information, visit the Tapology Warlords 6 event page.
