Top 10 BKFC Fighters of All Time
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship has staged over 142 events since its founding in 2018, transforming from a niche curiosity into a combat sports promotion valued at approximately $400 million with Conor McGregor as part-owner. Along the way, BKFC has attracted former world champion boxers, UFC veterans, and homegrown bare knuckle specialists who have built the sport from the ground up. With nine male and three female weight divisions, a flagship KnuckleMania event that drew 18,217 fans in February 2026, and broadcast reach spanning 60-plus countries, BKFC has become the undisputed king of bare knuckle fighting.
These rankings consider BKFC record, championship achievements, quality of opposition, dominance within their division, crossover credentials, and overall impact on the promotion. Fighters are ranked as of March 2026.
1. Luis "Baboon" Palomino
BKFC Record: 11-2 | Championships: BKFC Lightweight Champion, BKFC Welterweight Champion, BKFC King of the Streets Champion
Luis Palomino is the most accomplished fighter in BKFC history. The Cuban-born, Peru-raised veteran became the first fighter to hold championship belts in two weight divisions simultaneously, capturing both the lightweight and welterweight titles and defending them multiple times before suffering his first bare knuckle loss after nine consecutive victories.
Palomino's 26-17 professional MMA record provided the foundation, but his bare knuckle career stands entirely on its own merits. An 11-2 record with three championship belts represents a body of work that no other BKFC fighter can match in terms of sustained excellence across multiple divisions. He fights out of MMA Masters in Miami and brings a combination of natural power, technical striking, and an iron chin that has proven virtually unbreakable in the bare knuckle format. Palomino is the blueprint for what a successful MMA-to-bare-knuckle transition looks like, and the standard against which all future BKFC champions will be measured.
2. Austin "No Doubt" Trout
BKFC Record: 5-0 | Championship: BKFC Welterweight Champion | Previous: Former WBA Super Welterweight World Champion (32-5-1 boxing)
Austin Trout is the most credentialed athlete to ever compete in bare knuckle fighting. The former WBA super welterweight world champion brought a level of pure boxing skill to BKFC that no one else can match -- a U.S. National Amateur Championship, a professional boxing record of 32-5-1 with 18 knockouts, and the kind of elite-level fundamentals that make him look like a fighter from a different sport than his opponents.
At 40 years old, Trout sits atop BKFC's official pound-for-pound rankings with an unblemished 5-0 record. His 2025 title defense against Carlos Trinidad-Snake in Dubai went to a split decision, proving he can be pushed, but his TKO of Palomino at BKFC 85 showed that world-class power remains intact. Trout currently holds the welterweight title and is advancing to the lightweight tournament final against Franco Tenaglia -- chasing a second divisional belt that would place him alongside Palomino in two-division champion territory. He ranks second here only because Palomino's longer tenure and three belts represent a deeper body of BKFC-specific work.
3. Christine "Misfit" Ferea
BKFC Record: 10-1 | Championships: BKFC Women's Flyweight Champion (5 defenses), BKFC Queen of Violence Champion (135 lbs)
Christine Ferea is the most dominant women's fighter in bare knuckle history. Five consecutive defenses of the flyweight championship. A second title at 135 pounds as the inaugural Queen of Violence Champion, crowned by Conor McGregor himself after stopping Jessica Borga via fourth-round TKO at BKFC 82. An amateur Muay Thai record of 13-0 that provided the striking foundation for everything that followed.
Ferea's list of defeated opponents reads like a who's who of women's bare knuckle competition: Britain Hart twice, Bec Rawlings twice, Taylor Starling, Jade Masson-Wong, and Jessica Borga. Only one of her championship fights has gone to the judges' scorecards -- the rest have ended with her opponent stopped, battered into a doctor's stoppage, or waving off the fight. The San Jose street kid turned two-division champion is not just the best women's fighter in BKFC. She is one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the promotion, period.
4. Mike "Platinum" Perry
BKFC Record: 6-0 | Championship: BKFC King of Violence Champion | Previous: UFC veteran (14-8 MMA)
Mike Perry found the sport he was born for when he signed with BKFC in 2022. The former UFC welterweight was always a fighter whose style -- raw violence, forward pressure, genuine knockout power -- seemed constrained by the rules and gloves of mixed martial arts. In bare knuckle, those constraints disappeared, and Perry flourished.
A perfect 6-0 record, the inaugural King of Violence championship, and a demolition of Jeremy Stephens at BKFC 82 -- six knockdowns including three in the fifth round, forcing a TKO with 25 seconds remaining -- have made Perry arguably the promotion's biggest box office draw. He brings name recognition from his UFC career, a social media following that dwarfs most bare knuckle fighters, and a fighting style that produces exactly the kind of violent, finish-heavy content that sells bare knuckle to casual fans. Perry ranks ahead of Kai Stewart here because his crossover impact and finishing rate set him apart.
5. Kai Stewart
BKFC Record: 8-0 (5 championship fights) | Championship: BKFC Featherweight Champion
Kai Stewart has been called the "new face of BKFC," and the numbers support the label. The Great Falls, Montana, native is a perfect 8-0 in the promotion with four successful title defenses, most recently a dominant unanimous decision over undefeated Tommy Strydom at BKFC 72 in Dubai where all three judges scored it 50-43. At 26, Stewart combines speed, precision, and ring intelligence in a way that makes him the most technically complete homegrown fighter BKFC has produced.
While Perry and Trout brought name recognition from other sports, Stewart built his reputation entirely within bare knuckle. His youth and unbeaten record suggest he has years of prime competition ahead of him and the potential to become the greatest bare knuckle fighter of his generation. Stewart currently sits at #2 on BKFC's official P4P rankings.
6. Britain Hart
BKFC Record: ~10-3 | Championship: BKFC Women's Strawweight Champion (4 defenses) | Previous: 4-4-3 professional boxing
Britain Hart is the pioneer. She competed in BKFC's first-ever sanctioned women's bare knuckle bout in 2018, headlined more events than any other fighter in the promotion's history, and has reigned as the Women's Strawweight Champion through four consecutive title defenses, including a unanimous decision over Tai Emery at BKFC 71 in Dubai.
Hart's journey to the championship was forged through adversity -- childhood bullying, an abusive marriage, periods of homelessness, and a boxing career marked by financial hardship. She lost her BKFC debut. She lost a title fight at flyweight. But she kept coming back and eventually built a run of dominance at strawweight that cemented her as a legend. Her two losses to Ferea are the only recurring blemish, and losing to the female bare knuckle GOAT is no shame. The sport of bare knuckle owes Hart a debt it can never fully repay.
7. Alessio Sakara
BKFC Championship: Cruiserweight Champion | Previous: UFC veteran (17-13-1 MMA)
The 43-year-old Italian legend joined BKFC in mid-2025 and made an immediate impact, knocking out Erick Lozano in his debut at BKFC Fight Night Philly in July. He then captured the cruiserweight championship by split decision over Chris Camozzi at BKFC 83 in October 2025. Sakara's UFC pedigree -- a veteran of 17 UFC fights over more than a decade -- lent credibility to bare knuckle and demonstrated that elite MMA experience translates to the gloveless format.
His willingness to compete at 43 in a sport that offers no padding, no forgiveness, and no room for fading reflexes speaks to the competitive fire that defined his UFC career. Sakara is a champion in his first months in the promotion, and his ranking here reflects both the quality of that achievement and the limitations of a small BKFC sample size.
8. David Mundell
Championship: BKFC Champion | Notable: R1 KO of Josh Dyer for the title (BKFC 84)
David Mundell earned his championship in the most emphatic way possible: a first-round knockout of Josh Dyer at BKFC 84 Palm Desert in November 2025. The speed and brutality of that finish -- against a quality opponent -- elevated Mundell's standing immediately. He ranks #4 in BKFC's official pound-for-pound rankings, and his explosive power makes him a threat to anyone in the bare knuckle world.
Mundell represents the homegrown BKFC talent that has emerged as the promotion has matured. These are fighters who did not arrive with UFC or world championship boxing credentials. They built their careers within the bare knuckle ecosystem and have proven that the sport can develop its own elite talent rather than relying exclusively on crossover names.
9. Eddie "The Underground King" Alvarez
BKFC Record: 1-2 | Previous: UFC Lightweight Champion, 2x Bellator Lightweight Champion (31-11 MMA)
Eddie Alvarez is the most decorated MMA fighter to ever compete in bare knuckle boxing. The first man to hold world championships in both the UFC and Bellator, Alvarez's signing with BKFC was one of the most significant acquisitions in the promotion's history -- a legitimate legend bringing mainstream credibility to bare knuckle fighting.
His 1-2 BKFC record does not reflect the impact he has had on the sport. Alvarez's presence elevated the entire promotion, drawing media attention and casual fans who would never have watched bare knuckle fighting otherwise. The Philadelphia native has found the transition from MMA to pure striking without gloves more challenging than his storied career suggested it would be. But his ranking here accounts for the reality that Alvarez's contribution to BKFC extends far beyond individual results. He brought the spotlight, and the spotlight has not left.
10. Lorenzo "The Juggernaut" Hunt
Championship: BKFC Champion | Notable: Split decision over Chris Camozzi (BKFC 83)
Lorenzo Hunt earned his belt with a split decision over Chris Camozzi at BKFC 83 in October 2025. "The Juggernaut" brings a blend of power and pressure that has proven effective in the bare knuckle format, and his championship victory caps a steady rise through the BKFC ranks that exemplifies the kind of career development the promotion can offer fighters who commit to the sport long-term.
Hunt's inclusion at number ten reflects BKFC's increasing depth. The days when the roster was thin enough that any UFC veteran could walk in and dominate are over. Fighters like Hunt have to earn everything through the bare knuckle system, and his championship run demonstrates the sport's growing competitive legitimacy.
Honorable Mentions
- Bec Rawlings -- The Australian pioneer who helped legitimize women's bare knuckle fighting and rebounded with a 2025 victory after earlier setbacks.
- Tai Emery -- A 2-2 record but massive crossover appeal and athleticism that keeps her in the title conversation.
- Chad Mendes -- Former UFC featherweight title challenger who brought elite-level wrestling pedigree to BKFC.
- Jimmie Rivera -- Another UFC veteran testing himself in the bare knuckle arena.
- Paige VanZant -- While her 0-2 BKFC record was disappointing, VanZant's signing brought enormous media attention to the promotion.
- Leonard Garcia -- The "Bad Boy" brought his trademark action-fighting style to bare knuckle.
- Franco Tenaglia -- Advancing to the lightweight tournament final against Trout, a potential future top-ten entrant.
The Evolution of BKFC Talent
What these rankings illustrate is the maturation of BKFC as a competitive entity. The early era of the promotion was defined almost entirely by crossover acts -- fighters from boxing and MMA testing themselves in a new format. The current era features a mix of crossover stars (Trout, Perry, Sakara, Alvarez) and homegrown talent (Stewart, Mundell, Hunt) who have developed their entire competitive identities within bare knuckle boxing.
The $25 million tournament announced by Conor McGregor in 2025 will accelerate this evolution. As the financial stakes increase, the talent level will follow. These rankings will look dramatically different in two years, and the fighters who are climbing the BKFC ladder right now -- Tenaglia, Strydom, and others -- will likely force their way onto future lists.
For now, Luis Palomino sits alone at the top as the most accomplished BKFC fighter in history. His three championship belts, sustained excellence across two weight classes, and pioneering role in the promotion's growth make him the standard. Everyone else is chasing his legacy.