Can Women Fight in Underground Events?
Yes. Women can and do fight in underground and bare knuckle fighting events across every major organization. The degree of inclusion varies -- from promotions with dedicated women's divisions and championship titles to organizations where women's fights are occasional additions to predominantly male cards. But the barrier to entry for women in underground fighting has never been lower than it is today.
Which underground organizations allow women to fight?
Every major underground and bare knuckle fighting organization accepts women fighters to some degree:
BKFC -- The largest professional bare knuckle promotion has a fully developed women's division with multiple weight classes, championship titles, and headline bouts. Women like Paige VanZant, Christine Ferea, and Britain Hart have been among the promotion's biggest draws.
Streetbeefs -- Women have competed at Streetbeefs since the organization's early years. The organization's mission statement references a "brotherhood/sisterhood" of fighters, and women compete under the same rules and formats as men. Women's fights are a regular feature on the Streetbeefs YouTube channel.
Top Dog FC -- The Russian bare knuckle promotion has separate women's divisions, with women competing under the same format as men -- bare knuckle boxing in the hay bale ring.
King of the Ring -- KOTR in Manchester has featured women's bouts, with women fighting under the same gloved boxing format as men. Remdizz has been vocal about welcoming female participants.
Rough N Rowdy -- Barstool Sports' amateur boxing promotion features women's fights as a regular part of its cards, often positioned as featured bouts.
Backyard Squabbles -- The Los Angeles-based backyard fighting organization includes women's fights in its events.
Are women's fights in underground organizations taken seriously?
This depends on the organization. At the professional end of the spectrum, women's fights are taken very seriously:
- At BKFC, women's bouts regularly headline or co-headline events. Christine Ferea's championship defenses have been main event-caliber fights, and Paige VanZant's presence has driven significant PPV revenue.
- At Top Dog FC, women compete in dedicated divisions with the same production quality and audience attention as men's bouts.
At the grassroots and underground level, the picture is more mixed. Women's fights at organizations like Streetbeefs, KOTR, and Rough N Rowdy are included and respected, but they typically constitute a small fraction of the overall card. The underground fighting scene remains overwhelmingly male, and women's participation -- while growing -- is still a minority of total bouts.
Who are the most notable women in underground fighting?
Several women have achieved significant recognition in the underground and bare knuckle fighting world:
- Paige VanZant -- Former UFC fighter who transitioned to BKFC, becoming one of the promotion's highest-paid and most recognizable fighters, earning approximately $400,000 per fight.
- Christine Ferea -- BKFC women's champion and one of the most dominant fighters in bare knuckle boxing, reportedly earning $250,000 for major title defenses.
- Britain Hart -- BKFC pioneer who defeated Paige VanZant in VanZant's bare knuckle debut, establishing herself as a legitimate championship-level competitor.
These fighters have demonstrated that women can draw audiences, command significant purses, and compete at the highest levels of bare knuckle and underground fighting.
Do women fight men in underground events?
Generally, no. The vast majority of underground fighting organizations match women against women and men against men. This applies to:
- BKFC (separate women's divisions)
- Streetbeefs (women vs. women)
- Top Dog FC (separate divisions)
- KOTR (generally separated)
- Rough N Rowdy (women vs. women)
Intergender fights are extremely rare in any organized fighting context, underground or sanctioned. The physical differences between male and female fighters -- particularly in size, strength, and bone density -- create safety concerns that most organizations take seriously regardless of their regulatory status.
How much do female underground fighters get paid?
Pay for female fighters follows the same patterns as male fighter pay, with the same wide disparities between organizations:
- BKFC: Top female fighters earn $100,000 - $400,000+ per fight. Entry-level female fighters earn $2,000 - $5,000, comparable to entry-level male fighters.
- Streetbeefs: $0. Women are not paid, same as men.
- KOTS: Women's participation in KOTS has been minimal to nonexistent. The organization's roots in European hooligan culture -- an overwhelmingly male subculture -- have limited female involvement.
- Rough N Rowdy: Modest purses in the hundreds to low thousands, similar to male fighters.
At the professional level, the pay gap between male and female fighters in bare knuckle boxing is narrower than in many traditional combat sports. BKFC has invested heavily in its women's division, and top female fighters are among the promotion's highest earners.
Is it safe for women to fight in underground events?
Underground fighting carries inherent risks for all participants regardless of gender. The safety concerns -- no pre-fight medical screening, no ringside physicians, no commission oversight -- apply equally to women and men.
Women-specific considerations include:
- Matching quality. Smaller talent pools for women can result in skill or size mismatches that would not occur in deeper divisions.
- Medical considerations. The absence of pre-fight medical screening means that conditions specific to or more common in women may go undetected.
- Environment. Some underground fighting environments may present safety concerns for women beyond the fight itself, particularly at events with heavy alcohol consumption and minimal security.
For women interested in competitive fighting, sanctioned promotions like BKFC offer significantly more safety infrastructure than underground organizations. The trade-off is that sanctioned competition requires professional experience, licensing, and medical clearance -- barriers that underground organizations do not impose.
How can women get started in underground or bare knuckle fighting?
The pathway depends on the desired level of competition:
For professional bare knuckle (BKFC, BKB):
- Develop a professional record in boxing, MMA, or kickboxing
- Apply through the promotion's website
- Complete medical and licensing requirements
For grassroots/underground (Streetbeefs, KOTR, Rough N Rowdy):
- Contact the organization through its website or social media
- Meet age and identification requirements
- No professional experience required
Regardless of the path chosen, training at a legitimate gym is essential. Boxing, MMA, or kickboxing training provides the foundational skills that make fighting safer and more competitive.
For more on underground fighting organizations, see our complete underground fighting FAQ. For information on specific organizations, see our pages on Streetbeefs, BKFC, and Top Dog FC.