Mick "The Butcher of Shields" Terrill: BKFC's British Heavyweight Knockout King
Mick "The Butcher of Shields" Terrill is an English bare knuckle boxer from North Shields and a former Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship world heavyweight champion. He won the title in December 2023, defended it once and lost it to Ben Rothwell in January 2025. His bare knuckle record stands at 12-3 after his two 2026 BKB fights, with all but one of his wins coming by stoppage (Wikipedia for the record through March 2026; Low Kick MMA and Low Kick MMA for BKB 57 and 58).
Quick Facts
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Michael Gordon John Terrill |
| Nickname | The Butcher of Shields |
| Born | 17 June 1983, Tyne and Wear, England |
| Hometown | North Shields, England |
| Weight Class | Heavyweight |
| Bare Knuckle Record | 12-3 (BKFC fights: 5-2) |
| Finishing Rate | 11 of 12 wins by stoppage |
| Titles | Former BKFC Heavyweight World Champion; inaugural BKFC UK Heavyweight Champion; former BKB World Heavyweight Champion (2017) |
| Organization | BKB (2016-2018, and again from 2026), BKFC (2021-2026) |
Overview
Terrill is an English kickboxer turned bare knuckle boxer from North Shields in the north east of England, where the nickname "The Butcher of Shields" comes from. As a kickboxer he reached the final of the SUPERKOMBAT World Grand Prix III 2014 cruiserweight tournament. He fights at heavyweight, and his only win that went the distance was his first bare knuckle bout, a 2016 decision over Michael Quinn McDonagh. Five of his stoppages came inside the opening round.
He was a champion in British bare knuckle before BKFC arrived in the UK. Fighting for the original British BKB promotion, he won its vacant world heavyweight title at BKB 5 in April 2017 and defended it twice. His later BKFC world title made him one of the most decorated British heavyweights in the sport.
BKFC Career
Terrill's path to the title ran through an early setback. He lost his BKFC debut to Arnold Adams at BKFC 19 in Tampa in July 2021, knocked out in the third round. He then stopped Sam Shewmaker at BKFC 27 in London and Steve Banks in a Newcastle title eliminator, and avenged the Adams loss at BKFC 56 in Salt Lake City on December 2, 2023, knocking Adams out in the fourth round to claim the vacant world heavyweight championship. The performance earned Knockout of the Night honors.
He defended the belt on April 27, 2024, at KnuckleMania IV in Los Angeles, stopping Lorenzo Hunt in the first round. His reign ended on January 25, 2025, at KnuckleMania V in Philadelphia, where Ben Rothwell knocked him out 36 seconds into the first round to take the title.
Terrill rebuilt afterward. On March 14, 2026, at BKFC Fight Night Newcastle in the Utilita Arena, he stopped Jay McFarlane at 0:53 of the first round to win the inaugural BKFC United Kingdom Heavyweight Title (MyMMANews). In May 2026 he signed an exclusive multi-fight deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing, the promotion that first made his name (Gareth A Davies).
His first BKB fight back headlined BKB 57 at the indigo at the O2 in London on July 25, 2026, where he stopped Germany's Florian De La Motte at 1:41 of the first round (Low Kick MMA). Five weeks later he took a title fight on less than three days' notice: on August 29, 2026, at BKB 58 in Miami, he replaced Mark O'Neill against unbeaten heavyweight champion Gustavo Trujillo and was stopped by a body shot late in the second round (Low Kick MMA). A cut from that fight forced him off the BKB 60 headliner in Newcastle on October 10, 2026 (Cageside Press).
Fighting Style
Terrill is a knockout puncher. Eleven of his twelve wins ended early, five of them in the first round, which marks him as a fighter who tends to settle matters early or risk being settled early himself. In the heavyweight division, where bare knuckle bouts often turn on a single clean shot, that profile is both his greatest weapon and his exposure.
His three losses illustrate the same dynamic in reverse: Arnold Adams, Ben Rothwell and Gustavo Trujillo all stopped him. Terrill is not a points boxer; since his debut decision in 2016, every one of his fights has ended inside the distance.
Notable Fights
| Date | Opponent | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 22, 2017 | John Lewis | BKB 5 | W - TKO Rd 2 (vacant BKB world heavyweight title) |
| Jul 23, 2021 | Arnold Adams | BKFC 19 | L - KO Rd 3 (BKFC debut) |
| Dec 2, 2023 | Arnold Adams | BKFC 56 | W - KO Rd 4 (vacant heavyweight title) |
| Apr 27, 2024 | Lorenzo Hunt | KnuckleMania IV | W - TKO Rd 1 (title defense) |
| Jan 25, 2025 | Ben Rothwell | KnuckleMania V | L - KO Rd 1 (lost title) |
| Mar 14, 2026 | Jay McFarlane | BKFC Fight Night Newcastle | W - TKO Rd 1 (inaugural BKFC UK heavyweight title) |
| Jul 25, 2026 | Florian De La Motte | BKB 57 | W - TKO Rd 1 (BKB return) |
| Aug 29, 2026 | Gustavo Trujillo | BKB 58 | L - KO Rd 2 (BKB heavyweight title) |
Legacy
Terrill's legacy rests on holding world heavyweight titles in two promotions: BKB in 2017 and BKFC from 2023 to 2025. His knockout of Arnold Adams to claim the BKFC belt, and his first-round defense against Lorenzo Hunt, were statement wins for the UK side of the sport.
Eleven stoppages in twelve wins also give him one of the more distinctive ledgers in the division's short history. His later move to BKB reflects the competition between bare knuckle promotions for established names. For broader context, see the best BKFC fighters of all time, the promotion's pay guide, and lightweight contender Tony Soto.
FAQ
What is Mick Terrill's BKFC record?
Terrill went 5-2 in BKFC. His overall bare knuckle record is 12-3, with 11 of the 12 wins by stoppage and five of them in the first round (Wikipedia for the record through March 2026, plus his two BKB fights in July and August 2026).
Was Mick Terrill a BKFC world champion?
Yes. Terrill knocked out Arnold Adams at BKFC 56 in December 2023 to win the vacant world heavyweight title. He defended it once before losing it to Ben Rothwell in January 2025.
Why is Mick Terrill called "The Butcher of Shields"?
The nickname references his hometown of North Shields in north east England, paired with his reputation as a heavy-handed knockout puncher.
Did Mick Terrill leave BKFC?
Yes. After winning the inaugural BKFC UK Heavyweight Title in March 2026, Terrill signed an exclusive multi-fight deal with BKB Bare Knuckle Boxing in May 2026. He won his first fight back, stopping Florian De La Motte in the first round at BKB 57 in London in July 2026, then lost a short-notice BKB heavyweight title challenge to Gustavo Trujillo at BKB 58 in August 2026.
