Athletic Commission Oversight: How BKFC Got Licensed
When Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship held its first sanctioned event on June 2, 2018, in Cheyenne, Wyoming, it marked the first legal bare knuckle fighting event in the United States since 1889. The road to that moment was anything but straightforward.
Before BKFC: The Regulatory Void
For over a century, bare knuckle fighting existed exclusively in the underground. The introduction of the Marquess of Queensberry rules in the 1860s and the subsequent adoption of boxing gloves pushed bare knuckle fighting out of the mainstream entirely.
By the early 2000s, underground bare knuckle events were common in:
- The UK and Ireland (traveller fight culture)
- Russia (Top Dog and Strelka events)
- Backyard operations across the American South
But none of these events operated with any form of regulatory oversight, medical supervision, or legal protection for fighters.
The BKFC Founding Vision
David Feldman, a veteran boxing promoter from Philadelphia, founded BKFC with a specific strategy: work within the system rather than outside it. His approach involved several key steps:
- Identify a willing jurisdiction — Wyoming had a small but functional combat sports commission open to innovation.
- Develop comprehensive rules — Feldman's team drafted rules that addressed the specific safety concerns of bare knuckle fighting.
- Secure medical protocols — On-site physicians, ambulances, and pre-fight medical screenings were built into the plan from day one.
- Build political relationships — Lobbying state legislators and commission members became a full-time effort.
The Wyoming Breakthrough (2018)
The Wyoming Combat Sports Commission agreed to sanction the first event after months of negotiation. Key concessions and rules included:
- No hitting a downed opponent — Distinguishing BKB from MMA
- Standing eight count — Borrowed from traditional boxing
- Two-minute rounds — Shorter than standard boxing to reduce cumulative hand damage
- Mandatory hand wrapping — Limited wrapping to protect the metacarpals without adding striking power
- Ringside physicians — Required to be present throughout every event
BKFC 1 featured a main event between former UFC fighters and attracted significant media attention. The event went off without serious incident, which proved critical for future expansion.
Rapid Expansion: 2019-2022
Following the Wyoming success, BKFC targeted states with established athletic commissions and favorable regulatory environments:
- Mississippi and Florida (2018-2019) became early adopters, hosting major events that drew national attention.
- Multiple Southern states followed in 2020-2021, creating a geographic corridor for touring events.
- Texas and Nevada (2022) represented breakthrough moments — access to massive markets in Dallas, Houston, and Las Vegas.
Each new state required a separate licensing process, rule approval, and relationship building with local commission members. The state-by-state legality map shows the full progression.
The ABC Unified Rules (2024)
The most significant regulatory milestone came in 2024 when the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) formally adopted unified rules for bare knuckle boxing. This was the same body that had created the unified rules for MMA in the early 2000s, which transformed that sport from "human cockfighting" into a regulated billion-dollar industry.
The unified rules standardized:
- Weight classes and weigh-in procedures
- Hand wrapping specifications
- Permissible and prohibited techniques
- Scoring criteria
- Medical requirements
- Drug testing protocols
Challenges Along the Way
The path to licensure was not without significant obstacles:
Medical Community Opposition
Doctors and medical associations raised concerns about hand fractures, facial lacerations, and traumatic brain injury. BKFC countered with data suggesting that shorter fights and less padding actually reduced concussion rates compared to gloved boxing.
Political Opposition
Legislators in several states attempted to explicitly ban bare knuckle fighting. New York remains the most prominent state where opposition has blocked legalization.
Public Perception
The media coverage of underground fighting often conflated sanctioned bare knuckle events with illegal fight clubs, creating a perception problem that required constant PR efforts.
Insurance
Securing liability insurance proved enormously difficult in the early years. Premiums were astronomical, and many carriers refused to underwrite bare knuckle events entirely.
The IBA Factor (2025)
The International Boxing Association's decision to recognize bare knuckle boxing in 2025 added international legitimacy to the sport. While the IBA's own governance has been controversial, their endorsement opened doors for bare knuckle organizations worldwide.
Where BKFC Stands Today
As of 2026, BKFC operates as the dominant bare knuckle promotion in the United States, with:
- Events in over 30 states
- A roster of over 200 contracted fighters
- A multi-million dollar valuation
- Television and streaming distribution deals
- International expansion into the UK, Australia, and Thailand
The regulatory framework that BKFC pioneered has also enabled competitors to enter the market, creating a growing ecosystem of licensed bare knuckle promotions.
Lessons for Combat Sports Regulation
The BKFC story offers a template for how combat sports can transition from underground to licensed:
- Start in a receptive jurisdiction
- Prioritize fighter safety above all else
- Build relationships with regulators, not adversarial dynamics
- Let the safety record speak for itself
- Push for unified rules to create consistency
The fight to legalize bare knuckle boxing continues in the remaining holdout states, but the trajectory is clear.