BKFC’s international expansion continues to surge forward.
The bare-knuckle fight league which Conor McGregor became co-owner of last year recently held its first-ever event in Spain as part of its ongoing drive to establish itself as one of the foremost combat sports entities on the planet. Next up in its crosshairs? Italy.
At a press event in Florence on Sunday to promote the group’s April 26 debut in the European country, McGregor suggested that BKFC has had discussions with one of the greatest heavyweights in mixed martial arts history.
“Stay tuned, we might have some announcement with Fedor Emelianenko. Hey Fedor, we’re waiting,” McGregor said. “Some news might be coming with Fedor Emelianenko. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is signing and acquiring the best fighters of all time, past, present and future, and everyone wants to be a part of this.”
Former PRIDE heavyweight champion Emelianenko is widely regarded as the best heavyweight fighter to compete in MMA and should he make the move to BKFC, the Russian would join a growing lineup of top level fighters to sign on the dotted line with the company, including the likes of Eddie Alvarez, Chad Mendes and many others.
Fedor stepped away from professional competition in 2023 following a 48-fight career which saw him claim famous wins over the likes of Mirko Cro Cop, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Frank Mir and Chael Sonnen (to name a few).
Meanwhile, McGregor also noted that the BKFC is in line to make its debut in his native Ireland next year.
“2026, I believe,” McGregor said of a show in his home country. “We are coming back to Italy, we’ve already got number two planned, so there will be announcements I’m sure on the close of the show of our second Italian event, so we are loving it here. And then we’ve got Dubai, we’ve got Australia, we’ve got a real globe-trotting plan here for 2025.”
“I assume Ireland, which has a rich bare-knuckle history of itself, will be 2026. That’s what I will aim for, that’s what we will aim for.”
BKFC’s Italy debut will be topped by a cruiserweight title rematch between champion Chris Camozzi and Lorenzo Hunt. The event will also feature the debut of Irish bare-knuckle legend Jimmy Sweeney.
