What’s the cost of a human life? That’s the question fans are raising after witnessing a BKFC fighter’s gruesome injury up close on social media. Connor Tierney and Rico Franco headlined BKFC 90 at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England, on Saturday, May 30. The highly publicized rematch saw the two collide for the interim BKFC welterweight title. And their fight was anything but pretty.

The brutal battle saw Tierney suffer a gruesome broken jaw from an accidental headbutt early on in the fight. Despite the horrifying injury, he continued fighting and was dropped three times in the opening round. Yet he refused to quit and beat the referee’s count again and again. In the second round, the attacks continued with another knockdown. Franco finally closed the show with a brutal knockout at the 1:18 mark of round 2.

In the aftermath of his title loss, Connor Tierney released a statement regarding his injury.

“Regardless of what happened, I’ll announce what’s next in the coming days, as you can see I’m not in a good way,” the Birmingham native wrote on his Instagram story. “I’m tired, overwhelmed, and in pain.😅 Love you all, thank you for coming.”

He also shared a short clip of his mouth, which appeared to show his lower jaw split into two pieces. Despite the disturbing visuals, an official diagnosis has yet to be revealed, and only time will tell how severe the broken jaw truly is. But from the looks of it, it may be one of the worst injuries a fighter can endure. He later even shared an update from the hospital.

“Been stuck in QE Hospital A&E since last 11 pm,” he wrote. “Please tell me, someone on here can have a word and get me through for a scan. I’m in agony.”

The severity of the broken jaw suggests he may have to take a break from active combat for at least the rest of the year. It could easily be more.

For Connor Tierney, the loss may sting even more than it already does. Not only did he lose the title, but it also marked his second defeat to Rico Franco. The pair previously clashed in 2019 under a different bare-knuckle boxing promotion, where Franco knocked out Tierney in the opening round with a vicious left hook, handing the 31-year-old the first loss of his career. 

As such, the road back to health for Connor Tierney appears difficult. In any case, when Full Send MMA shared details of the gruesome injury on X, fans quickly began questioning whether the paycheck from BKFC was really worth it all.

Connor Tierney’s troubles aren’t worth the money, declare fans

Immediately, people were in shock at Tierney’s injury. “This is a gory hustle, man… Is the money that good?” one fan asked. The purse for the fighters remains undisclosed. But a standard title fight payout for a homegrown or established BKFC fighter typically ranges from $20,000 to $100,000, with the higher end going to well-known stars and former UFC fighters.

Another user pointed out that the money Tierney made won’t even be enough to cover his medical bills. “+$10,000 for the fight. -$200,000 for surgeries,” the user commented. In the UK, BKFC is regulated by the International Sport Karate and Kickboxing Association, which offers $25,000 insurance in case of injury or death. They also provide an insurance package for their promoters in case a fighter sues them over injuries. Regardless, the pay in reality may not be as significant, considering even a champion like Connor Tierney has to take up a full-time job as a professional quantity surveyor at a firm in Birmingham.

Someone else claimed such injuries aren’t worth the purse. “Nahhhhh this s–t ain’t worth it. A drawn-out career in MMA is more worth it than bare-knuckle man. Shout out these incredibly resilient fighters, though,” the user commented. BKFC fighters often earn varying amounts depending on their drawing power and popularity. As a local favorite headlining the event, Tierney likely earned a respectable payday, but likely not enough to offset the loss of pay he is bound to incur being out of competition for the rest of the year.

The next user couldn’t believe what they were witnessing. “Is this really what you do to get cash in your bags? This is too gory for a hustle man,” the user wrote. Very similar to Tierney’s, in 2020, Francesco Ricchi, an Italian-American bare-knuckle fighter, suffered a severe, life-threatening throat injury. Despite this, he eventually returned to action.

Meanwhile, this fan recollected their own injury. “Yeesh. I broke my jaw and cracked a tooth taking a charge in hs basketball. Was nowhere near this bad, he ain’t gonna be eating anytime soon,” the user claimed. While the recovery period varies depending on the severity of the injury, fractures as severe as this can often require around six to ten months of recovery or more.

People clearly don’t think fighting bare-knuckle is worth the injury. But will that stop fighters from competing? Very unlikely. Hopefully, Tierney will make a full recovery soon.