After making waves across the Americas, BKFC is now gearing up for its debut in Newark, New Jersey, on October 4th. This marks a first for the state — the inaugural Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship event at the iconic Prudential Center, which spans 850,000 square feet and is renowned for hosting UFC events. Before landing in New Jersey, BKFC will first visit Montenegro, Florida, and England, continuing its global tour.

The promotion has experienced record-breaking growth in recent years, with sellouts in Denver, Miami, and London, and Newark represents its biggest arena booking to date. For BKFC, this debut in New Jersey is not just a milestone but a test of whether bare-knuckle fighting can hold its own in one of combat sports’ most competitive markets.

As for the Newark card, BKFC 82, the spotlight will be on the King of Violence championship clash between Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens. Even though the event is still months away, it is already generating buzz, with five bouts confirmed, while UFC mega-star Conor McGregor is leaving no stone unturned to promote it.

Conor McGregor rallies support for ex-UFC star ahead of BKFC New Jersey card

Since joining BKFC as a part-owner, Conor McGregor has been relentless, consistently leading the charge in promoting BKFC events. Even while preparing for his UFC comeback in Italy, McGregor has made time to support former UFC bantamweight standout Jimmie Rivera, who is set to face ex-UFC champion Frankie Edgar in the featherweight division. The Irishman also amped up excitement for the Newark card on Instagram, declaring: “17,000 STRONG! NEW JERSEY! BKFC”

During their active days, Rivera dominated as one of the sport’s elite bantamweights, while Edgar’s UFC achievements were evident to all. Furthermore, the Newark event carries extra weight for Rivera, as it marks his hometown. Thanks to Conor McGregor’s promotional push, fans are set to fill all 17,000 seats at the Prudential Center, promising a high-octane night of action.

Over the course of nearly 17 years, thirty-six-year-old Jimmie Rivera (23-5) climbed the MMA ranks, starting with Ring of Combat and competing across top American circuits, including Bellator. After years of regional grind, the ‘El Terror’ made his UFC debut in 2015, blazing through a five-fight win streak. However, a loss to Marlon Vera shifted his trajectory, and by 2021 he went 2-4 in his last six bouts. Importantly, five of his career defeats have come inside the UFC octagon.

BKFC CEO teases potential McGregor debut in the bare-knuckle league

Conor McGregor is back in the UFC testing pool, having already submitted his sample twice. He is currently training in Italy alongside amateur fighters as he prepares for his long-awaited UFC return, which has been on hold for nearly four years. ‘the Notorious’ aims to complete the two remaining fights on his UFC contract, with his sights set on the promotion’s highly anticipated White House event scheduled for July 4 next year.

While the card is still almost a year away, he shows full commitment to his comeback in his recent training clips. Conor McGregor missed the BKFC 82 Newark press conference, where he serves as a part-owner, but BKFC President later clarified that his absence was purely due to training.

Speaking about Conor McGregor as a business partner, David Feldman said: “We were supposed to have my partner, my friend Conor McGregor, here today, but he couldn’t make it at the last minute because he’s extremely focused. It’s the best Conor McGregor I’ve ever seen… He’s training hard.”

Although McGregor has previously faced Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens in the BKFC ring, Perry himself has now also doubled down on David Feldman’s claims, expressing interest in facing McGregor in the future. Whether it will happen successfully remains to be seen.