Conor McGregor’s BKFC Budva Turns Into Tragedy as Storm Injures Fans and Derails Event

Known for bringing the heat inside arenas, Conor McGregor literally faced a storm last night at Budva’s open-air venue, Top Hill. He attended BKFC fight night: Bakocevic vs. Ott, part of his push to expand his bare-knuckle fighting promotion in Montenegro—a stunning Balkan country with rugged mountains, medieval villages, and a narrow Adriatic coastline.

Initially intended to be a historic debut, the night quickly descended into chaos. The promotion had scheduled an 11-fight card to welcome fans; however, relentless rain forced organizers to delay the event from 2 PM EST to 7 PM EST. BKFC chose an open-air nightclub for the fights, and while early bouts played out under light breezes, creating a cinematic feel, the approaching storm quickly turned dangerous.

BKFC Budva came under storm threat as McGregor’s fight night faced interruptions

As a result, the severe weather disrupted the schedule. While the undercard continued, organizers ultimately canceled both the co-main and main events. Later, Red Corner MMA released footage showing the chaos, high winds, and the risks of hosting outdoor events along Montenegro’s coastline. Red Corner MMA captioned the clip: “The BKFC event was cut short after severe weather caused scaffolding to collapse. Footage shows people on the ground injured, raising concerns about whether outdoor events like this are truly safe.”

The video clearly shows equipment toppling onto fans who had come to enjoy the fights and Conor MacGregor was standing there in middle. Additionally, adding her perspective, ring girl Kaitlyn Bertrand documented the aftermath on Instagram, posting in her story: “Storm came through:” This disruption, however, wasn’t a sudden anomaly.

Budva, Montenegro, in August typically experiences peak summer dryness, making heavy storms like this particularly striking. For example, last July, a sudden storm with powerful winds and high waves forced the rescue of around 40 tourists from beaches in Budva, Bar, and Kotor. Unsurprisingly, the storm directly impacted the BKFC event, forcing organizers to cancel the last two fights and postpone them to a later date. Local outlets have since reported that several attendees sustained minor injuries from falling scaffolding, though no fatalities occurred. This has reignited debate among promoters about the risks of staging combat sports in open-air nightclubs along the Adriatic coast.

Despite the interruption, the storm disrupted the broadcasts of the full card, but BKFC confirmed that they will release them on the BKFC app at a later time. “Weather-related technical disruptions have unfortunately postponed today’s scheduled live broadcast of BKFC Fight Night Budva from Budva, Montenegro,” the promotion said in a statement. “The live broadcast will resume on The BKFC App if/when conditions permit, and the event replay may be available at a later date.”

David Feldman shares the world scoop on Conor McGregor’s next bout

It has been nearly four years since Conor McGregor last showcased his skills in the cage. Those days, however, now appear behind him, as the Irish superstar has returned to action and set his sights on the UFC White House next year. At the same time, David Feldman, CEO of BKFC and McGregor’s business partner, has expressed interest in seeing McGregor compete in the bare-knuckle promotion.

The Irishman has welcomed the idea, all while continuing to promote BKFC events that have consistently sold out. ‘the Notorious’s absence from BKFC 82, however, raised questions among fans and analysts alike. Feldman later clarified that McGregor is currently in Italy preparing for a fight, and once his UFC White House commitments are complete, he could return to BKFC. Feldman hinted that the Irishman’s comeback as a fighter may be imminent.

“We were supposed to have my partner, my friend Conor McGregor was going to be here today, but he couldn’t make it last minute because he’s actually very, very focused. It’s the best Conor McGregor I’ve ever seen… He’s training hard,” Feldman said.

Feldman’s remarks were echoed by Mike Perry, who also expressed interest in facing McGregor under the BKFC banner. McGregor has previously squared off against both Perry and Jeremy Stephens in the BKFC ring. However, any potential matchup remains uncertain, as the Irishman still has two fights remaining on his UFC contract. Given UFC’s exclusive rights over McGregor’s services, any BKFC appearance would require a special cross-promotion arrangement, something Dana White has historically resisted. Still, Feldman’s optimism suggests ongoing conversations about whether McGregor could make a one-off appearance to boost BKFC’s global profile.