Off the ‘beaten’ track.
As a walking, talking cautionary tale, six former Ultimate Fighting Championship stars – including to former opponents of Conor McGregor – have been announced on the card for a bare knuckle fighting event in the USA.
For UFC middleweight and lightweight champions Luke Rockhold and Eddie Alvarez are among the big names announced for the BKFC 41 card, which takes place in Denver, Colorado on April 29.
Rockhold will face-off against Mike Perry, who finished up with the UFC in 2021 after losing four out of five fights over a two-year spell. He switched to the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship [going gloveless for bouts] and is currently 2-0 in the promotion.
That fight will be the main event while the co-main features two men that fought for UFC featherweight gold, and men Conor McGregor fought on his road to becoming the promotion’s first ever ‘Champ Champ’.
Old foes of Conor McGregor sign up for bare-knuckle fights
The co-main event of BKFC 41 features two men that diced with Conor McGregor when he was scorching earth in the UFC.
Chad Mendes will take on Eddie Alvarez in the second billing of the main fight card. The Californian, who twice fight for the interim UFC featherweight belt (losing to Josè Aldo and Conor McGregor), will square off against Philadelphia native, Alvarez.
Alvarez was lightweight champion in 2016 when he put his belt on the line against featherweight champ, McGregor. ‘The Notorious’ was never better in The Octagon and put up a clinic against ‘The Underground King’ to comfortably win, and hold belts in multiple divisions. Alvarez switched from the UFC to ONE Championship but had an amicable split from that promotion before returning to the USA.
BKFC 41 card (so far)
- Luke Rockhold vs. Mike Perry
- Eddie Alvarez vs. Chad Mendes
- Christine Ferea vs. Bec Rawlings
- Ben Rothwell vs. Opponent TBC
Luke Rockhold joined Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour, on Wednesday, and while he did not mention how much he is being paid to forgo the protection of padded gloves, he insisted BKFC is valuing him more than his old promotion.
“I’m done being a f***ing slave,” he declared. “I’m excited to be partnered with bare-knuckle, and to do this thing right. To give to the fans. I think it brings the best out of a fighter too, you know what I mean? When you’re not enslaved into that s**t, you know.”
Related articles:
- “No hand-outs. Did it the hard way” – Ciaran Clarke on Bellator 291, Drogheda, the future and more
- Conor McGregor’s UFC comeback finally confirmed by Dana White
- On the Luas to Abbey Street with Pedro Carvalho as Bellator 291 approaches
- “I miss this. I’m ready” – Yaroslav Amosov returns from war to defend title at Bellator 291
