Conor McGregor has announced that he has become a co-owner of the combat sports promotion Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC).
On 27 April at BKFC KnuckleMania 4, the former UFC featherweight and lightweight champion confirmed that his McGregor Sports and Entertainment company had become an investor in BKFC, whilst Triller retains its majority ownership status.
In a video message during the live KnuckleMania 4 broadcast in Los Angeles, McGregor revealed: “Ladies and gentlemen, the huge announcement that I have for you today, Conor McGregor myself and McGregor Sports and Entertainment is now an owner of Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships.
“Welcome to the big leagues. David Feldman, baby, we did it.”
The Irishman was in attendance for the BKFC 41 event on 29 April 2023, even having a face-off with Mike Perry following the latter’s victory over Luke Rockhold on the night. McGregor even suggested he would be interested in competing in a bare-knuckle fight following the event.
BKFC President, David Feldman, helped bring McGregor to the event last year and proved to be a key figure in gaining the Irish superstar as an investor.
He said: “You’ve got the biggest guy in all of combat sports right now as a part owner of our company. I think it’s just going to move the needle tremendously. We’re going to do a lot of big things. We’re going to open up a lot of new markets.
“Look, we’re partners with Conor McGregor. Everybody in the combat sports world, everybody in the world knows who that guy is. So Conor, thank you and let’s blow this up.”
The global appeal and reach McGregor brings to BKFC will be a motivating factor for the promotion to be able to expand its reach to new audiences and markets.
The announcement of McGregor’s investment in BKFC comes shortly after it was announced by the UFC that he would be returning to the octagon for the first time in nearly three years to compete against Michael Chandler at UFC 303 on 29 June 2024.