Bare Knuckle Fighting is making a comeback in the United States, but should it?

It’s been over a hundred years since the last sanctioned bare-knuckle brawl took place. Now Bare Knuckle Fights’ first event will kick off this Saturday, potentially leading to more down the road.

In the last century, combat sports have become quite popular in the United States. It started out with boxing then progressed to other disciplines like wrestling and has since evolved into mixed martial arts. All these different forms of combat sport bring in tons of fans — as well as tons of revenue. So, it makes sense for bare-knuckle fighting to make a comeback, too.

Fans who’ve been waiting to see an officially sanctioned fight will get their opportunity on Saturday, June 2. Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships is hosting the first set of fights in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The fight card will include various names from both Bellator and UFC promotions, along with some newcomers.

Bare-Knuckle Fighting officially sanctioned in the state of Wyoming

As far as rules and regulations go, the state of Wyoming only recently passed rules sanctioning the brutal sport. Fighters participating in bare-knuckle fights won’t wear any gloves like in boxing or MMA, just hand-wraps that end at the knuckles. The ring has been specially designed for the unique sport, almost calling back to the old-fashioned rings used for bare-knuckle brawls.

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There’ll also be weight classes just like MMA (lightweight, welterweight, heavyweight, etc.). The ruleset, however, will be slightly different from boxing. For instance, clinch fighting is more accepted in bare-knuckle fighting than it is in boxing.

While clinch fighting is limited in the boxing ring, it’s used heavily in MMA — and now, bare-knuckle fighting as well. Keep in mind that only punches are allowed in the clinch. Any fighter who uses an elbow or a knee will likely receive a point deduction or be disqualified altogether.

Are bare-knuckle fights too violent for this day and age?

What’s interesting about bare-knuckle fights making a comeback is that maybe they shouldn’t. Various state athletic commissions have refused to sanction bare-knuckle fighting so there’s probably a good reason. If it was one or two then an argument could be made — but out of 50 possible, 28 said no. Those odds tell us that bare-knuckle fighting is too dangerous.

Regardless, Dave Feldman has convinced one state to do so in spite of the risks. Feldman, a promoter for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships, told MMAFighting that no state he went to with his proposal would approve it — that is until he made his case to the Wyoming Athletic Commission. They sanctioned the sport and an event was scheduled shortly after.

Now that bare-knuckle fighting is back in full force, the question stands: do we really need it? Between boxing and mixed-martial-arts, there are tons of legitimized combat sports for fans to enjoy; bare-knuckle fighting, on the other hand, just seems like overkill.

What will the next level of competition be after bare-knuckle fights?

Honestly, mixed martial arts is violent enough. The fighters don’t wear any protective gear (with the exception of gloves, cups, and mouthpieces) and they’re essentially trying to kill each other in the cage. Bare-Knuckle fighting is similar in how little protective gear is used but the gloves are nixed as well. And for that reason, bare-knuckle fighting might be too savage for average audiences.

It’s still to be seen how brutal the actual sport is but if rejection by 28 different athletic commissions is any indication, bare-knuckle fights are probably too bloody for audiences to stomach. Think about it, mixed-martial arts events are some of the most violent around and they get approved all the time. But when 28 states refuse to approve bare-knuckle fighting, it’s likely due to the unnecessary degree of violence therein.

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For now, all we can do is hope that a clean exhibition is held so the reputation of bare-knuckle fighting improves. There’s a lot of work to be done but it can be accomplished. Of course, it’ll be up to the fighters, referees, and athletic commissions to ensure this happens for bare-knuckle fighting to have any chance at a clean slate. Luckily, we won’t have to wait too much longer because the first event takes place this Saturday.

Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championships airs June 2, 2018, on Pay-Per-View.