DUBAI: Tonight, London’s O2 Arena will tonight host one of the world’s fastest growing combat sport franchises when BKB 57: Anarchy in the UK sees heavyweight Mick Terrill take on Florian de la Motte, as well as the bare-knuckle debuts of the Vargas brothers.
But the sport could blossom closer to home in the coming years — certainly if Bare Knuckle Boxing’s chief marketing officer, Loren Mack, gets his way.
With an influx of sports increasingly looking to places like Saudi Arabia and the UAE as major markets and potential go-to locations, the possibility of this relatively new flavor of combat sports hitting Middle Eastern shores is rising, says Mack, who is also BKB’s executive vice president of strategy.
“Bare Knuckle Boxing represents one of the biggest growth opportunities in combat sports today. What sets us apart is our commitment to building a truly global organization,” he explained. “We’ve already established a strong presence across the US and Europe, we’re expanding into Mexico, and the Middle East is absolutely a market we’re excited about. In fact, we were the first bare knuckle boxing promotion to host an event in the Gulf with BYB 16: Desert Brawl in Dubai. For us, it’s not a question of if we’ll return to the region, it’s simply a question of when.”
He added: “As Saudi Arabia continues to attract the world’s biggest boxing, MMA and entertainment properties, it stands out as a natural future destination for BKB.”
Considered by some to be the purest form of fighting, bare knuckle boxing’s popularity has grown rapidly in recent years in both streaming viewing figures and online engagement.
“Our growth isn’t just about hosting events but it’s about making the sport more accessible than ever,” Mack said. “While some promotions still rely primarily on pay-per-view and proprietary streaming platforms, we’ve built one of the strongest broadcast portfolios not only in combat sports, but across sports as a whole.”
After being established in 2018, the Bare-Knuckle Fighting Championship became synonymous with modern bare-knuckle boxing.
Founded by David Feldman, the company was responsible for introducing the sport to a wider and more mainstream audience and quickly managed to land high-profile signings. This proved there was a market for it, and Mack credits BKFC for its pioneering work.
But he believes BKB is now taking the sport to new frontiers, based on “global media distribution, digital engagement, international expansion, talent acquisition, innovation, and executive leadership.”
He said: “BKB is broadcast on VICE TV throughout the US and Canada, talkSPORT across the UK and Ireland, and Telemundo Deportes Ahora for Spanish-speaking audiences in the US. This allows us to reach fans across multiple countries, in multiple languages, through premium television partners. That’s more than distribution, that’s global accessibility.”
Perhaps the biggest difference between BKB and other combat sport organizations, says Mack, is not what takes place inside the ring, but rather where the fans watch.
As noted by LowKickMMA’s Timothy Wheaton, BKFC still employs a pay-per-view and proprietary streaming approach while BKB has put together one of the strongest broadcast portfolios, not just in combat sports, but in general.
While traditional television broadcasting has long defined and influenced how sports is consumed, Mack says the 21st century has seen social media steadily take over the reins. In June, BKB was able to create a competitive advantage by partnering with the ultra-popular social media platform, TikTok.
“We’ve also demonstrated that there’s a real appetite for our product. BKB 55 became the most-viewed live sports event in TikTok history, setting new records for watch time and engagement while connecting with a new generation of fans who consume sports on digital platforms,” he said. “Our trajectory shows that we’re only getting started, and we’re excited about what’s ahead as we continue to grow the sport around the world.”
For Mack, social media isn’t just a marketing tool, but a primary distribution platform.
BKB founder Mike Vasquez has assembled an executive team that boasts decades of experience across some of the world’s leading media and sports platforms. Mack previously held executive leadership positions with ONE Championship and most recently served as senior vice president of corporate communications for the Saudi Arabia-backed Professional Fighters League.
Inside the ring, he says BKB is building the sport’s most competitive roster as well.
“The best fighters go where there is opportunity, and BKB has shown that it can be a land of opportunity,” he said. “BKB has built one of the deepest and most talented rosters in bare knuckle boxing, featuring the likes of former world champions and world-renowned stars in Victor Ortiz, JoJo Diaz, Lee Selby, Paulie Malignaggi, Lucas Browne, Alfredo Angulo, John Molina Jr., Jade Masson-Wong, Cub Hawkins, Fernando Vargas Jr., Amado Vargas, and Marko Martinjak, just to name a few.”
What sets BKB apart, Mack reiterates, is its commitment to international expansion. With shows in the US, Europe, and soon in Mexico, it is laying the groundwork for global growth, including in this part of the world.
“As Saudi Arabia continues to attract the world’s biggest boxing, MMA, and entertainment properties, it stands out as a logical future destination for the BKB,” he said.
