Do You See Bare Knuck Overtaking the UFC & Rivaling Boxing In 5 Years

[Toffee]

I much rather watch bare knuck than mmaghey doe

I’m not into seeing naked feet and grappling with booty shorts on

I haven't watched any bare knuckle. I just don't see the need for it when we have boxing. It seems to me it's just boxing for people with a blood lust.

I turned off UFC in the early days when it was just pub car park fighting with no rules. I've tried to watch a few cards since and they've really cleaned it up but I just don't see the appeal.

The most exciting it gets is when they stop dry humping each other and have a stand up fist fight. So why not just watch the sport that is always a stand up fist fight?

Even the crowd boos when they grapple and cheers when they box. And boo the winner if it's via 'time in control' rather than clean, effective punches.

By the way, I completely respect the athletes and acknowledge the strength of the promotion. But under the hood, it's just a much worse product.

[SouthpawRight]

I haven't watched any bare knuckle. I just don't see the need for it when we have boxing. It seems to me it's just boxing for people with a blood lust.

I turned off UFC in the early days when it was just pub car park fighting with no rules. I've tried to watch a few cards since and they've really cleaned it up but I just don't see the appeal.

The most exciting it gets is when they stop dry humping each other and have a stand up fist fight. So why not just watch the sport that is always a stand up fist fight?

Even the crowd boos when they grapple and cheers when they box. And boo the winner if it's via 'time in control' rather than clean, effective punches.

By the way, I completely respect the athletes and acknowledge the strength of the promotion. But under the hood, it's just a much worse product.

blood lust fuels a chunk of the boxing audience base

some people think Bet Biv wasn’t a GREAT fight due to the lack of brawling

[Boxfan83]

Heck no! But it's an alternative for guys that can't make it in boxing or mma. I actually like it and would like to see some fan favorite type fighters from MMA and Boxing try it out.

[CubanGuyNYC]

I happen to like bare knuckle; but it’s unlikely to ever grow into a serious rival to traditional boxing or MMA, let alone supplant them. Just too brutal — for both fans and fighters.

[TMLT87]

I've tried to watch a few cards since and they've really cleaned it up but I just don't see the appeal.

Because its exciting? because its the most open ruleset of any combat sport and the deepest technically? because the best fight the best on a consistent basis? because it has deep cards regularly? because the fighters have a strong claim to being the best unarmed combatants on the planet due to the diversity of their skillsets relative to boxers, kickboxers etc?

I think dipping into it here and there isnt really the way to get into it tbh. If someone tuned in to that Bivol/Beterbiev card as a non boxing fan and then didnt watch any other boxing until Fury/Usyk they're probably not gonna become invested in it enough to become a long term fan are they? you need to follow something to the point where you start to get the lay of the land - the fighters, the situation in different divisions, who to look out for, which cards/fights to be excited about, stylistic match ups, historical context etc etc. Its also understanding the ground game on a technical level enough that you can appreciate it to some degree when it happens.

The most exciting it gets is when they stop dry humping each other and have a stand up fist fight. So why not just watch the sport that is always a stand up fist fight?

Boxing doesnt have kicks, knees, elbows, 4oz gloves, lots of blood and visible damage, no counts after a knockdown, 5 minute rounds etc and the KOs arent as spectacular for the most part. MMAs whole stand up game in general is very different to pure boxing.

Theres plenty of great MMA fights that feature grappling anyway. Heavy GNP, submissions, near escapes and slams are exciting. The whole interplay between striking and grappling is interesting too and largely unique to MMA.

But under the hood, it's just a much worse product.

I love boxing, but I have no idea how anyone could honestly think this. Its the total opposite. MMA is much more exciting on average due to the ruleset, the cards are much deeper, the best fight the best much more consistently. To someone who follows both every weekend theres a night and day difference in quality imho. I love boxing because its what I grew up with and it still has its high points here and there, but its actually often quite a poor product for the consumer tbh compared to some other stuff thats out there. Last weekend for example I didnt watch the UFC card but the Oktagon MMA stadium show and Glory kickboxing were both better nights of fights than the super hyped Bivol/Beterbiev card. But boxing can get away with it due to how well established it is. It largely lives off of its history and tradition and the occasional ultra marinated "mega fight".

[661averagejoe]

Doubt it, that thing been going on for years and I've yet to see/hear someone at my job talk about it like they do about boxing or ufc

[ELPacman]

BKB reminds me of SlapFight. It's for attention deficit folks who just want to see immediate KO or carnage. You're going to get that with either. I personally prefer the breakdown of an opponent that boxing allows. It also allows for a quick KO if someone really makes a bad mistake. The skill involved is more intriguing to me than just watching dudes murder each other's faces with cuts due to the lack of hand protection.

[TMLT87]

BKB reminds me of SlapFight.

Harsh lol. Slap fighting is the absolute bottom of the ****ing barrel. Bare knuckle aint half bad imo, its very entertaining but its just quite low level and not distinct enough from actual boxing as its own form of combat on a technical level.

[Willow The Wisp]

Bareknuckle is entertaining but its never going to get as big as boxing and MMA. The skillset is too close to actual boxing, which means its only ever gonna attract guys who werent good enough to box at a high level. The fact that its a sport that countless boxers, kickboxers and MMA fighters could stroll into with minimal specialised training for it and instantly dominate will always hold it back.

It is fun to watch though. Tons of quick finishes etc. The presentation of BKFC reminds me a lot of 00s UFC before they cleaned up the image.

Good post, and I agree. All combat styles and sports are interesting to me, but when striking is part of it, the pure excitement goes up.
Austin Trout is a perfect example of a good boxer who aged out of pro boxing, learned the useful adjustments, and brought enough sweet science to take right over.
Even Paulie Malignaggi, with no power, brittle hands, the exact opposite of a boxer suited for a BK crossover, and finished at world class level under MOQ rules, did pretty darned good.
Modern MMA began as an infomercial for Gracie jujitsu; but evolved quickly into the Winkejohn "four legged table" of Muay Thai/Kickboxing, Freestyle/Greco-Roman wrestling, BJJ/Submission Grappling and Western Boxing, with only the latter being the skillset who's influence under MMA rules has increased over the evolution.
But Jake Paul's pro record shows that crossing over from hybrid to boxing isn't a cinch, as you cannot use a pivot to Grappling as an escape from trouble, so the boxers shouldcross more easily.
I do believe that BK is entertaining and is here to stay, however; but the money will have to be right in order to get the top natural fighters enticed to train for those rules. That's the piece that is more unlikely.

[ELPacman]

Harsh lol. Slap fighting is the absolute bottom of the ****ing barrel. Bare knuckle aint half bad imo, its very entertaining but its just quite low level and not distinct enough from actual boxing as its own form of combat on a technical level.

Well, the reminding part is mostly the instant gratification either gives of either a knockout or seeing someone's face turn to mush mostly based on the fact that they're getting hit by knuckles as opposed to gloves. I know they're both overall different and BKB would be hella higher skill level than anything SF can try to pretend.