Why does it seem like MMA fans are embracing BKFC more than boxing fans?

[MartialMind]

From my observations there seems to be more cross over appeal now for Bare Knuckle Fight Championship among MMA fans and even fighters than with the boxing crowd.

Rule-set wise BKFC is actually much closer to Boxing than MMA, perhaps a huge duh. However is it the marketing that seems to be attracting more casual MMA fans to it than Boxing fans from what I can see?

When BKFC first got licensed in states it was supposed to be a throwback to how Boxing originally was at the end of the 19th century.

[Eff Pandas]

MMA fans are also more likely to be boxing fans than boxing fans are to be MMA fans.

I think its a simple case of MMA encompassing ALL combat sports. Boxing is boxing. MMA is basically every combat sport rolled into one. So you kinda gotta be a fan of & respect all types of fighting to be into MMA.

[MartialMind]

MMA fans are also more likely to be boxing fans than boxing fans are to be MMA fans.

I think its a simple case of MMA encompassing ALL combat sports. Boxing is boxing. MMA is basically every combat sport rolled into one. So you kinda gotta be a fan of & respect all types of fighting to be into MMA.

Good point.

I think from a marketing angle it would be cool if BKFC tried to embrace the historic roots of bare knuckle boxing. That's actually how I feel they were positioning themselves when trying to get states to license their fights.

The org has done better than I thought tbh, I figured the pandemic would wipe them out but they probably just had their biggest event last night, was trending and everything.

The UFC started pretty rough as well before it matured.

[GrandpaBernard]

You said it MARKETING

bkfc atmosphere is more like ufc than a boxing match

Boxing is prestigious and glamorous

[GrandpaBernard]

And because no one punches as beautifully as pro boxers

[MartialMind]

And because no one punches as beautifully as pro boxers

They will never be able to throw punches like gloved boxers just due to the anatomy and weakness of the un-gloved hand.

However what they should do is look up the boxing techniques of the historic bare knuckle boxers, they threw punches differently, went after the body more and the fleshy parts.

The BKFC boxers are overall still quite sloppy, the sport has room to mature. Go after the MMA rejects less and more so people who have always wanted to box.

[Marchegiano]

I got my BKFC sub.

Really, so far, it's kinda ****, seems a bit on the fixed side sometimes and even when it's not they are struggling to get real talent. That said, I support the police gazette. I'd love for them to become big, like ring, again. PG isn't just Ring before Ring. It's all of men's publications before they existed. **** like Maxim is just as much a successor to the Gazette as Ring is.

I heard Briggs will do it. I hope so, he'd be their finest talent to date. Even old as he is.

Secretly hope Fury does it even though it's a walk for him. It'd just be cool to have a modern John L.- Unified boxing sports champion. Also, he does brag about coming from a long line of BK gypsy so.....still won't ever happen.

[care4ameatball]

I’ve been enjoying the BKFC fights as a boxing and MMA fan, it’s quite brutal and enjoyable for my taste but I’m a huge combat sport and martial arts junkie so I watch everything from BJJ to Olympic wrestling to Muay Thai to Lethwei and MMA. I’d say the biggest problem is the depth of talent, it’s not quite matured yet but I say give it a few more years and it’ll grow in popularity and the talent pool will grow.

[famicommander]

The boxers are starting to take over. MMA fans have embraced it more so far because bigger MMA stars have fought in the sport. Bedford, Beltran, VanZant, Ricco Rodriguez, Chris Leben, Jason Knight, etc. Guys people have heard of.

Paulie's embarrassing loss set the boxers back but since then
Dat Nguyen (20-3 pro boxer)
Ishe Smith (former world champ, now in his 40s)
Uly Diaz (12-1 bum blasting journeyman pro boxer, also 1 pro MMA win in 1 fight)
Nico Hernandez (7-0 pro boxer, Olympic Bronze Medalist)
Tyler Goodjohn (British level journeyman 13-5 boxer)

Don't have a loss between them. If they can get some more fighters of the caliber of those five, I think more boxing fans will embrace bare knuckle.

Shannon Briggs signed a contract in April and called out former UFC champion Ricco Rodriguez, but nothing ever came of it and it hasn't been mentioned since. Even at 49 I think he'd destroy Joey Beltran for the heavyweight title so BKFC should really try to make it happen. Briggs will sell the hell out of the fight.

[GrandpaBernard]

They will never be able to throw punches like gloved boxers just due to the anatomy and weakness of the un-gloved hand.

However what they should do is look up the boxing techniques of the historic bare knuckle boxers, they threw punches differently, went after the body more and the fleshy parts.

The BKFC boxers are overall still quite sloppy, the sport has room to mature. Go after the MMA rejects less and more so people who have always wanted to box.

Yeah I’m hoping for bkfc’s growth and accessibility

Bkfc is like watching mma with only the good parts