“It looked like WrestleMania!” Conor McGregor’s BKFC putting record-breaking event in Philadelphia earns massive praise
UFC superstar Conor McGregor's BKFC is expected to become one of the most exciting combat sports promotions in the future.

Conor McGregor's BKFC had more than 17 thousand live audiences in the latest event (via X/Imago)
Last year, Conor McGregor became the co-founder of BKFC, and since then, the promotion has experienced significant growth. With each event, BKFC has drawn larger audiences, thanks to its strong branding and exciting fights. This past weekend, they hosted KnuckleMania 5 in a packed stadium in Philadelphia, delivering a spectacular event.
BKFC KnuckleMania 5 had a total attendance of a whopping 17,762, which is a huge number for any combat sports organization other than the UFC. The card was filled with incredible fights from top to bottom, which entertained the crowd. Famous journalist Luke Thomas recently talked about the event and compared it with WWE’s WrestleMania.
BKFC made that event big and they did it Philly. They didn’t do it in Dubai, they did it at home. What other MMA promotion now, outside of the UFC can pull 17 thousand plus….It looked like f******* WrestleMania.
Luke Thomas via Morning Kombat
Thomas compared BKFC with other top MMA promotions like PFL, who are currently struggling to fill seats. According to the journalist, BKFC is right behind UFC in terms of American combat sports market. Conor McGregor shared the video on his X and mentioned that BKFC is #1 in its own race.
"It looked like f**king Wrestlemania!"
— Morning Kombat (@morningkombat) January 27, 2025
Is BKFC the clear #2 MMA promotion behind the UFC? 🤔
MK ➡️ https://t.co/IZe9WqXwCv@Bcampbell @lthomasnews pic.twitter.com/px8zpnuqVW
BKFC is different from normal MMA and consists of more brutality in general. Broken bones and injured muscles are more common in the BKFC due to its no-glove fighting. On top of that, the promotion is doing wonders when it comes to marketing and branding.
Conor McGregor’s BKFC debut in the works?
Conor McGregor absolutely loves the bare-knuckle fighting promotion and gives his 100 percent to promote it by using his personal branding. In the latest event, from hyping up the crowd to doing intense face-offs with fighters, he did everything. McGregor even agreed to fight Jeremy Stephens in a potential bare-knuckle bout.

BKFC co-founder Dave Feldman recently did an interview where he talked about McGregor’s potential promotional debut. However, with his contract with the UFC, Feldman might have to strike a deal with Dana White. According to Feldman, it could be a game changer for them.
I think we are growing at a really great place right now. Not that they are concerned about, they are not….I don’t think they want to help us grow….It is worth a shot and maybe we will take that shot in the next week or two.
Dave Feldman via The Ariel Helwani Show
McGregor is undoubtedly the biggest pay-per-view draw in MMA and has the ability to sell any fight. He hasn’t fought in more than three years but is eager to get back in action. It would be interesting to see whether it will take place inside a UFC octagon or BKFC ring.
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