Global accessibility - BKB chief explains why the Middle East could be the next frontier for bare knuckle fighting

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