Regulator delivers knockout blow to Perth bare-knuckle boxing bout

Western Australia’s Combat Sports Commission board has knocked back an application from the Bare Knuckle Boxing Championship to stage a bout at RAC Arena next month.

In a release after the governing body, including commissioner Bob Kucera, met on Thursday to discuss the approval, a spokesperson said: “After careful consideration, the board was not satisfied the event met the required criteria.”

Alma Garcia, left, takes a hit from Bec Rawlings during a 125-pound bout at the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship in 2018. Rawlings was due to fight in Perth as part of a planned bout at RAC Arena in July.Credit: Michael Smith

Sport Minister Rita Saffioti had been under increasing pressure from the opposition and groups including the Australian Medical Association to use her veto powers as minister to stop the event, which was slated to he held at RAC Arena on July 19.

However, the government continued to back the event, with Saffioti on Thursday likening it to the UFC.

“This has been one where, of course, you consider all options, but I can’t differentiate between this and UFC,” she said.

“For me to say no to this and then support UFC, I think people would rightly say that that was an inconsistent thinking.”

Labor lifted the ban on cage fighting after coming to power in 2017, which paved the way for the UFC to host two championship events at RAC Arena, with a further two events planned in 2025 and 2026.

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is co-owned by former UFC champion Conor McGregor, who is currently appealing an Irish court civil jury verdict in November that he had raped a woman in Dublin in 2018.

The main event of the Perth fight, dubbed BKFC 79, was to be BKFC heavyweight world champion “Big” Ben Rothwell taking on Australian powerlifting champion Alex “Godly Strong” Simon in a super heavyweight non-title fight.

Australian fighter “Rowdy” Bec Rawlings was due to fight Canadian Jade Masson-Wong for the women’s headline event.

The AMA has described bare-knuckle boxing as “human dogfighting”, while the WA opposition called it “morally repugnant”.

Before the commission delivered a knockout blow to the BKFC’s plans on Thursday, Opposition Leader Basil Zempilas said the government’s unwillingness to step in and stop the event showed its priorities were wrong.

Saffioti said many in the community loved combat sports, and this was the next step.

“They train in the gym. They love combat sports, and they see this as the next part, in a sense, the next chapter of combat sports in relation to these types of events,” she said.

Former sports minister David Templeman opened the door to the BKFC coming to WA in February, amending regulations to recognise BKFC as a sanctioning body.

When contacted this week, Templeman wasn’t prepared to comment on his decision to approve BKFC’s application.

According to BKFC rules, fighters may only punch each other with unimpeded knuckles throughout five two-minute rounds.

In a statement on Wednesday as tickets for the bout went on sale, BKFC president David Feldman said he was excited about the event.

“Australia has long been on our radar. The energy, the fans, and the venue are all perfect for showcasing BKFC,” he said.

“This isn’t just a fight night – it’s the beginning of a new era for combat sports in Australia.”

It is understood the commission’s decision was relayed to the BKFC and Saffioti before being made public.

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