Bare-knuckle fighting league will make Texas debut in Fort Worth this summer
Dickies Arena has hosted all kinds of sporting events, from gymnastics to bull riding. But its latest event is bare-knuckle.
On June 21, the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) will make its Texas debut in Fort Worth with a lightweight fight between Franco “El Rey de la Calle” Tenaglia (4-1) and Tony “Loco” Soto (6-1). Tickets are available now via Ticketmaster.
“We’re beyond thrilled to promote our first event in the great state of Texas,” said David Feldman, founder and president of BKFC. “It’s been a longtime coming for our fans but with this rematch in our main event we’re promising a sensational night of bare-knuckle action.”
The BKFC is the brainchild of Feldman, who founded the organization in 2018.
As the name suggests, the combat sport sees two opponents fight with bare fists. Fighters are allowed to wrap and tape their wrists, thumb and mid-hand, but nothing can be within 1 inch of their knuckles, according to the organization.
When the BKFC launched seven years ago, it was the first promotion allowed to “hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare-knuckle event in the United States since 1889.” The organization is headquartered in Philadelphia.
June’s fight at Dickies Arena will mark BKFC’s debut in Texas, following fights in other states such as Florida, Utah and New Mexico.
The June fight is also a hotly anticipated rematch between Tenaglia and Soto, after the fighters went five rounds last October. Tenaglia was awarded the fight by majority decision.
Bare-knuckle fighting has origins stretching back, at its earliest, to the late 1600s and rose to prominence in the 1700s, according to Britannica.
This story was originally published April 29, 2025 at 7:00 AM.
