BKFC Announces Shocking Decision to Scrap Flyweight Division

Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship is making some major changes, with CEO David Feldman announcing that the promotion will be discontinuing its flyweight division. The decision comes just as current champion John Dodson gears up for a pivotal showdown against Jamel Herring at BKFC 95. 

This decision could also reshape Dodson's future in the promotion. If he defeats Herring, he is expected to claim the bantamweight championship, potentially earning champ-champ status right before the flyweight title is officially retired. 

David Feldman Explains Why BKFC is Ending the Flyweight Division

Feldman cited a lack of suitable competition as the reason behind the decision, explaining that the promotion has struggled to find enough opponents to keep its flyweights active.

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“Just don’t have enough competition to have a full division and keep the guys busy as we want,” Feldman said.

The BKFC chief also pointed to the difficulty of finding quality fighters in the 125-pound category, especially in bare-knuckle competitions. This decision underscores the challenges of sustaining a division when the available talent pool simply isn't enough to consistently ensure exciting matchups. 

This announcement signifies a major shift for a division that once celebrated Dodson as its first champion. He earned that title with a first-round TKO win against JR Ridge at BKFC 48 and later faced Dagoberto Aguero, resulting in a draw during his title defense.

John Dodson Could Become a Two-Division Champion

Dodson is set to take on Herring in the main event of BKFC 95, with the bantamweight championship on the line. A win for him would give the former UFC fighter another title and potentially make him a champion in two different weight classes. 

There's a twist: the flyweight division is being discontinued, which puts the future of Dodson's flyweight championship in limbo. Feldman has mentioned that if Dodson triumphs over Herring, he’ll be crowned the bantamweight champion, while the 125-pound title will be retired.

As the fight draws near, Dodson has a golden opportunity to notch another achievement in his bare-knuckle journey, all while navigating some significant changes in the promotion's divisional landscape. The outcome of the matchup could therefore prove significant for both Dodson’s career and BKFC’s changing divisional structure.

For now, Dodson must focus on the challenge ahead. If he gets past Herring, he could leave the flyweight division behind with another championship to his name.