David Feldman Says Conor McGregor Must Finish Final UFC Fight Before BKFC Talks
Conor McGregor has previously spoken about fighting bare-knuckle once his final UFC fight is over.
BKFC President David Feldman is not discussing the debut just yet. He first wants to see how the Irishman performs in his last UFC bout before sitting down to work out a deal.
David Feldman Wants McGregor to Focus on UFC Comeback
"The Notorious" has owned a stake in the promotion since April 2024. Even though he has promoted the organization, he has never fought under its banner. Earlier this week, the former two-div UFC champion said that he has one bout left in his current contract and plans to next compete under BKFC banner.
David Feldman isn't against that move. However, speaking in a recent interview to TalkSPORT ahead of BKFC 96, the president said no negotiations have taken place, and he also does not want to interfere with McGregor's UFC commitments or damage his relationship with the UFC.
"He has to get through this fight first, and that's a big undertaking for him," Feldman said.
The Dublin native made his return from a five-year absence to face Max Holloway at UFC 329 on July 11. But the fight ended after just 69 seconds when the then 37-year-old injured his right knee while throwing a jumping kick, giving Holloway a round 1 TKO win. McGregor later underwent surgery for a torn ACL and damaged meniscus.
As a result, the BKFC boss feels that McGregor needs to put on a good show to get fans excited and interested in seeing him compete without gloves. As another injury-shortened appearance, it could affect that interest.
McGregor has his sights on International Fight Week in 2027 and wants a trilogy with longtime rival Holloway.
Feldman Names Potential Opponents for McGregor's BKFC Debut
While the negotiations are still yet to begin, Feldman has already laid out a few names that he has in mind. Rather than matching "The Notorious" with someone from the current BKFC roster, Feldman wants an elite fighter who can generate excitement for the event.
As he names Ryan Garcia as one of his preferred choices, he admitted that fixing a matchup would be difficult because of Garcia's business ties with McGregor.
Another few names that he mentioned were Conor Benn and Floyd Mayweather. For now, BKFC president is letting those discussions wait until after Conor McGregor has completed his final UFC fight.
