Former UFC veteran Frankie Edgar is now out of his planned Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut, which had been scheduled for BKFC 82.
Edgar was expected to face fellow New Jersey native Jimmie Rivera on October 4, 2025, but the bout is now off. The specific reason for Edgar’s removal hasn’t been confirmed publicly, although BKFC President David Feldman told Ariel Helwani there was a possible medical concern affecting his status.
To be cleared for the BKFC event, Edgar had reportedly been required to pass several tests — including an echocardiogram, stress test, eye exam, full blood workup, EKG, and MRI. Some in Edgar’s circle had urged him against returning to competitive fighting, but he had expressed confidence that the bare-knuckle format was safer due to its punching-only ruleset.
Rivera will still compete at BKFC 82, now squaring off instead against Timmy Mason. The event is set for October 4 at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey — marking the first bare-knuckle event in the state.
If you like, I can also rewrite this in a shorter “news brief” format, or provide context on both Edgar’s and Rivera’s career trajectories.