BKFC boss David Feldman teases $25M prize for upcoming tournament

David Feldman has plans to change one lucky bare-knuckle boxer’s life forever.

During an appearance on MMA Today with Din Thomas and Alan Jouban, Feldman revealed that BKFC is set to announce a massive tournament with the winner earning a $25 million prize. The news is not official, but Feldman expects to make an announcement in December.

“I’m about three weeks out from announcing this, but I’m going to announce the biggest tournament in combat sports history with the largest prize that’s ever been on a tournament in combat sports history,” Feldman said, I’ll just give you a little hint, it’s going to be a $25 million prize and we’re going to be on the search for someone really special.”

Thomas, a noted analyst and a veteran of 36 MMA bouts that retired in 2013, replied, “I’m coming out of retirement.”

From what Feldman has described, it sounds like Thomas or Jouban would be eligible if they chose to return to competition. Feldman said the tournament is not restricted to members of the current BKFC roster and, in fact, they will be selecting the contestants from a much larger pool.

“We’re going to do tryouts,” Feldman said, “I think we’re going to grab, like, a thousand people. We’re going to narrow it down to 24 and then we’re going to get rid of 16 and we’re going to have eight that is left standing and that’s going to be the guys that are going to fight for the real money.

“Everybody else is going to get paid along the way, but they’re going to fight for the real prize.”

Feldman said it will not be a one-night tournament and that he expects the whole process to take about 11 months. Further details are still to come, but Feldman is confident that fans will be blown away by the news when it becomes official.

“Anybody from all over the world,” Feldman said. “Anybody from any organization, from any combat sport, anybody is welcome to do this. Not much more I can say about it right now, it’s going to be, when I announce it I think people are going to be, like, ‘Holy shit, this is unbelievable.’”