Conor McGregor’s BKFC Debut Depends on His Final UFC Performance, David Feldman Says
David Feldman says McGregor must look sharp in his last UFC bout to build interest in a BKFC debut, with recovery and contract plans still ahead.
Conor McGregor’s route from the UFC to bare-knuckle boxing has a clear test: his next performance must give fans a reason to want the crossover. BKFC founder and president David Feldman says a strong showing would matter more than the result itself, while another injury-shortened outing could cool interest in a debut.
“Obviously he has to look good in this (next UFC) fight,” Feldman told talkSPORT. “That’s a big key. If something crazy happened, like what happened in his last fight, then I don’t think a lot of people would be excited.”
He added that a good performance could draw attention whether McGregor wins or loses. The distinction is important: Feldman isn’t describing a victory as a condition for the move. He’s saying the quality of the performance must restore excitement around McGregor as a combat sports attraction.
One final UFC bout may set the tone
McGregor’s loss to Max Holloway at UFC 329 in July was the penultimate fight on his current UFC deal. The bout ended early after McGregor suffered a knee injury. He now needs to recover before he can prepare for what he has called his “last dance” at International Fight Week in 2027.
That timeline leaves several pieces unresolved. McGregor and the UFC still need to select an opponent for the expected final bout, and the contract could change if the sides agree to an extension. No extension has been reported so far. If he completes the deal without one, he could have the freedom to choose his next step.
The finish against Holloway gives the next appearance added weight. McGregor’s name can draw attention on its own, but Feldman’s comments make clear that name recognition won’t automatically turn into a BKFC booking. A competitive, convincing performance would give the promotion a stronger basis for presenting the move to its audience. Another abrupt ending could make the crossover harder to sell, even if McGregor remains one of the sport’s biggest names.
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Feldman sees a possible next chapter
McGregor has said he intends to leave his gloves inside the Octagon and shift to bare-knuckle boxing. BKFC has an obvious connection to that plan: McGregor is a part-owner of the promotion. Even so, Feldman’s remarks leave no sense that the debut is already settled. He views the move as a real possibility, but says the next UFC outing will influence the level of public interest.
In comments to Bloody Elbow, Feldman also pushed back on the idea that McGregor’s planned final UFC appearance necessarily means the end of his combat sports career. He suggested McGregor’s outlook can change and wondered whether recent attention around Canelo Alvarez’s numbers had prompted the Irishman to talk about one more major performance.
“I think that’s a big possibility (fighting in BKFC). Look, Conor says different things a lot. His feelings change,” Feldman said. “Maybe he saw the numbers that Canelo did and he said, ‘I’m gonna do one more fight because I’m gonna show everybody how big my numbers can be.’ I don’t think it was he really doesn’t want to fight anymore.”
Feldman also acknowledged that McGregor could decide he’s finished. The physical and mental demands of fighting, he said, are substantial. But his own expectation is that the UFC bout won’t be McGregor’s final time competing.
Recovery comes before the crossover talk
For now, the immediate issue is McGregor’s recovery from the knee injury that cut short his return at International Fight Week. Until he is ready to resume training and compete, talk of opponents and a bare-knuckle debut remains conditional.
There’s also a difference between McGregor expressing interest in BKFC and the promotion having a compelling reason to put him in a bout. His ownership stake and star power make the prospect easy to imagine; Feldman’s remarks show that the sporting performance still matters to him. The next UFC appearance is therefore doing double duty: it could close McGregor’s current chapter and shape the audience’s appetite for whatever comes after.
The key marker won’t simply be whether McGregor wins. Feldman wants a performance that looks good enough to make fans eager for the gloves to come off. First comes the knee recovery, then the opponent and the final UFC outing. Only after that will the BKFC possibility have a clearer shape.
