BKFC Expands Mike Perry vs. Jeremy Stephens Undercard with the Addition of an Esteemed UFC Veteran
The BKFC just ramped up the stakes for its biggest event of the year, announcing a major addition to the undercard of the hotly anticipated Mike Perry vs. Jeremy Stephens showdown. With the inaugural New Jersey event already generating significant buzz, Thursday’s BKFC 82 press conference dropped another bombshell: former UFC standout and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 27 winner Michael Trizano is set for a bare-knuckle return.
Trizano, a fighter with a proven track record in both UFC and MMA circuits, will meet Phil Caracappa in what promises to be a thrilling contest. Both men boast a 1-0 record in BKFC so far, but their backgrounds make this clash something fight fans simply can’t ignore. Trizano made his bare-knuckle debut in May 2024, dispatching Louie Lopez via first-round TKO at BKFC 61. Caracappa, who stepped into the ring for the first time at BKFC Knucklemania V, secured a gritty fourth-round DQ win over Noah Norman just eight months later.
For those who remember, this isn’t just another fight on the card—it’s a rematch nearly ten years in the making. Back in June 2015, Trizano handed Caracappa his first loss in a back-and-forth amateur bout that ended in a majority decision. Since then, both have honed their craft, racking up notable accolades and building reputations as fierce competitors.
Trizano’s UFC journey featured a high point when he stunned fans with a knockout victory over Seung Woo Choi at UFC 281, a fight particularly memorable for a wild double knockdown sequence. Despite going 3-3 in his next six Octagon appearances, his “all in” style made him a crowd favorite. Experts in the fight game highlight that, “Trizano’s fearless approach and fan-friendly fights make every appearance a must-watch.” You can read more about the evolving fairness and highlight bouts in the UFC landscape here.
BKFC CEO Dave Feldman explained during the press conference, “We want to give fans a spectacle they’ll remember. Bringing in names with UFC experience is part of our commitment to top-level excitement.” This approach is clear across the BKFC 82 lineup, which features Perry defending his “King of Violence” belt against ex-UFC powerhouse Jeremy Stephens, and co-main events like the inaugural “Queen of Violence” title fight between Christine Ferea and Jessica Borga. Notably, ex-UFC lightweight king Frankie Edgar will also return from retirement for an all-local New Jersey clash with Jimmie Rivera.
The fight card is stacked, and the buzz is rivaling
other major MMA events scheduled for the same day, like UFC 320. Even so, the BKFC intends to wrap before the UFC’s pay-per-view main card gets underway. The rise in cross-promotional talent and strategic event timing underlines how competitive the fight landscape has become.
With the undercard further boosted by an elite UFC veteran, the BKFC has signaled it’s playing for keeps. Perspectives from the MMA community remain mixed: some celebrate the cross-over appeal and non-stop action, while traditionalists question whether bare-knuckle bouts can match the technical prowess of top-level cage fighting. Fighters from both codes, like Kamaru Usman—whose recent run you can track here—highlight the athletic versatility required to succeed in both formats.
Looking ahead, the addition of Trizano vs. Caracappa further deepens an already loaded card, reminding fans just how much firepower modern combat sports promotions can marshal. As bare-knuckle fighting continues to evolve, this kind of high-profile matchmaking is certain to leave a lasting impact on the ever-shifting boundaries of boxing and MMA. For updates on more recent triumphs and results from the world of combat sports, check out this story.
Source: www.si.com