BKFC star explains why bare-knuckle is way safer than MMA in light of recent UFC brain injury reveals

BKFC is seen as a safer combat sports path in terms of residual damage suffered according to one of the promotion's fighters. The UFC antitrust lawsuit has been bringing to light several documents from retired fighters like Shane Carwin and Wanderlei Silva who have reported symptomatic issues that are consistent with TBI (traumatic brain injury) or CTE.

BKFC 67 goes down in Denver on Oct. 25 and one of the highlighted participants is Andrew Yates. Yates will clash with JorDan Christensen in a welterweight contest. Yates has a deep training history with Wanderlei Silva and this situation has some personal connectivity to the bare-knuckle boxer, to say the least.

Yates also has close to 20 mixed martial arts contests across amateur and professional competitions as well as some kickboxing experience. To that point, he can speak to the safety differences between gloved combat and the residual damage risks of his current BKFC path.

Speaking on a recent episode of Bare Knuckle Bowker regarding this topic, Yates said:

"I feel like bare-knuckle is actually kind of a little safer. A lot of people are like oh you're crazy, you're fighting bare-knuckle. But an elbow and a knee and a shin to the head hurts way more than bare-knuckle. Our skin will get cut and I say bare-knuckle is a little bit too safe some times."

"Because you got a little cut, they stop the fight; the doctor. Even though those fighters probably still could keep going but I undestand why. So I feel like bare-knuckle is safer than even MMA. Just because that knee to the face has got to do more damage than a couple of fists, you know."

Check out Andrew Yates discussing damage in BKFC versus MMA [9:51] below:

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BKFC and the empirical evidence for the rate of injuries in bare knuckle

BKFC and the sport of bare-knuckle overall were spotlighted in a study that compiled data on close to 300 fighters within the sport over a two-plus year period. In a study titled Epidemiology of professional bare-knuckle fighting injuries, data from state-sanctioned bare-knuckle bouts were examined across Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, Kansas, and Alabama between June 2018 and November 2020.

The findings painted a picture that bare-knuckle fighters predominantly dealt with facial lacerations and that the damage was largely superficial. The rate of concussions is relatively uncommon in bare-knuckle boxing when contrasted with the same rates in other combat sports that utilize hand coverings.

Also curiously enough, the rate of hand fractures transpired at a lower rate in gloveless combat than what was found in MMA or gloved boxing. This belies the stereotype that hand injuries are such a ubiquitous issue within bare-knuckle boxing. Subsequent evidence in the intervening years has also painted a similar picture to what has been outlined above.