UFC HOFer Edgar unretiring for Bare Knuckle fight

UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar is poised to come out of retirement for a bare-knuckle boxing contest.

Aug 19, 2025 - 10:43

0 13

UFC HOFer Edgar unretiring for Bare Knuckle fight

Brett OkamotoAug 18, 2025, 10:42 PM ET

Brett Okamoto has reported on mixed martial arts and boxing at ESPN since 2010. He has covered all of the biggest events in combat sports during that time, including in-depth interviews and features with names such as Dana White, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Conor McGregor, Nate Diaz, Floyd Mayweather, Manny Pacquiao and Georges St-Pierre. He was also a producer on the 30 for 30 film: "Chuck and Tito," which looked back at the careers and rivalry of Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. He lives in Las Vegas, and is an avid, below-average golfer in his spare time.

UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar is poised to come out of retirement for a bare-knuckle boxing contest.

Edgar, 43, is expected to face fellow UFC veteran Jimmie Rivera at a Bare Knuckle Fighting Championships event Oct. 4 in his home state of New Jersey. Conor McGregor, a partial owner of BKFC, posted the news to his social media after an initial report by Uncrowned. Edgar's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, also confirmed the news.

"I'm super excited to get back in competing, especially here in Jersey," Edgar said of his bare-knuckle boxing debut.

Edgar retired from MMA in 2022 with a record of 24-11-1. The former lightweight champion is one of the most beloved figures in UFC history, renowned for his heart and willingness to face bigger opponents in the prime of his career. He won the UFC's 155-pound title despite being a sizable underdog against BJ Penn in 2010. Edgar fought for the 145-pound title twice in 2013 and 2019, coming up short to José Aldo and Max Holloway.

Fighting out of Toms River, New Jersey, Edgar was inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame in 2024.

The BKFC 82 event, which will be at Prudential Center in New Jersey, is headlined by two other UFC veterans in Mike Perry and Jeremy Stephens.