Queensland, Australia (September 15, 2026) Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), The World’s Fastest Growing Combat Sports Promotion, make their highly anticipated return to Australia on Saturday, October 3 at the Eatons Hill Hotel in Queensland.
Heavyweights headline BKFC Fight Night Australia with Popular Local Favorite Haze ‘The Huntsman’ Hepi, (3-1), of Gold Coast, Queensland battling BKFC Fighting Legend Sam ‘The Hillbilly Hammer’ Shewmaker, (5-4-1), of Gravois Mills, Missouri, U.S.A.
Tickets to BKFC Fight Night Australia are Now On-Sale and can be purchased at BKFC.com. The event will be broadcast live internationally as part of the BKFC+ Subscription for $7.99 per month on the BKFCApp – The Best Value in Combat Sports starting at 5:00 a.m. ET / 2:00 a.m. PT.
The Eatons Hill Hotel is located at 646 Pine Road, Eatons Hill, QLD 4037, Australia. Doors will open on the night of the event at 5:00 p.m. local time.
‘The response from our first show in Australia in April of this year was tremendous and we’re very excited to return on October 3,” said David Feldman, Founder and President of BKFC. “Haze Hepi looked sensational stopping Krzysztof Wisniewski in their rematch, but Sam Shewmaker is a true BKFC battle tested legend, he fought on our first show eight years ago and is coming to Australia to show he’s ready for another world title opportunity.”
“We’ve put together a great undercard, and I strongly encourage fans to purchase tickets quickly as this event will sell out in advance.
Haze Hepi returns to action following a second-round stoppage of Kryzsztof Wisniewski on April 18, 2026, at BKFC’s Australian debut. He also holds a first-round knockout of Steven Banks at BKFC-73 on April 26, 2025, in Florence, Italy. Additionally, Hepi has compiled a professional boxing record of 7-2-1.
Sam Shewmaker charged into BKFC with a first-round knockout of Eric Prindle on June 2, 2018, at BKFC-1. Additional dominant victories for Shewmaker have come against Josh Burns (BKFC-63), Bobo O’Bannon (BKFC-15), Joel Parades (BKFC-4) and Maurice Jackson (BKFC-2). Shewmaker challenged Joey Beltran for the BKFC Heavyweight World Title at BKFC-18, losing a hotly contested unanimous decision.
Fighting in the welterweight division, Josh ‘Kamikaze’ Kuhne, (1-0), of Australia battles BKFC newcomer Elaiah Bishop of New Zealand. Middleweight will face-off with Jay ‘The Dingo’ Tonkin of Bowen, Australia making his BKFC debut against New Zealand’s Asher Jack, (1-0). Welterweights will make their BKFC debut as Brentin “No Name’ Mumford of Lismore, New South Wales, Australia clashes with popular Australian fighter Shaun ‘The Fighting Irish’ Curran.
Lightweight Mick ‘Warhorse’ Whitehead, (0-1), of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia seeks his first victory over Ryan Winnett, (1-0), of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. Middleweight newcomers will battle with Australia’s Mario Logafacing Alvin ‘Aychpapi’ Kanahaiua, of Papakura, New Zealand. Fighting in the featherweight division, Hunter ‘Coco Samoa’ Ioane, (1-0), of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia clashes with Nicholas ‘One Shot’ Saragosa, (1-0), of Kaneohe, Hawaii.
Social Media
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Website: www.BKFC.com
Media Contact/Credentials
Bernie Bahrmasel
Double B Sports
Phone: + 1 773 592-2986
Email: BernieBahrmasel@yahoo.com
Twitter: @BernieBahrmasel
About Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC)
Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) is the first promotion allowed to hold a legal, sanctioned, and regulated bare knuckle event in the United States since 1889. Based in Philadelphia, and headed by President and former professional boxer David Feldman, BKFC is dedicated to preserving the historical legacy of bare knuckle fighting, while utilizing a specifically created rule set that emphasizes fighter safety. BKFC holds all of its bouts in a revolutionary circular four-rope ring, designed to encourage fast-paced and exciting bouts. The patented BKFC “Squared Circle” contains scratch lines, based on the Broughton Rules which governed bare knuckle fighting in the 19th century, and which requires fighters to “Toe the Line”: start every round face to face, and just inches apart.
In BKFC, only those fighters who are established professionals in boxing, MMA, kickboxing, or Muay Thai are allowed to compete. The referees and judges are required to have extensive professional combat sports experience. All fights are held under the auspices and control of an Athletic Commission. Unlike other fighting organizations and combat sports internationally which claim to be “bare knuckle”, but require wraps, tape, and gauze; BKFC is true to its word as fighters are not allowed to wrap their hands to within one inch of the knuckle. This makes BKFC unquestionably the truest form of bare knuckle fighting. BKFC is dedicated to not just creating the safest, most exciting, and highest-level bare-knuckle fighting organization in the world, it’s also leading the way for a new fully recognized professional combat sport. BKFC is truly the sport of the future, which fully respects its remarkable past.
