Former UFC standout Artem Lobov, a stablemate of Conor McGregor, has requested his release from UFC in order to sign an exclusive multi-fight deal with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and continue his combat sports career with BKFC as the organization prepares for a banner year.
“I feel Artem is a great addition to our roster and his style is made for this sport,” said BKFC Founder and President David Feldman. “Attracting and signing a guy with the following that Artem has is a perfect match for where we are right now as an organization. I think this signing speaks volumes for the direction BKFC is heading.”
Lobov will be making his BKFC debut on Saturday, April 20 as part of BKFC 6, which will take place at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, MS. He’ll face Biloxi native and fellow UFC veteran Jason Knight.
“Jason Knight is an action, hard-nosed fighter who will be fighting in his hometown for the first time in a long time,” continued Feldman. “This is a true crossroads fight. I personally think this is a Fight of the Year candidate.”
“I cannot wait to fight for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship,” said Lobov. “I have been following them since the beginning. I love what they are doing and I thank David Feldman for believing in me. I look forward to this new stage in my career and I think it has the perfect ruleset for me to perform at my best ability. I look forward to becoming a star in this sport.”
The 32-year-old fighter from Russia made his name on Season 22 of The Ultimate Fighter as part of Team McGregor, where he worked his way to the finals of the tournament before losing to Ryan Hall. He challenged Cub Swanson in a UFC main event in 2016, after picking up victories over Chris Avila and Alex White. While he lost his last three UFC bouts by decision, he owns 13 professional MMA wins and will take that experience into BKFC action.