BKFC President Predicts Mike Perry vs. Jeremy Stephens Will Be 'One Of The Best Fights' In Promotional History

"I think that we have the two baddest, most violent men in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship fighting each other," Feldman told Sports Illustrated. "Don't sleep on this fight. This could be one of the best fights that we've ever had in the history of BKFC. I mean, two guys that can get hit, but neither of them back down, neither of them get dropped and they both keep coming forward, so I think it has the recipe for a phenomenal fight."

Before the BKFC 82 main event announcement, previous reports linked Perry to other ex-UFC fighters, including Darren Till and Robbie Lawler. Feldman acknowledged that both fights were in play, but neither came close to materializing.

Till has been focused on his professional boxing career since parting with the UFC in 2023. After making his debut in January, Till has gone 2-0 to begin his career, and will return on Saturday in the Misfits 22 main event against former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold.

The BKFC 82 main event will be preceded by the inaugural 'Queen of Violence' title fight between women's flyweight champion Christine Ferea and women's featherweight champion Jessica Borga. Former UFC veterans and New Jersey natives Frankie Edgar and Jimmie Rivera will throw down in the co-main event.

David Feldman committed to BKFC's continous expansion

BKFC 82 will serve as the promotion's debut in New Jersey, a market Feldman has been trying to break into for years. Feldman views the event as a potential turning point for the organization, given the prestige associated with the Prudential Center.

BKFC 82 is part of a six-week eventful stretch for the promotion, which includes five major events in cities around the world. Despite the jam-packed schedule, Feldman remains committed to the company's continued expansion and teased future groundbreaking events in Nevada, Washington, Ohio and Oregon.

"We have a couple [of states] that we've already gotten legalized and that we want to open up in," Feldman said. "Ohio is one of them; we're going to be in Ohio pretty soon. Nevada, we're working on again right now. Washington state and Oregon, we're working on. So we have a lot of new states that we have the ability to do a show in. We just have to find the time to do those shows."

So far, the BKFC has been primarily an East Coast-based promotion, as it has focused on getting the sport legalized in other states. The company has been gradually moving toward the West Coast, where Feldman hinted at a major announcement coming soon.