Jason Knight believes there’s no better money to be made for him in combat sports right now than with Bare Knuckle FC, and that includes the UFC.
Knight, a six-fight UFC veteran, rematches Artem Lobov on Saturday in the BKFC 9 headliner in what’s arguably the most anticipated rematch in company history.
The first time out, Knight and Lobov engaged in a bloodbath that saw Lobov take a razor-close decision. The rematch is a big fight, and while grueling, Knight said it’s his financially profitable way of competing.
“With Bare Knuckle, they’re just starting out, and they’re still very, very early in their stages,” Knight told MMA Junkie. “They’re not very far along like the UFC is, so they need stars. They need people to go out there and shine, and they’ve got money like the UFC does. They got that star money where they can pay people, and right now I’m one of the big stars, so I love to be getting that big money. In the UFC, even if I was to fight my ass off and make it back to the UFC, I’m making it to the bottom of the totem pole if I get back to the UFC. I’m not one of the big stars. I’m not one of the high-paid guys in the UFC.
“In Bare Knuckle, as of right now, I’m one of the highest paid, and I plan on it staying that way. I plan on the paychecks getting bigger and bigger, and I’m excited about that. I’ve got a family. I’ve got three kids that look for daddy to take care of them and provide for the future. Right now Bare Knuckle is the spot to do that.”
Knight did not reveal the specifics of what he stands to make, but he will receive a purse for fighting in addition to pay-per-view, which is priced at $19.99 on Fite TV.
The potential gains that could come with this fight made it easy for Knight to prepare. He said he was already motivated to beat Lobov after feeling he got wronged in the decision of the original fight, but now everything is perfectly in line for him to put on the performance he wants.
“Somebody has got to go to sleep, and I’m going to make sure it isn’t me,” Knight said. “I underestimated Artem a little bit last time. I thought I was going to shut him down pretty quick, and I thought I was going to have more heart than him and be tougher than him. I thought it was going to be no problem. But now I know he’s just as durable as I am, so I’m going to make sure I go above and beyond with everything.”
Jason Knight says he's getting paid 'star money' for BKFC 9 rematch with Artem Lobov
