UFC Veterans Flood Bare-Knuckle, Karate and MMA Cards Oct. 15-17

John Dodson and Jimmie Rivera headline a wave of former UFC fighters stepping into bare-knuckle boxing rings this weekend, anchoring BKFC 95 on Saturday alongside Rob Emerson as the sport continues to absorb mixed martial arts veterans seeking second careers without gloves.

Dodson, who fought 17 times inside the UFC octagon between 2011 and 2020, faces Jamel Herring at the bare-knuckle event. The matchup pairs two athletes attempting late-career pivots after exhausting their runs in traditional combat sports. Dodson holds a 4-0-1 record since leaving MMA following a May 2025 decision loss to Takaki Soya at RIZIN. Herring, a former WBO junior lightweight champion, represents the type of crossover boxing talent BKFC has aggressively recruited to legitimize its cards beyond the MMA pipeline.

Rivera meets Brandon Meyer on the same card. Unlike many fighters who cycle through regional promotions before finding a permanent home, Rivera transitioned directly from the UFC to bare-knuckle boxing after his February 2021 split with the promotion. He has compiled a 3-2-1 record in the discipline. Emerson, whose last UFC appearance occurred in March 2010 against Nik Lentz, rounds out the veteran presence at BKFC 95. After a decade fighting across organizations like ACA, Emerson recently moved into bare-knuckle MMA, winning his debut in that hybrid format.

Bare-knuckle boxing operates under distinct rules compared to sanctioned MMA. Fighters cannot grapple, clinch for extended periods, or strike grounded opponents. Rounds typically last two minutes rather than five, fundamentally altering pacing and cardiovascular demands. The absence of four-ounce gloves changes defensive mechanics entirely, forcing fighters to rely more heavily on head movement and distance management rather than blocking punches with padded hands. For aging UFC veterans accustomed to grappling-heavy game plans, the transition requires stripping away years of muscle memory.

While Dodson and Rivera compete without gloves, Liz Carmouche and Trey Waters remain in regulated MMA competition at PFL Chicago on Thursday. Carmouche, who challenged Valentina Shevchenko for the UFC women’s flyweight title in August 2019, has posted a 13-1 record since her departure from the UFC. She fights Jena Bishop coming off a June submission victory over Viviane Araujo at PFL San Diego. Carmouche’s sustained success illustrates how the PFL’s seasonal tournament format provides consistent, scheduled bouts that regional circuits often fail to deliver, allowing older veterans to maintain sharp timing.

Waters squares off against Eliezer Kubanza on the same PFL card. His exit from the UFC followed a September 2025 TKO loss to Sam Patterson. He rebounded in August with a first-round stoppage of Truman Carson at PFL Charlotte, demonstrating the immediate momentum shifts possible when fighters leave the UFC’s deep roster for organizations where they face less specialized competition.

The Professional Fighters League acquired Bellator MMA in late 2023, consolidating its position as the primary alternative destination for UFC-caliber talent in North America. This consolidation created a clearer pathway for released fighters to maintain visibility without dropping immediately to untelevised regional shows.

Several other former UFC competitors are testing entirely different rule sets this week. Lucas Almeida, Claudio Ribeiro, and Andre Ewell are all booked for RCC & Karate Combat 63 on Friday, competing under full-contact karate rules. Karate Combat utilizes an augmented-reality pit rather than a ring or cage, permits strikes only while standing, and enforces continuous action by penalizing stalling. Ribeiro has found particular success in the format, holding a 3-0 karate record alongside a 2-1 mark in MMA since his March 2024 UFC release. Ewell, who hasn’t competed in MMA since August 2022, uses the karate circuit to stay active between exhibition boxing and bare-knuckle appearances.

Zhalgas Zhumagulov takes another unconventional route on Friday at IBA Nomad 16, fighting Asror Akparkhodzhaev under custom rules. Zhumagulov has remained undefeated outside the UFC since a June 2023 split-decision loss to Joshua Van, stacking wins in MMA, professional boxing, and now experimental formats. David Dvorak returns to European MMA at OKTAGON 95 on Saturday against Aaron Aby, looking to recover from a December 2025 TKO defeat.

Airtox Dominance FC 8 features a direct collision between two UFC alumni on Saturday when Westin Wilson fights Mads Burnell. Both men have rebuilt their careers on the European regional scene. Burnell carries a 12-5 record since his May 2018 UFC exit, while Wilson enters off an August submission win at CFC 11.

Bekzat Almakhan makes his post-UFC debut at Rena vs. PFL on Saturday against Abdul Kamara, just months removed from a June decision loss to Jean Matsumoto at UFC Fight Night 280. Viacheslav Borshchev competes at Urijah Faber’s A1 Combat 37 on Thursday against Mirali Huseynov, attempting to stabilize after consecutive losses in XFC and the UFC closed out his 2025 campaign.

On the regional MMA front, Danny Barlow transitions to professional boxing today against Jason Paragioudakis at Thursday Night Fights, one year after his October 2025 UFC release. Danilo Belluardo and Khusein Askhabov both fight Saturday at Cage Warriors 211 and Airtox Dominance FC 8, respectively, while Lucas Alexander competes at Combat Night Kissimmee. Rashad Coulter shifts to Muay Thai rules at XKO 76 on Saturday, adding another discipline to a resume that includes boxing and bare-knuckle bouts since his 2019 MMA departure.

Recent results from the regional circuit show Nick Maximov securing a unanimous decision over Wildemar Santos at LFA 243, Yanis Ghemmouri defeating Taha Bendaoud at PFL Africa, and Kazula Vargas dropping a decision to Kristjan Toniste at MMA Raju 20. Rolando Dy suffered a TKO loss to Scott McHugh at BKB 60. Matthew Semelsberger fought Maksim Serges at FightWorld 46 on Oct. 10, with official results still pending.