After a successful, undefeated run in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) that included a notable victory where he broke the jaw of former UFC champion Eddie Alvarez, Jeremy Stephens appeared to have found his niche in bare-knuckle boxing.
However, that bout against Alvarez marked the end of his BKFC contract. Instead of signing a new deal with the promotion, Stephens opted for a one-fight agreement to return to the UFC, set to compete in his hometown of Des Moines, Iowa, this Saturday. While Stephens was clear about wanting appropriate compensation when he became a free agent to potentially continue with BKFC, he stated that his departure for the UFC opportunity was not due to any bad relations with the bare-knuckle organization.
“I don’t have any bad blood over there with BKFC,” Stephens told MMA Fighting. He explained he tried to contact the BKFC leadership but wasn`t going to passively wait for a response, emphasizing his need to proactively create opportunities and income. “I`m paying my own bills. I`ve got to create my own opportunities.”
Stephens highlighted the immediate benefit of the UFC return. “The fact that I can just go do this here in May, make an opportunity, have a payday,” he said, expressing continued positive feelings for BKFC. “I love BKFC. No one`s f*cking with me and BKFC.” He reiterated that potential future BKFC fights exist, but the key factor is whether they will offer him compensation he believes reflects his value. “are you going to pay me my worth? If not, I’ve got to take care of this family. I’m still active, still healthy. I want to compete.” He views the UFC return strategically: “UFC was just a stop of opportunity.”
The victory over Alvarez opened the door to various potential high-profile matchups in BKFC, including a highly anticipated dream fight against BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor. McGregor even stepped into the ring for a faceoff with Stephens at a Philadelphia event in January. Stephens also expressed interest in a showdown with BKFC standout Mike Perry, who has become a prominent figure for the promotion.
While neither of these potential superfights materialized immediately after the Alvarez win, Stephens remains optimistic they are still possible. He believes that achieving a decisive victory over Mason Jones in his upcoming UFC fight on May 3rd will significantly increase attention and demand for these matchups.
More than anything, Stephens is waiting for BKFC to approach him with a financial offer that meets his expectations.
“BKFC, when it comes to bare-knuckle, the king of the barbarians is home,” Stephens declared. He mentioned his interest in the Mike Perry fight and questioned the seriousness of McGregor`s talk about entering bare-knuckle boxing. “Conor [McGregor] can talk about he wants to come over [to bare-knuckle] but those guys aren’t really serious.” Stephens emphasized his own consistent action. “I’m actually like are you serious or which route do we got to go? Obviously, I’ve got to keep putting in work. I’m going to keep f*cking showing up and being in everybody’s faces. It’s going to be my year. You’re just going to hear Jeremy Stephens all across the f*cking board.”
He stated his desire to fight for a promotion that keeps him active and allows him to pursue opportunities independently. “I want to fight for a company that’s going to keep me busy and let me create my own opportunities.” Stephens feels his worth is already proven. “I don’t have to prove my worth. I already know what I’m capable of in doing things.” Citing his performance against Alvarez, where he “sell out the show, crack a f*cking jaw,” especially given the opponent`s stature, he believes he deserves substantial paydays. “Come on, I feel like I deserve those paydays, too, right?” He senses growing recognition for his capabilities. “I feel like the MMA people around the globe are starting to recognize who the f*ck I really am.” He maintains his self-reliant approach: “I still out here doing it and just creating opportunities for myself. I don’t rely on nobody. I’m my own man. I do it my own way.”
Ideally, Stephens envisions winning his UFC return fight and then working towards securing the long-desired matchup against McGregor, fueled by their history stemming from a widely publicized press conference exchange in 2016.
That viral moment, where McGregor famously asked, “who the f*ck is that guy?”, has served as significant motivation for Stephens to eventually get the chance to face the Irish superstar.
Despite uncertainties surrounding McGregor`s return to competition, given it`s been nearly four years since his last fight and he`s recently hinted at political aspirations in Ireland, Stephens has not abandoned hope for the fight.
“I kind of keep it in the back of my head to chase that type of red panty night,” Stephens admitted, using McGregor`s phrase for a lucrative fight. “I deserve it but I really know I can f*cking rearrange his jaw. Rearrange his f*cking legs and break him. I think we’re the perfect fight.”
Stephens suggested he`ll focus on his own career while McGregor pursues other interests. “Let old buttcheeks Conor, cocaine Conor do his thing, let him run wild.” In the meantime, Stephens intends to keep winning and performing at a high level. “In the meantime, I’m just going to keep whooping ass, keep showing up as No. 1 and eventually if the opportunity comes, I put myself in line by action, not just f*cking talking and being a social media clown. I’m out here f*cking doing it. Breaking jaws, snapping bras. It’s just what I do.”
