“The Most Exciting Part of Hockey… Without all the Hockey. NO STICKS, NO PUCKS, NO GOALS, JUST THE FIGHTS.” That’s what BKFC co-owner Conor McGregor, and the founder, David Feldman’s latest endeavor is offering its audience. If you ever presumed that combat sports were only confined to a cage or a ring, think again, because, we are about to witness people in full hockey attire fighting on a gleaming, frozen sheet of ice. 

On March 19th, the BKFC head honcho proudly announced that they had acquired ‘Ice Wars’, a league known to promote hockey-esque fights since 2022. For the unversed, the promotion is eagerly preparing to stage two events in June this year. The grand inaugural event dubbed ‘BKFC Ice Wars’ event: American vs Canadians is scheduled for June 14th, in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. A second card is set for June 28 at River Cree Casino & Resort in Enoch, Alberta, Canada. Moreover, BKFC Ice Wars is expected to launch with at least six events in 2025 and then expand to as many as 24 events in 2026.

Now, coming to the rules! The league will feature four weight classes: Heavyweight (over 200 lbs.), Cruiserweight (175 to 200 lbs.), Middleweight (150 to 175 lbs.), and Lightweight (under 150 lbs.). The participants will wear full hockey attire, and except for the sticks, they will have the traditional MMA gloves on to fight their adversaries. Every ‘BKFC Ice War’ fight will be 3 to 5 rounds, each containing 90 seconds, inside a 900 square-foot-ice enclosure called ‘The Ice Box.’

Again, some might assume that the participants will engage in no-holds-barred bouts, but the league will operate under its own rules which are not entirely comprehensive. BKFC has emphasized that their new combat sports venture is aimed at promoting “legal, sanctioned, and regulated hockey fights.” So, you can expect some cold rules and regulations for the participants!

Feldman has an ambitious vision for the ‘BKFC Ice Wars’. He had closely observed Charlie Nama’s work, and positioned him as the CEO, being firmly convinced that their dynamic energy and aim were in perfect alignment to make this league successful. During the press release on Wednesday, Feldman stated the following:

“We’ve been watching what the team at Ice Wars has been building, and it’s been incredible to see the passionate response they’ve received from audiences. Their vision and energy align perfectly with what we do at BKFC bringing raw, high-adrenaline combat sports to fans in a way they’ve never seen before. Partnering with them to create BKFC Ice Wars was an easy decision, and we’re excited to take this to the next level together.”

It’s certainly an interesting extension to the whole BKFC banner, which is known for hosting brutal bare-knuckle boxing events around the world. How exactly they’re going to fit ‘Ice Wars’ into their brand is something we are waiting to see. However, I can assure you that ‘Ice Hockey Fighting’ is a much earlier concept than you might think.

The battle of hockey enforcers: The first-ever Ice Hockey fighting league

If you are pondering the origins of ‘Ice Hockey Fighting’, let us introduce you to a league named ‘Battle of Hockey Enforcers’ where the participants fervently engaged in combat. Most of the people taking part in this event were ‘Enforcers’ from different minor and senior men’s hockey leagues in Quebec, Canada. The ‘Enforcers’ are players in ice hockey, who are responsible for deterring or responding the violent play by the opposition.

The first ‘Battle of Enforcers’ event was held in British Columbia, Canada, on August 27, 2005. Interestingly, no fighting was allowed on the ground, and the referee separated the fighters if it was too one-sided. For players’ safety, the referee temporarily halted the fights if helmets and gloves were accidentally removed, with disqualification for intentional removal of gloves.

Now with 2025, fans can expect to witness the same brigade of action on ice yet again. Do you find the ‘BKFC x Ice Wars’ interesting? Please comment down your thoughts!