BKFC 82 Sees Shakeup As Fighter Removed From Card

Frankie Edgar will not be returning to the ring at BKFC 82 after all.

Edgar, 43, was expected to make his bare-knuckle boxing debut on the BKFC 82 main card against fellow UFC veteran and New Jersey native Jimmie Rivera. The bout would have been his first since retiring in the Octagon following a loss to Chris Gutierrez at UFC 281.

However, Edgar has been pulled from the bout just three days before the event, according to a report from NJ.com. He was reportedly removed due to unspecified health concerns.

While Edgar's withdrawal came as a surprise, it was something the BKFC had been preparing for. BKFC president David Feldman called Edgar a "coin toss" to compete on the Wednesday edition of 'The Ariel Helwani Show.'

We’ve got a jam-packed fight week ahead of us!#BKFC82 | Oct 4 | Tix at https://t.co/LJX5urGkRW | Live on DAZN 👉 Buy now at https://t.co/vd8ZAEe9Yj | Link in bio pic.twitter.com/nUvMJcRf6K
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) October 1, 2025

"We'll determine [if Edgar will compete] later on today," Feldman said. "There is a potential medical issue with him. We're not exactly sure, and we will determine that later today."

Before accepting the fight, Edgar had not previously competed since November 2022. Edgar's family seemed to be just as surprised as fans were, as the former UFC lightweight champion admitted that his loved ones were not as into the idea as he was.

Despite the questions surrounding his return to combat sports, Edgar called the bout a "perfect storm." He believed that the money was right and was sold on the opportunity to face another New Jersey native at the Prudential Center.

Jimmie Rivera to face Timmy Mason at BKFC 82

Edgar and Rivera promoted their fight as an unofficial Battle of New Jersey, as both fighters spent their entire lives in the Garden State. BKFC 82 is going to be the promotion's debut in New Jersey and the first-ever sanctioned bare-knuckle event in the state.

Rivera will instead face Timmy Mason, a 32-year-old Montana native with a 2-2 BKFC record. Mason is coming off a first-round knockout of AJ Craig at BKFC 79 in August.

Feldman revealed that Mason would be Edgar's replacement on 'The Ariel Helwani Show.' While acknowledging that Mason does not have the level of fame that Edgar does, he called the recent victor a "very tough fight" for Rivera.

Barring a fight card change, Rivera and Mason will be the third-to-last fight of BKFC 82. Rivera and Edgar were scheduled to compete at featherweight, but it remains to be seen if there will be a weight change due to Mason's last-minute insertion.

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