Jimmie Rivera Retires In Front Of Home Crowd After BKFC 82 Knockout Win

Jimmie Rivera is ending his career on top.

Rivera, 36, faced Timmy Mason at BKFC 82, marking his first fight in his native New Jersey in nearly a decade. After nearly five minutes of back-and-forth action, Rivera knocked Mason down for the third and final time early in the third round to secure the TKO victory.

The win improved Rivera's BKFC record to 3-2-1. He was asked about a potential rebooking with Edgar after the fight, but instead took the opportunity to announce his retirement.

"Unfortunately, I don't like to end on a sour note," Rivera said. "So this will be my last fight. There's only one fight that matters right now, and the only fight that can bring me out of retirement is coming back here at The Rock, or somewhere in Jersey, and Frankie and I have a little unfinished business. It's all good blood, though. I really wanted that fight, and out of love and respect, we can do it for the fans. At the end of the day, we're both winners, so it don't matter."

Going out on a high! Rivera calls it a career after a hometown W!

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— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) October 5, 2025

Rivera out-landed Mason 41 to 23, according to the BKFC official stats. Although he was also knocked down once in the second round, Rivera floored Mason in each of the three rounds before the stoppage.

Rivera will now shift his full attention to his other occupation as a police officer at the Elmwood Park Police Department. He also echoed his advocacy for self-defense and continued martial arts training in law enforcement.

Jimmie Rivera ends 34-fight martial arts career

Rivera's fighting career comes to a close after six bare-knuckle bouts and 28 MMA fights. Before joining the BKFC, Rivera competed 11 times in the UFC, going 7-4 in the Octagon.

'El Terror' was never able to fight his way into a world title opportunity with the UFC, but he faced several future champions as a perennial top contender. Aljamain Sterling, Petr Yan and Marlon Moraes all beat Rivera during their respective roads to the title.

However, Rivera would compete for a world title in the BKFC. Following a win over Daniel Straus at BKFC 61, Rivera earned a shot against featherweight champion Kai Stewart, but ultimately dropped a competitive five-round decision.

Although Rivera appears to be content with his decision, the Edgar bout could still be in play. After Edgar withdrew due to health concerns, BKFC president David Feldman said he still plans to give him another fight in the promotion. Few matchups make more sense for either guy.

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