Parker Porter Eyes BKFC Heavyweight Title And FT Coaching Transition [Exclusive]

After an ideal first year in the BKFC, Parker Porter sees everything falling into place in 2026.

Porter, 40, signed with the BKFC in early 2026, over a year after his release from the UFC. The Hartford, Connecticut, native has gone 2-0 since removing his gloves, with both of his wins coming in roughly one minute.

Now ranked No. 4 in the BKFC heavyweight division, Porter has one final opportunity to put a stamp on his 2025 resurgence. He will once again headline a BKFC Fight Night card at the Mohegan Sun in his home state against 3-0 Anthony Garrett.

Porter was initially scheduled to face promotional veteran Josh Copeland, who withdrew during fight week and was replaced by Garrett.

Porter's new opponent is a tougher matchup on paper, as Garrett is also undefeated in BKFC, with each of his wins by first-round knockout. Regardless, Porter sees himself orchestrating another impressive victory to cement himself as the next heavyweight title contender.

"I think this year has been even better than what I expected," Porter told KO on SI. "[The BKFC is] certainly making me feel welcome. I have no complaints, man. This is my newfound love of combat sports. I wish it started sooner, but I'm not mad with the way things are going now.

"I'm still kind of new to the sport and on the rise — this is only going to be my third fight. I think after, if everything goes according to plan, then we'll be having title discussions, for sure."

The entire BKFC heavyweight division is currently chasing another former UFC veteran, 'Big' Ben Rothwell. The Wisconsin native won the belt by improving to 4-0 with a stunning first-round knockout of then-champion Mick Terrill in January and has yet to make his first title defense.

Parker Porter prepares for multiple career changes in 2026

If Porter improves to 3-0 with a win over Garrett, he would seemingly be undeniable as Rothwell's next challenger. However, BKFC president David Feldman teased a Rothwell fight announcement at the BKFC 85 post-fight presser, suggesting his next fight will not be against Porter.

Either way the promotion goes, Porter is willing to be patient. The BKFC heavyweight division is not short on viable challengers, and Porter is already preparing for another massive change in his life.

The longtime MMA fighter has been around combat sports his entire life, but he is excited to make it his full-time career in 2026. Porter recently discovered a new passion by becoming the head coach at the Heavy Hitters Club gym in New Britain, Connecticut, which he is about to go all-in on.

"Starting in January, I'll be able to be at the gym full-time, coaching and teaching classes," Porter said. "Right now, it's been kind of a part-time split between doing general contracting during the day and teaching classes in the evening, while squeezing in my own training sessions. So I'm really excited to see what I can do as a gym owner and coach moving forward with the availability of having full-time dedication to it, as well as how I can elevate my own skill set and sharpness for the rest of my BKFC career."

Unlike most professional sports, simultaneously competing and coaching is not uncommon in combat sports. However, there are not many prominent figures who play both sides in bare-knuckle, but Porter would be happy to pave the way.

Porter said he "absolutely" recommends the BKFC to fighters struggling to break through in other combat sports. He touted the promotion to an old training partner, Guilherme Viana, who is making his bare-knuckle debut against former boxer Aleem Whitfield on the undercard.

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