Bare Knuckle FC president David Feldman expects the coming months to be his promotion’s biggest and best to date. Following what he views as a breakthrough year in 2020, Feldman has major plans for 2021, which could include more international expansion, big-name investors, outdoor mega-shows, legends trilogies, and more.

This week, Feldman spoke with MMA Junkie and dished on a number of topics ranging from Paige VanZant’s future and Shaquille O’Neal’s involvement in the company to potentially signing Junior Dos Santos and Alistair Overeem in the wake of their releases from the UFC.

The promotion returns Friday with BKFC 16 in Biloxi, Miss. The card is headlined by former UFC and WEC fighter Leonard Garcia as he battles Joe Elmore. Also on the card are former UFC fighter Melvin Guillard and former WBO junior welterweight boxing champion DeMarcus Corley. The event streams on BareKnuckleTV.

Below is a Q&A with Feldman.

What’s next for Paige Vanzat?

“She’ll be back in June (or) July. Probably July because we have the super-card, and she’s going to be on that against another well known female fighter. … You know what it was? What I was happy to see was at the end of the fight that she came on. If she started really quick in the first round and kind of dwindled in the later rounds, then maybe (bare knuckle) wasn’t going to be for her. But she started slow, kind of found her groove, and then finished really strong. I definitely think that she can have a home here. I think she can adapt to this sport, and I expect her to do way, way better than she did in the February show here in July.”

What is the promotion’s outlook for the rest of 2021?

“I’m go-big-or-go-home always. I have to have some people pull back the reins a little bit, because if not, we’re just going to be going really, really fast. I do have some people on the team that say, ‘Oh, let’s calm down a little bit.’ When I decide to do something really big, we go for it. It generally works out. As far as the remainder of 2021, as long as the borders are open, we have plans of doing a show in England in July (and) Russia, actually, in September. We do have plans of really going all over the world in the next couple of years. This year, we’re looking to do three international destinations that will be Phuket, Thailand, which we did last Friday, remotely. Then, England in July, like I said, and August or September with Russia.”

BKFC to hold a stadium show in Miami?

“(Our May 21 show is) hopefully going to be at Hard Rock Stadium, the home of the Miami Dolphins. It looks like it’s going to end up there. It’s going to be a tremendous show for us then.

“… We’ve pulled off everything together for Miami. All the guys from South Florida are going to be on that card. You know some of the guys we have. They’re all going to be on that card – and then a few surprises. It’s going to be tremendous. Like I said, man, it’s just go big or go home, at times. Not every time, but this time it’s going to be one of those moments.

“The perception of having 14,000 screaming fans in attendance. It will just be unbelievable at this stage. It would just be tremendous for us. That’s what we’re trying to do. We have a very good backup facility, and that’s going to hold about 6,000 fans. Either event that we do, it’ll be our largest attendance we’ve ever had.”

Legend trilogy in Texas this July?

“In June, we’re going to go to another new place. I believe we’re going to Montana in June. Then, in July, we’ll have all our I’s dotted and T’s crossed for Texas for a really, really huge event – the biggest event we’ve ever done by five times in July. We have a lot of plans going into the summer. We’ll start adding onto that as the shows start happening.”

“… People are going to get really, really excited about this (main event). The main event is just going to be unbelievable. It’ll be a trilogy fight. That’s the only hint I can give you. It’ll be a trilogy fight with two legends. We’re really, really, really happy to be able to put that one on and potentially (get) a ton of eyeballs for that one.”

What’s Shaquille O’Neal’s involvement with BKFC?

Shaquille O’Neal.

“I just had three tremendous meetings down here in Miami. … We’re working on a deal with him, another really, really big celebrity, and then another one, as well. We’re trying to get all three of them to team up, pair in, and come in as a partner for BKFC. It looks like that’s going to happen. The sooner that happens, the better obviously.”

Will BKFC sign Junior Dos Santos or Alistair Overeem?

Junior Dos Santos. (James Elsby, USA TODAY Sports)

“We’re talking to Ana, who is Junior Dos Santos’ manager. We also spoke to George, who is representing Alistair Overeem. They both said that they just wanted a couple of weeks to defuse before they made up their mind which direction they wanted to go, but we are in talks with them both. We probably won’t end up signing both of them. But I think there’s a strong possibility we end up signing one of those guys.”

Why should fans tune in to BKFC 16?

“Leonard Garcia vs. Joe Elmore is our main event. We have former two-time world champion DeMarcus “Chop Chop” Corley fighting long-tenured BKFC fighter Reggie Barnett. We have the first-ever BKFC heavyweight champ Arnold Adams taking on tough-as-nails Bobo O’Bannen. How I’ll describe it is it’s the most exciting combat sport on the planet, bar none. (It’s) nonstop action, the whole entire night long. It’s the purest form of combat sports you’ll ever see. If you’re a combat sports fan, you’ll tune in and I guarantee you’ll always tune in again. If you’re not a combat sports fan, it might not be up your alley. … Tune in and watch it. It’ll be the best money you’ve ever spent on an event.”

Full interview with David Feldman