Jorge Masvidal says he’s betting big on bareknuckle MMA in 2026, unveiling a $500,000 heavyweight grand prix he thinks could relaunch Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA for at least two years.
Speaking to MMA Junkue, Masvidal explained that Gamebred Fighting Championship was inactive while he raised money and rebuilt the team behind the scenes. “We’ve been fundraising for a while now, putting things together, putting together a team, and we’re back,” he said, adding that he has secured enough financing for “two solid years of entertainment” before “rolling the dice again” in hopes of landing a network deal. He described the project as an attempt to “get these checks” and asked fans for additional support as he brought the promotion back.
Jorge Masvidal’s $500k Gamebred Grand Prix Brings UFC Veterans to MMA
The relaunch revolves around a heavyweight Bareknuckle MMA tournament that will reward $500,000 to the champion after four fights in 2026. Masvidal said it will feature 10 UFC veterans, a former The Ultimate Fighter winner, two former PFL tournament winners, a bare-knuckle champion and athletes from seven countries, all fighting without gloves for what he calls a world Grand Prix title. The series kicks off on April 10 in the Dominican Republic, with the remaining rounds scheduled to continue throughout the year.
The current plans go further than one bracket. Officials from Masvidal and Gamebred have confirmed two 16-man tournaments in 2026, one at heavyweight and one at lightweight, each with a top prize of $500,000 for a combined $1 million in payouts. The April 10 card in the Dominican Republic opens the heavyweight field, while a May 1 event in Miami is expected to host the early rounds of the lightweight tournament. Early heavyweight matchups include the surprise return of former UFC title challenger and current analyst Anthony Smith, who will face fellow UFC veteran Chase Sherman. Other names listed for the bracket include Guto Inocente vs. Mohammed Usman, Alexandr Romanov vs. Nikolay Kovalenko and Bruno Cappelozza vs. Todd Duffee.
Masvidal has positioned Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA as a rules-based twist on well-known uniform rules: full MMA with takedowns and submissions, but no gloves. In the recent video, he emphasized that this is “Bare Knuckle MMA, not bare-knuckle boxing” and argued that removing gloves actually increases finishing potential on the ground. He said submissions are “through the roof” because the locks feel stronger and defenders can no longer stop by grabbing gloves. Barehanded, he likened hand control to chasing “oiled pigs,” saying the holds slip and positions are harder to freeze, which he believes will force fighters to attack and create more decisive endings.
Masvidal has called Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA “the most violent show on earth” in previous interviews and insists that this year-long experiment, with the right funding and ex-UFC names on board, could secure a home broadcast and a lasting spot on the combat sports calendar.
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