BKFC has a plan in place for 2025 that rivals even the biggest of big swings in combat sports.

In a recent interview, promotion founder Dave Feldman revealed his tentative idea to hold a $25 million tournament. At the time, Feldman admitted it was not an official plan for BKFC, but rather simply an idea. However, that massive bare-knuckle boxing showcase has since developed into a very real reality.

Feldman explained how everything came to fruition Wednesday on "The Ariel Helwani Show."

"It was $10 million [initially], and I was like, 'It's just not enough,'" Feldman said. "It's a lot of money, but when you spread it around the right way, it's just not enough — $25 million was the [correct] number. I live like you jump off a building and you build a parachute on the way down. You just figure it out.

"I did that interview, I think it was with Sirius [XM Radio], and they asked me, 'What do you have planned for 2025?' And I said, 'We're going to launch this $25 million fight tournament.' And they're like, '$25 million fight tournament?!' And I'm like, 'Man, I just said that. I really just said that.' But we figured it out. It's a done deal. We're funded on it. It's fantastic."

BKFC has found success throughout its seven-year existence, holding events regularly and traveling outside of the U.S. with shows or collaborations in countries like Thailand, Canada, England, Mexico and Japan. Stateside, 32 athletic commissions have already approved any necessary rules and regulations to host bare-knuckle events, with Nevada and New York being Feldman's next two major targets.

Feldman did his homework immediately after verbally boasting about the tournament's potential payout numbers and ensured it was possible. According to him, 64 fighters are expected to be involved.

After hearing of Feldman's plan, investors and those willing to help make the concept a reality were all in.

"Everybody called after that event. Investors. Crazy," Feldman said. "We're going to do four major tryouts around the world. We're going to do one in the United States, one in Spain, I believe one in Australia and one in the Middle East. And then we're going to do these qualifying rounds. It's going to be a total of 10 events throughout nine to 10 months. We're scheduling that right now. The first fight's going to be around June. It's going to happen in the United States. It's going to happen in Spain. It's going to happen in the Middle East, Australia and we're working on the final right now.

"We have three countries bidding on it right now. One of them is an African country, one of them is a European country and the United States. So we're working on that right now to see where the finals are going to be. But the real money comes down to the final eight.

"Obviously, everybody's getting paid for all their fights leading up to it, but the real money gets broken down in the final eight," he continued. "The winner will walk away with $15 million."

One of the obstacles of a tournament with so many participants — and the money being spent — is determining the division to shine a spotlight on. A range of lighter weight classes from 135 pounds to 165 pounds could be where BKFC ultimately lands, though Feldman said the only way fighters of significantly different sizes collide would be in the final eight bouts or championship. At the moment, however, he's leaning toward a range of 175 pounds to 275 pounds, which select commissions have already approved.

"We're going to put the call out for the applications next week, actually," Feldman said. "When we just whispered it the first time, we got 10,000. We're anticipating about 20,000 real applications. We're putting a fee on it, and we're only putting a fee on it for one reason — we're going to refund it to them or we're going to give them a grab bag. We're going to do something. We're not trying to make money on it, we just don't want them wasting our time.

"There's going to be so many people coming in on this thing. So we're anticipating 20,000 applications, we're going to narrow it down to 64, and then we're going to do more rounds."

BKFC has several names across its roster that could make compelling tournament candidates. Feldman sees the venture as a chance to blend the field between homegrown stars and established veterans,

The tournament isn't yet confirmed to take place on BKFC's broadcast partner, DAZN, but despite being open to other possible viewing platforms, Feldman is confident DAZN will air it.

"I think we're going to build eight to 10 to 12 to 24 — who knows? — new stars out of this thing," Feldman said. "And I think that's really the whole purpose of this thing, is to build new stars and create a spectacle. It's a spectacle, and it's the world's baddest man. Who's the world's baddest man? And listen, I know people are going to say, 'Well, you're not grappling, you're not kicking, you're not elbowing.' OK, but you're fighting with bare knuckles, and this is the format that we're doing, and it's going to be the world's baddest man.

"I think everybody in the world — not fight fans, everybody — would want to know if that guy had the title. So it's just a cool thing that we're doing. The world's baddest man, $25 million, five continents, eight countries, 10 events, and we're going to cash out on this thing."

BKFC's first event of 2025 is Jan. 18 in Temecula, California.