Vice TV has announced a significant multi-year media rights agreement with BYB Bare Knuckle Boxing, a prominent bare knuckle fighting organization. This partnership will see Vice Sports broadcast 13 live events in primetime throughout 2025, predominantly on Saturday nights. The series kicks off with BYB 37 Denver Brawl IV on February 22, 2025.
This marks a pivotal moment for Vice TV, representing its first live sports event series. The network, boasting over 40 million subscribers, is actively transitioning to a sports-first programming model. BYB Bare Knuckle Boxing's unique brand of combat sports aligns perfectly with Vice TV's goal of offering provocative and engaging content.
BYB has gained recognition for its unique approach, focusing on what it terms the “purest form” of combat sports. Its patented three-sided Trigon ring creates a compact fighting space, maximizing action and contributing to a remarkable 90% knockout rate. “We look forward to adding live BYB Bare Knuckle Boxing, our first live event series, as a mainstay of the Vice TV schedule as Vice Sports continues to fill its programming slate with compelling sports-themed docuseries, programs, live events, and podcasts,” stated Pete Gaffney, president of Vice TV.
“BYB is a combat sport surging in popularity, and having it on VICE TV helps us fulfill our mission of featuring provocative sports programming that our audience now expects,” Gaffney added. BYB CEO Greg Bloom echoed this sentiment, highlighting the sport's rapid growth and the synergy between the two organizations. “Bare Knuckle Boxing is growing faster than any other sport, with a trajectory that mirrors MMA twenty-five years ago, and that growth and popularity will only accelerate as Vice TV builds out Vice Sports,” said Bloom. “BYB, like Vice TV, prides itself on being an industry innovator and disruptor, and we look forward to being a tentpole partner as Vice Sports continues to elevate exciting original and live programming.”
BYB 37 will unfold on February 22nd from 9 a.m. to noon Eastern Time at the Stockyards Event Center in Denver, Colorado. The main event features a clash between undefeated fighters: Harry “The Hitman” Gigliotti defending his Police Gazette Diamond Belt against Jon “Untameable” Barnard. The co-main event sees Helen Peralta aiming for a second championship title against Lailane Mota for the vacant BYB Super Featherweight Police Gazette Diamond belt.
This agreement underscores Vice Media's broader investment in sports programming. The recent launch of the Vice Sports brand, coupled with a significantly expanded programming strategy, reflects the company's commitment to this sector. Vice TV's programming shift towards a sports-first model is evident in recent premieres, including “Brady vs. Belichick: The Verdict,” “Calipari: Razor’s Edge,” and “Pitino: Red Storm Rising.” Vice Media plans to produce over 50 hours of sports content for global distribution in 2025.