Stevie Ray set for BKFC debut in Glasgow
NXTbets Pro | Published On: November 3, 2026
UFC exit claims
Ray’s move to bare-knuckle fighting comes after a breakup with the UFC that he says started with contract issues and ended with pressure to leave. He said he signed a new four-fight deal in 2019, then believed the promotion pushed him out in 2020 because his contract value had climbed and his knee injuries made him too expensive to keep. Ray also said the UFC booked him for a Las Vegas fight even though it knew visa issues could complicate the matchup. In his account, the promotion then made its position clear to his manager. He said the UFC told the manager that if he did not leave, it would cut him anyway and warn other promotions. Ray also said his knee problems came up in those talks and that he never received any money from the extension. Those details give his move to BKFC extra context: he says his UFC run ended on the promotion’s terms after a dispute involving contract value, injury concerns and the business side of the sport.
PFL run and final
Ray kept fighting after the UFC exit, and his time in the PFL kept his MMA career moving. After signing with the PFL, he fought seven more times in MMA. That stretch included a run to the 2022 PFL lightweight tournament final. The path to that final also carried extra weight because he beat Anthony Pettis twice along the way. Those wins stand out in his post-UFC resume and help explain why his next move carries attention. Ray is arriving in BKFC with MMA work behind him, including a tournament final and notable wins.
BKFC debut in Glasgow
Ray is now set to make his BKFC debut in Glasgow in the co-main event, and he said the move does not have to be a one-time switch away from MMA. He said the bare-knuckle fight would not be a one-off because he might still take more MMA bouts. That keeps his future open across two combat sports and frames the Glasgow appearance as a new chapter rather than a firm exit from mixed martial arts. The BKFC booking gives him another stage after the UFC and PFL runs. Ray’s own comments suggest he sees the debut as part of a broader career plan, not a closing statement. He still sees room for MMA, even as he prepares for bare-knuckle competition in Glasgow.
