With boxing now back in the mix, DAZN plans to add more combat sports in the months ahead.

Sources inform BoxingScene.com that the sports streaming service plans to enter a partnership with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). The deal, according to sources with knowledge of the deal, is due to officially begin in August, with all forthcoming events streaming will partner to present a special series of fights beginning in August 2020.

DAZN will own exclusive streaming rights to the series in the United States and Canada under the terms of the deal.

Not included in the deal is a BKFC event (BKFC11) which will stream on the company’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0_ulcOA5HM) Friday evening live from Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena in Oxford, Mississippi.

The partnership is expected to be announced tonight during the livestream, which will also draw attention to DAZN’s live boxing coverage in Indio, California, featuring 2019 Prospect of the Year Vergil Ortiz in a 12-round welterweight bout versus Canada’s Samuel Vargas.

With the deal, DAZN now claims in its portfolio U.S. rights to boxing, BKFC and Bellator (mixed martial arts) as it moves forward with continued plans for global expansion.

BKFC was founded by veteran boxing promoter Dave Feldman in April 2018. The company has since aired 10 events, beginning with BKFC 1 in June 2018. The fights take place in two-minute rounds, structured to lead to more action in a condensed time frame.

The event which drew the most attention—at least in hardcore boxing circles—came last June. Former two-division titlist Paul Malignaggi entered ‘The Squared Circle’–a circular four-rope ring—to face UFC fighter Artem Lobov in a well-publicized main event atop BKFC 6. Lobo won the fight by unanimous decision.

Friday’s card marks the first BKFC event since February 2020. Unbeaten flyweight prospect Nico Hernandez—the 2016 Olympic Bronze medalist who has developed a massive following in his Wichita, Kansas hometown—was due to make his debut on the circuit earlier this year, only for the event to be shutdown due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Sources tell BoxingScene.com that he could be featured in a future event under the partnership with DAZN which housed his November 2018 points win over Josue Morales live from his hometown.

Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox