Glimpse of hope remains for Bare Knuckled Boxing in Perth despite permit setback

So bare knuckle fighting was banned effective land Western Australia yesterday even though they started selling tickets, et cetera. And how did it go down with the promoters?

Well, the commentators out of a job.

Brett Benetti is a combat sports commentator and has been speaking on behalf of the promoters, both here in Australia and also overseas. Brett, good morning, good morning meals. Wouldn't you interesting?

Do you say that that the sport actually hasn't been banned A permit hasn't been granted by the WA Combat.

Sport Well, effectually that bans it from being conducted here, doesn't it? Not?

Really? Because again you going underground now, I'm not going to go underground. There's no official statement yet. I've been speaking to the promoters of the BKFC and Knuckle Up Australia, which are the local promoters. Look, they'rekeen to work with the commission and a confident that the event can still go ahead on Saturday, July nineteen. When I say about permit today, I've been led to believe is the last day that any promotion for any combat sport can submit

Is there any possibility that it could be pushed back?

Yeah, that's right. That's why I said that the sport hasn't been banned, a permit hasn't been granted, so they.

Don't want it. Mate, they said that it doesn't meet the criteria. You've got to face it exactly the finding here of that nature.

Well, when you say that again, the promotion can put forward to application. What requirements for the event do we need to provide to get the permit?

I thought that from what I had seen undertaken here that the permit had I just got the impression that had already been granted. Given what had happened. I mean, it just seems like a giant backflip. And the government here has put it over to this organization and said, well, you deal with this. It's too hard for us.

Well, they can't be seen to be knocking it back because they not only they supporting the UFC for example, they're funding it. And now and only a few weeks ago rita safiod Years at Jagan Square with Jack Della Madelina, Purse's first UFC champion. A congratulations Jack, But this this whole rhetoric is like a cut and paste. You change

So were the promoters blindsided by the result yesterday? Were they expecting to get the tick of approval?

Absolutely, because they put tickets on sale. But you know how I found out. I found out through Tracy, your producer. She contacted me at five pm on the Dot yesterday and that was the first I heard about. I contacted the promoters and they wanted to know how I found out so quickly. And the interesting thing, boys, is that nothing official in writing. It was a phone call to say that that it's been the permit's been knocked back for now and there's and there's been nothing official put

Connor McGregor, who doesn't have any introduction in this field. He's one of the part owners.

I don't want to tell you what he thinks. The listeners who know Connor McGregor can imagine what he thought. But again, David Felban, the president of the BKFC, he's obviously very disappointed. I don't think he's come up with this sort of challenge anywhere across the world because they've been gone to different regions.

So given that you have been dealing with them firsthand, what do you expect them to do about it?

I expect them to resubmit a permit application today because again I've been led to believe from a fellow promoter that today is the last day if they want any promotion, wants that July nineteen date, and then work with the commission. What do we need to do as a promotion to bring the event to your satisfaction in your.

Change, put gloves on that's not bare knuckle anymore.

That's the funny thing about the argument, because again people are up in arms because not wearing gloves, but the boxing gloves, even though there's elements that protect the head. And again I go back to the same message that was around with the MMA when they called it cage fighting for example, but gloves are more to protect the hands, so and and there's more weapons and now the sports around for years.

You're being optimistic, which is what you're paid to do. But they've got na hope of having it here. Is there a possibility that you could take the bare knuckle fights somewhere else in this country?

Well, Beck Rawlans, who's a former UFC fighter who was slated to be in the co made event of this Perth event, has come out with disappointed calling uneducated. But I have to disagree because the educated people are the WA Sports Commission and the government are saying I'm not making the decision the Combat Sports Commission. But she believes that the event will go to Queensland. And again other states were chasing this Perth sort of one out over other states to get this event.

So how do we win out? Did the government stump up any money? Do you know?

Know?

Again that they support provide funding for the UFC and the boxing with the George Cambo says Lamachenko fight last year, No funding has been provided, So it's all about sponsorship and being granted to put the event on an RC arena.

So the Commission did put out a statement at four point fifty three yesterday afternoon. He's the reason for five minutes later. I'm a betting man, as you know. You got nah, I've ben knuckle fighting being here and this year maybe in the future. It took a while to get UFC up and running. You must remember that I didn't well there was always didn't Colin Barnett, and that say I don't want anything to do with that, and he took a change and that was.

That was such a stupid decision.

So therefore it took a while for it to be approved.

No, it didn't all that. All Barnett did was ban the cage. The sport was always a year. Jack Della Maddelina, who is now the UFC welterweight Champion, his professional debut was in a boxing ring in Wa. The sport was always here. He did nothing except make the sport more unsafe.

Right, Well, I'm going to argue because they very violent people, so people that had paid money, people that have paid money, and assuming you do, you're not going to permit will that all money be refunded?

It has to be because it's the ploy of the man. But again they haven't given up hope, but they have to give reason.

To We asked to talk to someone from the Commission. No one's available. We asked to talk to the Minister, not available. We asked to talk to the Premier. Not available. Not only us but our morning program.

Now.

I know they had a big night last night at the soccer and they would have had a few sherbets. I understand that, but at the end of the day, surely someone's got to talk about it. They just can't put out a statement and just going hi. Someone needs to talk and put the other point of view across.

I spoke to an official who didn't know too much because he wanted to work at the event. I've reached out to again the Combat Sports Commission. They've got some great people there over a number of years, but they haven't I haven't been able to reach anyone myself, and it's been very quiet. So what are the event requirements? Is still answers or questions that we need to get answered.

All right, So it's not over yet. According to you will follow that with interest across the day. Brett, thanks for coming in, great to see and good luck with your career as a boxing and combat commentator of some renowned