Fans were left stunned after former UFC fighter Karl Roberson appeared to wear an ankle monitor during his Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) debut on Saturday night in Hollywood, Florida.
The 35-year-old American faced Oluwale Bamgbose at Conor McGregor and Triller Inc.’s co-owned BKFC event, losing by TKO in the second round. However, the main talking point wasn’t the result — it was the visible ankle tag protruding from Roberson’s right sock during the fight.
Roberson’s appearance with an ankle monitor quickly went viral, with one fan posting: “Karl Roberson fighting with an ankle monitor is the most BKFC thing ever.” Another added: “This is crazy work.”
The former UFC middleweight was arrested in New Jersey two years ago on multiple felony charges, including burglary, theft, and criminal mischief. Police found a gun, crack cocaine, marijuana, and stolen jewelry worth £148,000 in his vehicle following a traffic stop.
Originally pleading not guilty, Roberson reportedly changed his plea to guilty in May 2024, according to court documents obtained by the Daily Mail. He was subsequently sentenced to five years in the custody of New Jersey’s Department of Corrections.
It remains unclear whether Roberson has been granted parole, as neither his attorney nor BKFC officials have commented on his legal status.
Roberson, who competed in the UFC until 2022, had a professional record of 9 wins and 6 losses before moving to bareknuckle boxing. He won his first six UFC bouts before suffering his first defeat to Cezar Ferreira in 2018.
The bizarre scene added yet another viral moment to McGregor’s growing BKFC venture — and one that fans are unlikely to forget soon.
