Mixed martial arts legend Ken Shamrock is jumping into bare-knuckle boxing promotion.

Shamrock is starting a promotional company in the growing combat sport, he announced Tuesday.

Valor Bare Knuckle will hold its first fight card Sept. 21 at 4 Bears Casino in North Dakota, with plans for quick growth.

The long-dormant sport is on the rise in North America after Bare Knuckle FC staged the first sanctioned bare-knuckle bouts last year. The sport is already gaining some ground with the the independent pay-per-view audience.

The 55-year-old Shamrock is an MMA pioneer who fought on the inaugural UFC 1 show in November 1993. Most competitors in that tournament fought without gloves.

Shamrock also competed in Japan and remained active as an MMA fighter until 2016.

IN OTHER NEWS:  As BoxingScene.com previously reported, promoter Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing won the purse bid today to stage the IBF junior flyweight elimination fight between undefeated IBF #3-ranked Christian “The Bomb” Araneta (17-0, 15 KOs) of Cebu City, Philippines, and also undefeated #4-ranked Augustin “El Avion” Gauto (12-0, 8 KOs) of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Held in New Jersey, the 12-round fight to determine the #1 mandatory contender to champion Felix Alvarado was won by Sampson Boxing with a bid of $63,000, beating out OR Promotions at $61,500. With the winning bid, the fight will be held on October 6 in Araneta’s homeland of Manila, Philippines, with Araneta collecting 60% of the purse or $37,800.00 and Gauto 40% or $25,200.00.

Lewkowicz, known worldwide as the sharp boxing mind that recognized the enormous potential of a then-unknown Manny Pacquiao and convinced promoter Murad Muhammad to sign him, says he’s happy to be returning to his “home away from home” in boxing.

“The Philippines is a beautiful country and the people there love boxing. I am looking forward to returning to the homeland of Manny Pacquiao to help my new Filipino sensation Christian Araneta become number one and then world champion.”