As one might guess by my previous attempts to homebrew an unarmed barbarian archetype, I was initially quite excited for the Bloody-Knuckled Rowdy. Unfortunately, I'm not sure I'm happy with what I got.
To be blunt, it seems like the Rowdy gives up loads of useful things and gets something between very little and absolutely nothing in return. Fast movement gone for Improved Unarmed Strike rather than the weapon proficiencies an unarmed character isn't going to use anyway. Uncanny Dodge and its upgrade gone for two feats, one of which needs more feats burnt just to break even. And, most egregiously, damage reduction and spells-per-day both cut, one completely, one rather severely, for a weak, cut-down version of monk unarmed damage without the flurry of extra attacks that makes it work for the monk.
So, help me to understand, as the title says. Why is the Rowdy so gimped as to be, essentially, a version of the 'Rager that is categorically worse in every way?
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I think Uncanny Dodge & Improved Uncanny Dodge for a style feat and Combat Style Master is an even trade. I'm playing a bloodrager with style feats (build without the MTT) and the swift action to activate a style is a pain. Some styles also grant defensive benefits and it's very useful to have those active before your turn. Also, your style is presumably useful to you all the time. Uncanny Dodge is great when it comes up, but it isn't relevant in every fight.
However I agree that UAS, even with partial monk progression, is not worth losing Fast Movement and DR and spells known. I'd probably go for losing some weapon proficiency as you said, as well as medium armour proficiency and the spells known. Weapon proficiency itself is not enough since as you said the character wouldn't use those anyway and monk UAS progression is, even two levels behind, a significant boost. It's worth noting that with multi-touch spells like Frostbite or Chill Touch adding extra damage to UAS, the style can be very effective for a bloodrager.
Based on the format of the archetype, I would guess that the writer wasn't thinking in terms of what was being traded for what. It's easier to compare limited sets of abilities for equivalence than a whole package.
My point with the style feats is that you're essentially promising to burn at least one more feat to get full effectiveness (since you need at least one more style to get any use out of Style Master), and probably more, since the style feats work best upgraded.
But, fair enough. Glad to see that you agree the rest mostly stands.
I admit, I wasn't thinking of how touch-attack spells might interact with the bloodrager's unarmed strikes though. Not sure if it makes up for it.