BKFC signs former UFC fighter who suffered record-breaking beating by the hands of Sean O’Malley

One other fighter who made their name within the UFC has made the switch to bare-knuckle boxing.

BKFC has been increasingly attracting some notable talent from the mixed martial arts world, perhaps helped by Conor McGregor’s arrival as a co-owner.

Mike Perry leads the best way as the most important star in bare-knuckle boxing, and the likes of Luke Rockhold, Chad Mendes, Eddie Alvarez, and Yoel Romero have all fought in BKFC.

The promotion most recently signed Darren Till, but the previous welterweight title challenger will not be the one ex-UFC fighter to have just put pen to paper on a BKFC deal.

One name and why: Who would you sign to BKFC?

Sean O’Malley’s former UFC rival Kris Moutinho becomes latest MMA name to hitch BKFC

Till will fight Romero at BKFC 94 this September, but there won’t be as long of a wait for Kris Moutinho to make his first appearance as a bare-knuckle boxer.

BKFC recently announced the signing of Moutinho, a 23-fight mixed martial arts veteran. He is about to debut at a BKFC Fight Night event August 21 on the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut.

The previous UFC bantamweight is 15-8 in MMA and had two stints in the game’s leading promotion.

Moutinho memorably answered a short-notice call to make his debut against Sean O’Malley at UFC 264, the cardboard headlined by McGregor’s trilogy fight against Dustin Poirier.

The Massachusetts native showed his heart while enduring a brutal beatdown in Las Vegas, as O’Malley set a brand new record on the time for essentially the most significant strikes in a three-round bantamweight fight.

He was released after a first-round knockout loss to Guido Cannetti in his next fight. A five-fight winning streak on the regional scene earned Moutinho his place on the roster back, but one other 0-2 run saw him quickly exit.

Moutinho will make his BKFC debut off the back of a victory, nonetheless.

After his second failed UFC stint, the 33-year-old beat Zebenzui Ruiz under the banner of WOW FC, Ilia Topuria’s promotion.