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Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight contender Antonio Silva, who also did work for Scott Coker and Co. in Strikeforce, will transition from mixed martial arts (MMA) to the sport of bare-knuckle boxing.
That’s according to a recent press release from the gang at Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), though a date for the Brazilian’s in-ring debut and the identity of his first opponent have yet to be revealed.
“We are happy to announce the signing of ‘Bigfoot’ Silva to our roster,” said BKFC President David Feldman. “He has fought and beat some of the best in the world. We have some intriguing matchups that we are talking about with him now. I really expect great fights from Antonio.”
Silva was hot-and-cold during his cage fighting days. While “Bigfoot” was able to stop heavyweight legends like Fedor Emelianenko and Alistair Overeem, he was unsuccessful in high-profile bouts against Cain Velasquez and Daniel Cormier.
It should also be noted the Silva left MMA on a five-fight losing streak in which he was finished four times, part of a dreadful 1-8-1 run dating back to 2013. What the 39 year-old bruiser has left at this point in his career remains to be seen.