Jeff Molina is ready to restart his fighting career but this time he’ll do it with no gloves on.
The ex-UFC flyweight contender has signed a deal to join the roster at BKFC where he’ll compete in bare-knuckle action for the first time. He inked the contract after he was released from the UFC following a betting scandal involving his coach James Krause.
BKFC officials confirmed the signing to MMA Fighting on Tuesday after Molina first announced the news via The Ariel Helwani Show.
Molina won’t be eligible to compete until after Nov. 5 when he finishes serving a three-year suspension handed down by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
The situation surrounding his suspension initially involved Molina’s teammate Darrick Minner after he fought and lost to Shayilan Nuerdanbieke by first-round TKO at UFC Vegas 64 back in November 2022. Suspicions were raised after betting lines for the fight shifted dramatically just before the event kicked off with Minner becoming a massive underdog before ultimately losing the fight in just 67 seconds.
Krause and Minner were then suspended for failing to report an injury prior to the fight, but the actual investigation involved a potential betting scandal that actually led to several sportsbooks refusing to take bets on UFC fights.
That’s what led to Molina’s suspension due to his involvement with wagering on the fight involving his teammate.
“After Molina having direct knowledge of a serious injury sustained by a fellow fighter Darrick Minner, Molina failed to inform the commission of Minner’s serious injury, in violation of NAC 467.885, and instead of informing the commission additionally placed significant bets with a gaming entity on the outcome of Minner’s fight,” Matthew Feeley, deputy attorney general for the state of Nevada, said during a monthly meeting in March.
In the end, Molina was suspended three years along with paying a small fine and then he’ll be eligible to compete again in November.
During his brief stint with the UFC, Molina went 3-0 in the flyweight division prior to his suspension.
Molina joins a growing BKFC roster with the organization constantly expanding in recent years with the promotion’s first ever event in Italy this past weekend where it was also announced the bare-knuckle outfit is going to debut in Texas with a card planned for June.
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