Released from the UFC after losses Quinton Jackson and Corey Anderson in 2015, Brazilian brawler Fabio Maldonado has signed a deal with XFC International and is scheduled to make his promotional debut on March 19 against Andrew Smith.
Maldonado (22-9) competed in the UFC for five years, going 5-6 with wins over the likes of Hans Stringer, Joey Beltran and Gian Villante. A fan favorite for his fighting style, "The Iron Hillbilly" has stood in against some of the best in the UFC, from Stipe Miocic to Glover Teixeira.