Former UFC welterweight champion Johny Hendricks will be returning to professional competition less than a year after retiring, ditching the 4-ounce MMA gloves to fight Brennan Ward in a bare-knuckle boxing match.
Fightbook MMA first reported the matchup. Hendricks and Ward will headline the World Bare Knuckle Fighting Federation’s first ever event ‘Rise of the Titans’ on November 9th. Last month, the promotion announced they had signed UFC veterans Melvin Guillard and Josh Neer.
Hendricks (18-8) announced his retirement from MMA in June of this year. “Bigg Rigg” struggled in the UFC after losing his welterweight title to Robbie Lawler in late 2014, only picking up two wins in his last seven fights for the promotion.