Jeff Molina is preparing to resume his combat sports career, but this time, he will be competing without gloves.
The former UFC flyweight contender has officially signed a contract to join the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) roster. This move comes after his departure from the UFC following a betting scandal that involved his coach, James Krause.
BKFC officials confirmed the signing.
Molina will become eligible to compete again on November 5th, once he has completed the three-year suspension handed down by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
The situation leading to his suspension began with his teammate Darrick Minner`s fight against Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Vegas 64 in November 2022. Concerns were raised when betting lines for that fight shifted significantly right before the event, marking Minner as a huge underdog before he lost quickly in the first round.
Krause and Minner were subsequently suspended for not reporting an injury prior to the fight. The investigation expanded into a potential betting scandal, which led several sportsbooks to temporarily stop taking bets on UFC events.
Molina`s suspension was a result of his involvement in placing wagers on the fight involving his teammate.
According to Matthew Feeley, a deputy attorney general for the state of Nevada, Molina possessed direct knowledge of a serious injury sustained by Darrick Minner but failed to disclose this information to the commission. Instead of reporting the injury, Molina proceeded to place significant bets on the outcome of Minner`s fight.
Ultimately, Molina received a three-year suspension along with a fine, making him eligible to return to competition this November.
During his time with the UFC before the suspension, Molina maintained a perfect 3-0 record in the flyweight division.
He joins a growing BKFC roster. The organization has been actively expanding in recent years, recently hosting its first event in Italy and announcing plans for a debut show in Texas scheduled for June.
