5 former UFC fighters who transitioned to bare-knuckle boxing
![Paige VanZant (left), Rachel Ostovich (left) [Image Courtesy: @paigevanzant on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/08/b2a39-16283406346288-800.jpg?w=500)
As of late, bare-knuckle boxing has become one of the most popular career paths for former UFC fighters to turn to in the twilights of their careers. Some of the UFC's biggest stars have transitioned to the alternate combat sport and have brought their fan bases along with them.
The rise in popularity for bare-knuckle boxing has chiefly been a result of David Feldman's BKFC. Feldman has been able to attract a multitude of talent to his organization, which has seen bare-knuckle boxing's viewership skyrocket.
In the following list, we will detail five of the top former UFC fighters who now ply their trade as bare-knuckle boxers. Honorable mentions go to Johnny Bedford, Jason Knight and Bec Rawlings.
#5. Chris Leben - Former UFC middleweight
Chris 'The Crippler' Leben is a favorite of many old-school MMA/UFC fans. Leben rose to popularity after appearing on the first-ever season of The Ultimate Fighter. While his run on the show wasn't particularly successful, Leben's outspoken personality made him stick out to many of its viewers.
Most likely due to his popularity, Leben was still offered a UFC contract after TUF concluded. He put together a five-fight winning streak before falling victim to a debuting Anderson Silva.
After this first UFC loss, Leben's career was considerably more up and down. Wins against some high-level opponents such as Wanderlei Silva and Yoshihiro Akiyama kept his fan base supporting him. However, after a four-fight losing streak between 2011 and 2013, Leben and the UFC parted ways.
Five years later, in 2018, Chris Leben announced he would return to combat sports. He took on Phil Baroni in a bare-knuckle boxing match. He knocked out the former MMA fighter in only one round.
Since then, Leben is 2-1 in bare-knuckle boxing, defeating both Justin Baesman and Quentin Henry but coming up short against Dakota Cochrane. Leben has repeatedly called out YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in an attempt to provoke a response from 'The Problem Child.'