Ex-WWE Cruiserweight Gentleman Jack Gallagher To Compete In MMA Bout

The wrestler formerly known as Jack Gallagher is doing his best to establish himself as a legitimate competitor in the world of MMA.

Fighting under his real name Jack Claffley, the "Gentleman" is linking up with the French promotion Hexagone MMA to be on the undercard of its Hexagone 8 card, squaring off against Yassin Chtatou on June 3 from Arènes de Béziers, France. The bill is set to be main evented by a World Featherweight Championship bout between Dean Garnett of the U.K. and Argentina's Lucas Corbage.

This would mark Claffley's second MMA fight; he lost his pro debut last year. Chtatou has a bit more experience, albeit not much. He comes into the contest with a record of 1-2-1.

Initially, a standout from the inaugural WWE Cruiserweight Classic, Claffey (as Gallagher) was a central figure on the short-lived "205 Live" brand, often brandishing an umbrella. He would later become a recurring presence in the "NXT UK" developmental brand. However, Claffey was released from WWE in June 2020 after allegations of sexual assault were made against the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion. This came during the widespread Speaking Out movement, which shed a light on numerous abuses within the professional wrestling industry. In a later statement, Gallagher confirmed the allegations, which stemmed from a New Year's Eve Party in 2014, and apologized for his behavior. 

Claffey then transitioned into other forms of combat sports, signing a deal last year with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, where he currently has a 1-0 record after a win last summer over Rick Caruso.