Boxing Champ Ava Knight Signs with Bellator MMA for September Debut

@Unbreakable @A_V_A_Knight training for battle with Matheus Leandro under the watchful eyes of @Randy_Couture & @JayGlazer.
#Champ pic.twitter.com/1Q4bb6r0UO

— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) August 10, 2019

“The Lady of Boxing” will be making her transition from the ring to the cage this fall.

WBC boxing champion Ava Knight has signed a contract with Bellator MMA and will debut against Shannon Goughary in a 115-pound contest at Bellator 228 on Sept. 28. Sherdog.com confirmed the signing with a promotion official following a report from the Oroville Mercury-Register.

Knight owns an 18-2-5 record in the Sweet Science and was the first woman to win a diamond belt from the World Boxing Council (WBC). She’s also held IFBA and IBF titles and signed with Mayweather Promotions in 2018.

According to the Mercury-Register, Knight has been dabbling in MMA training for the past three years. She still plans on continuing her boxing career, however.

“I would love to stay with Bellator and continue to be a champion for them,” she said. “We still have big plans in boxing. With MMA and boxing together, I get to do a big thing for women in sports. Not saying that nobody has done it, but nobody like me has done it.”

Goughary, a 33-year-old Nashville MMA product, has gone 1-1 as professional since making her debut earlier this year.