Irwin Rivera is resuming his fighting career.
The former UFC bantamweight is set for a return competition on March 11 at Eagle FC 46 in Miami, Fla. He takes on Firdavs Khasanov. This bout marks Rivera’s first fight since his arrest in January 2021 on attempted murder charges.
Rivera was arrested by Boynton Beach police for allegedly stabbing his sisters. He received conditional release in October.
The court’s release came with the conditions Rivera must continue bipolar medication, therapy, permanent supervision by family and friends, and progress toward a return to a working life.
Rivera’s family had come out to defend him shortly after his arrest, saying “something evil took over him” and that he was suffering from mental health issues prior to the incident.
Following the announcement of the matchup by Eagle FC, Rivera took to Instagram to make a statement on the news.
“Exited to announce my return back in the cage with (Eagle FC) March 11th,” Rivera wrote. “It’s been a rollercoaster ride but I’m beyond thankful for another opportunity to get my life back on track do what I love and leave all the bs behind me. Looking to make a huge statement and making all this right!!”
Rivera (10-6) competed in the UFC three times. He suffered a loss in his short-notice debut to Giga Chikadze at featherweight. Rivera then followed his debut with a drop to bantamweight where he defeated Ali Alqaisi and then a lost to Andre Ewell. The 33-year-old hasn’t fought since September 2020. Rivera trains out of Sanford MMA.
