Former UFC lightweight Efrain Escudero has signed a multi-fight contract with Shine Fights, the organization announced Wednesday."Going to Shine is the first step to becoming a world champion. As far as my career goes, things happen, and I don't live in the past. I'm excited to get this show in [sic] the road ... Shine, here I come," Escudero stated in the release.
The organization didn't release a date for Escudero's debut or terms of the deal.
The 24-year-old Mexican-born fighter was released from the UFC following his September loss to Charles Oliveira. After defeating Phillipe Nover in December 2008 to win The Ultimate Fighter, Escudero's record was 2-2 inside the Octagon.
Escudero (13-2) came in overweight in two of his last four fights. He was successful in shedding a pound after being granted an extra hour prior to his UFC 103 fight against Cole Miller, but was forced to change his Oliveira fight to a catchweight bout after weighing in four pounds over the limit.
Following his sudden release from the organization, UFC president Dana White told MMA Fighting that Escudero was not taking his MMA career as serious as he should have been.
"I think that Efrain, he got comfortable, man," White said. "He came off the show, was doing all these huge media tours throughout Mexico and everywhere else, Bud Light stamped all over him, and wasn't performing. You know, when you come out and perform the way that he did and you don't make weight just shows that you're really not that serious about it."
Shine Fights' last event was held in September. It's been a rough year for the upstart organization considering their May event, which was supposed to be headlined by Ricardo Mayorga vs. Din Thomas, was canceled just hours before the card was supposed to start and their September show changed locations a week before the event
The organization has yet to release the date of its next event.
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