Gzim Selmani, known to wrestling fans as Rezar, is reportedly set to make a return to combat sports following his departure from WWE. According to MMA journalist Damon Martin, the former Authors of Pain member has signed with Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) and is expected to compete in 2026.
Selmani departed WWE for the second time in February 2025, bringing an end to his run with The Final Testament. Since then, speculation has surrounded his future, with many wondering if he would continue in professional wrestling or return to his roots in mixed martial arts.
Now, it appears he has chosen the latter. Martin reports that while no opponent has been confirmed, Selmani is slated to fight at KnuckleMania VI in February 2026. This would mark his first combat sports appearance in over a decade.
Before joining WWE, Selmani built a respectable 6-2 record in MMA, competing for promotions like Bellator and BAMMA. He notably submitted former strongman Oli Thompson in just 18 seconds during a bout in 2014. However, he put his fighting career on hold in 2015 to pursue professional wrestling, where he found success alongside Akam as The Authors of Pain.
During his first run with WWE, Rezar and Akam captured the NXT Tag Team Championships and the Raw Tag Team Championships. Despite their dominance, they were released in 2020 before being rehired in 2023. Their second stint saw them align with Karrion Kross as part of The Final Testament, but the group failed to gain significant momentum before being released again earlier this year.
In a past interview, Rezar revealed that he and Akam nearly quit WWE on their first day on the main roster in 2018 after being told they would be separated from their manager, Paul Ellering.
“That was the day that we were deciding to stop with WWE,” Rezar said. “The first day at the main roster, they were telling us, ‘You have to leave Paul Ellering.’ And me and my tag team partner Akam… he said, ‘Yo, let’s just give our resignation letter and just leave’.”
He credited Ellering with convincing them to stay, noting that the manager encouraged them to see it through.
“Paul told us, ‘Try it out. I’ve helped you guys to get there, so much hard work, we can always get the back back together later’,” Rezar recalled.
With his wrestling career now in the rearview mirror, Selmani will look to re-establish himself as a formidable force in the world of bare-knuckle fighting.
Former WWE superstar Gzim Selmani — who wrestled under the name Rezar as one half of the Authors of Pain — has signed with BKFC and he's expected to make his debut at BKFC KnuckleMania VI in February #BKFC
— Damon Martin (@DamonMartin) December 17, 2025
