Former WEC Champ Paulo Filho’s First Fight Since Suffering Gunshot Wound (Fight Video)

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(Courtesy of Cris Cyborg)

Former WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho returned to the cage for the first time in more than four years recently. Filho faced Mohamed Ashraf at a WAWAN MMA event in Kuwait, where he easily submitted his opponent.

It marked would could be an important turning point in the fighter’s troubled life. Filho was once one of the most prominent fighter’s in mixed martial arts, racking up a 20-1 record before his career tanked, primarily due to issues with substance abuse.

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Filho held a record of 23-6-3 following his most recent fight in 2014.

Though he hadn’t intended on being out of fighting for the past four years, a discussion that went south saw Filho shot in the leg in late 2014. Up until this latest fight in Kuwait, he hadn’t fought since.

It’s unclear if Filho intends to continue fighting or if this was a one-off bout for the former champion.