▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁M err iman ▁signed ▁with ▁the ▁World ▁B are ▁Kn uck le ▁Fight ing ▁Federation ▁to ▁appear ▁in ▁a ▁fight ▁later ▁that ▁year . ▁M err iman ▁was ▁expected ▁to ▁face ▁Mike ▁Bour ke ▁in ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁W B K FF ▁event ▁on ▁November ▁ 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁According ▁to ▁promotion ' s ▁president ▁Bas ▁R ut ten , ▁Wy oming ▁athlet ic ▁commission ▁had ▁susp ic ions ▁that ▁Bour ke ' s ▁previous ▁fight ▁in ▁Roman ia ▁was ▁fixed ▁and ▁– ▁him ▁being ▁from ▁the ▁same ▁management ▁team ▁than ▁M err iman ▁– ▁the ▁commission ▁would ▁not ▁license ▁him ▁to ▁fight . ▁In ▁addition , ▁M err iman ▁and ▁W B K FF ▁had ▁contract ▁pay ▁dispute ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁promotion ▁alleg edly ▁agreed ▁to ▁pay ▁the ▁contract ed ▁sum , ▁M err iman ' s ▁management ▁team ▁wouldn ' t ▁agree . ▁The ▁promotion ▁eventually ▁refused ▁to ▁pay ▁M err iman ▁for ▁not '' ▁fighting , ▁as ▁his ▁management ▁demanded , ▁leading ▁M err iman ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁the ▁bout . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁M err iman ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁is ▁starting ▁his ▁own ▁M MA ▁promotion , ▁L ights ▁Out ▁X tre me ▁Fight ing , ▁which ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁its ▁inaug ural ▁event ▁on ▁May ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 9 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Are ▁You ▁Re ady ▁for ▁Some ▁T orn ▁K