Former Bellator fighter Joe Schilling is potentially facing a misdemeanor battery charge after a video of him knocking a man out at a Florida bar went viral.

In the video, the alleged victim -- identified as 31-year-old Justin Balboa -- is seen chatting with fellow patrons in the middle of the walkway as Schilling attempts to pass through. After Schilling approaches Balboa from behind and nudges him away, Balboa seemingly says something to Schilling. Schilling turns around and knocks Balboa out with a flurry of punches immediately after Balboa pump fakes towards him.

Schilling claimed he acted out of self-defense and accused Balboa of making racist remarks towards one of the bar's employees.

"This guy's rapping like an idiot," the 37-year-old fighter explained. "The busboy who happens to be Black walks by and this idiot bumps into him and screams out, 'Me and broke n***** we don't get along.' The busboy was seriously offended but doesn't want to lose his job."

Schilling added that Balboa turned his attention towards him and started making eye contact with him throughout the night.

"As the night goes on, this clown starts looking at me and rapping whatever song is being played while making eye contact with me," Schilling continued. "I'm like, 'What's wrong with this idiot.'"

Schilling claimed the video started when he came back into the bar after a smoke break.

"I turn around and he flexes on me," Schilling said. "Bad decisions are made every day. As you can see from this video, when he flexed on me I was scared for my life and simply defending myself against the evil in this world."

The Fort Lauderdale Police Department contacted Balboa, who they acknowledged was "obviously intoxicated." On the night of the altercation, Balboa told police he wanted the incident documented in order to file a civil suit against the bar and "would not elaborate on how or why the male punched him."

According to the bar's manager, Balboa "was extremely intoxicated and had possibly made an improper remark about the girlfriend/wife of the male who had struck him, which caused the fight to escalate." The manager also described Balboa as  "a regular customer who routinely causes problems at the establishment due to his intoxication level."

Balboa expressed his desire to pursue charges against Schilling after the video went viral but no charges have been filed yet.

Schilling last fought professionally in 2019 for Bellator.

Source: Daily Mail