Former WWE star Patrick Clark, best known to wrestling fans as Velveteen Dream, is set for a new chapter outside the squared circle.

Five years after his WWE release, the former NXT North American Champion will step into a boxing ring later this month, trading turnbuckles for ten-ounce gloves.

Clark’s next move comes after years away from the national wrestling spotlight. His latest appearance marks a shift toward combat sports rather than a return to professional wrestling.

Patrick Clark Jr set for first professional boxing match after WWE exit

Patrick Clark Jr will make his professional boxing debut on Aug. 29 at Duel: Arena 1, which takes place at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida. He is scheduled to face “Pillow Talk” podcast host Ryan Pownall in a cruiserweight bout. Mike Perry and Dillon Danis headline the event under MMA rules.

Duel Arena and Pownall announced the fight on social media. Pownall shared the matchup while counting down “19 Days to Become a Pro Boxer.” Clark had not publicly commented on the announcement at the time of publication.

Clark’s boxing debut comes roughly 15 months after he publicly campaigned for a WWE return in 2025. He urged fans to petition Triple H and Shawn Michaels, but no major wrestling promotion has signed him since. If the comeback door stayed shut, Clark has now decided to change rings instead of waiting for another bell to ring.

Clark was released by WWE in May 2021 after allegations of inappropriate contact with minors surfaced in 2020. He denied the accusations, and WWE conducted an investigation. Paul Levesque previously stated that the company found no evidence of wrongdoing, though one accuser said they were never contacted during the process. Clark has never been charged in connection with those allegations.

Since leaving WWE, Clark has wrestled only sporadically on the independent scene. He was also arrested in Florida in 2022 on separate incidents involving battery, trespassing, and possession of drug paraphernalia, with the battery and trespassing case later closed.

His focus now shifts to Duel: Arena 1, where wrestling fans will see whether the former champion can score a knockout in an entirely different arena.

Read More: Zaria Survives Wren Sinclair To Retain NXT Title Amid Wild Disruption