Credit former street fighter and one-time Bellator veteran Dada 5000 for a bit of creativity in marketing his bare-knuckle fighting promotion, BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series.

With Major League Baseball mired in a league-wide lockout amid contract disputes, Dada 5000 has sent out a formal invite for the players from the Tampa Bay Rays and Florida Marlins to come try and earn a contract with his Florida-based promotion.

“Born and bred in the backyards of South Florida, BYB is all about creating opportunity and a physical and emotional outlet for athletes of all stripes,” Dada 5000 stated. “While Rob Manfred doesn’t appreciate the talents and commitment of some of the most talented athletes in the world, BYB is happy to welcome them with open arms.

“Bare-knuckle boxing, like baseball, is all about reaction, agility and hand-eye coordination. If any ballplayers are looking to keep their skills sharp, or perhaps learn a technique or two for when the next beanball comes their way, we invite them to trade the diamond for the Trigon. I’ll personally take them under my wing.”

Is the offer anything more than just a publicity stunt? Probably not. After all, BYB Extreme Bare Knuckle Fighting Series returns to action on March 12 at the Florida State Fairgrounds for BYB 9, where MMA veterans Josh Burns and Travis Wiuff will compete for the inaugural Police Gazette world diamond super heavyweight belt.

But hey, credit to Dada 5000 and BYB for leveraging baseball’s current misfortunes for a little promotional fun.