MMA star Joe Schilling hit with $30,000 lawsuit stemming from viral bar knockout clip (VIDEO)

Mixed martial arts star Joe Schilling has been hit with a $30,000 lawsuit by the man he knocked out after a brief altercation in a Florida bar after a clip of the savage attack went viral on social media.

The victim of the attack, 31-year old Justin Balboa, claims through his lawyers that Schilling, who is a former world champion kickboxer, "viciously attacked, physically struck and assaulted" him during the incident at the B Square bar, which he says left him with "severe injuries".

A video clip of the attack showed Schilling brush shoulders with Balboa before the two briefly appeared to exchange words.

Schilling then unleashed a vicious one-two combo which sent Balboa backwards to the floor, where he was quickly attended to by fellow patrons.

In the lawsuit, Balboa describes Schilling as being "uniquely skilled and trained to be brutally efficient and abnormally dangerous with his bare hands", adding that he "has a history of being involved in street altercations, including using physical force against third parties."

The complaint also notes that Schilling shared the video on social media and admitted his role in the melee. 

Balboa is also lodging a $30,000 lawsuit against the bar in question.

In the police report of the incident, a bar employee identified as 'Mike' claimed that Balboa was significantly intoxicated and alleged that he had made improper comments "about the girlfriend/wife of the male who had struck him".

He added that Balboa was a regular patron of the bar and regularly caused problems with staff and patrons alike due to becoming intoxicated.

Balboa, meanwhile, has also alleged that the video wasn't shot coincidentally, as it was recorded by members of Schilling's party – suggesting that the attack was premeditated. 

According to public records obtained by MMA Fighting, Balboa sued a separate bar in 2013 after another alleged fight which saw him receive injuries from several assailants in a case which was ultimately settled out of court.  

For his part, Schilling has suggested on social media that Balboa had been overheard using racist remarks and claiming that he was "scared for his life", prompting him to strike the man.