Bellator signs M-1 vet Shahbulat Shamhalaev
Once-beaten prospect Shahbulat Shamhalaev (9-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) is Bellator Fighting Championships' latest addition.
MMAjunkie.com (
www.mmajunkie.com) today learned of the new deal from sources close to the fighter. Shamhalaev will compete as a featherweight for Bellator.
It's currently unknown when Shamhalaev will make his Bellator debut, but he could potentially fight as soon as the promotion's upcoming "Summer Series" of monthly events.
Shamhalaev fought twice under the M-1 Global banner early in his career, and he earned a TKO win over Radzha Hizriev in September 2009 before falling pray to a Khabib Nurmagomedov kimura two months later. The loss remains Shamhalaev's only defeat to date, and Nurmagedov recently signed with the UFC.
Since the loss, Shamhalaev has racked up seven straight victories, including a single-night eight-man tournament win in November 2009 for Russia's Mix Fight Tournament promotion, as well as a pair of wins on back-to-back days under Ukraine's World Martial Arts Championship banners.
Shamhalaev also is an accomplished Muay Thai stylist who has competed internationally as a professional.
