BELLATOR MMA ANNOUNCES THE FIRST TWO MATCHUPS IN THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX
UNDEFEATED CHAMPION USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV DEFENDS HIS BELT AGAINST FORMER UFC TITLIST BENSON HENDERSON, WHILE TOP-TEN CONTENDERS TOFIQ MUSAYEVAND ALEXANDER SHABLIY COLLIDE
BELLATOR 292 CARD AIRS LIVE IN THE U.S. ON SHOWTIME ON FRIDAY, MARCH 10 AT 10 P.M. ET/ 7 P.M. PT – TICKETS ON SALE THIS FRIDAY
LOS ANGELES — BELLATOR MMA announced today that the launch of its highly-anticipated, one-million-dollar BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix will kick off on Friday, March 10, when the promotion returns to SAP Center at San Jose. Newly crowned Lightweight World Champion and No. 7 pound-for-pound talent Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0) will defend his belt against former UFC Lightweight Champion and No. 3-ranked Benson “Smooth” Henderson (30-11) in the main event.
BELLATOR 292: Nurmagomedov vs. Henderson will air LIVE on SHOWTIME at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT.
Also scheduled, No. 2-ranked knockout artist Tofiq Musayev (20-4) will clash with No. 4-ranked Alexander “Peresvet” Shabliy (22-3) in what promises to be a thrilling striking affair. Both bouts will serve as opening round matchups for the BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix, and all World Grand Prix matchups are scheduled for five, five-minute rounds.
BELLATOR bantamweights Josh Hill (21-5) and Cass Bell (6-2), as well as heavyweights Wladmir Gouvea (1-0) vs. Sean Tucker (1-3) have been announced for the preliminary portion of the event, which will air live at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT on the BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel, the SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel, and Pluto TV.
Tickets for the event go on sale Friday, Jan. 13, and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com or Bellator.com. A special presale is slated for Jan. 11 and 12.
The 24-year-old Nurmagomedov has looked simply sensational through his first five outings under the BELLATOR banner, capping off his successful run at the lightweight title by dethroning Patricky “Pitbull” in a masterful unanimous decision shutout at BELLATOR 288 this past November. The dynamic finisher became BELLATOR’s first Dagestani champion with the victory, an accomplishment sure to add to the legacy of Nurmagomedov’s cousin, MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, and uncle, renowned trainer Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov. Despite the daunting shoes left for him to fill, Usman Nurmagomedov has done exactly that thus far in his burgeoning MMA career. Nurmagomedov now enters the one-million-dollar BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix, where he will have to defend his title three consecutive times to emerge victorious and collect the million-dollar grand prize.
Henderson, 39, is a former UFC and WEC lightweight champion in the midst of making one last run at the BELLATOR title that has twice eluded him before. “Smooth” has long been one of the sport’s most recognizable figures, and his well-rounded skill set has seen him thrive at the highest levels of the sport for close to two decades. Henderson’s 17-year career includes wins over the likes of Nate Diaz, Jorge Masvidal, Frankie Edgar, Patricio Pitbull, and many others. Now, he hopes to add Usman Nurmagomedov’s name to his impressive resume in San Jose on March 10. The MMA Lab product has looked like his vintage self in recent months, defeating No. 7-ranked Islam Mamedov and No. 9-ranked Peter Queally in consecutive outings to earn this title shot against Nurmagomedov.
Tofiq Musayev will make his sophomore appearance, aiming to build upon a stunning, short-notice, 27-second knockout of Sidney Outlaw in his BELLATOR debut. The 33-year-old has developed a reputation as a fearsome power-puncher while competing internationally, scoring 16 knockouts in his 20 professional victories. Representing Azerbaijan, the No. 2-ranked lightweight contender already holds wins over two of the Grand Prix competitors in Outlaw and former title holder Patricky “Pitbull,” whom Musayev defeated at RIZIN 20 to become the RIZIN Fighting Federation Lightweight Champion in 2019. Musayev has his eyes set on one goal — capturing the BELLATOR Lightweight Championship — and the road to Musayev’s title aspirations will have to take him through Russia’s Alexander Shabliy, a decorated striker in his own right.
Equally eager to earn a coveted title shot will be No. 4-ranked Shabliy, a Russian striking specialist who believes the time for his run at the BELLATOR Lightweight Championship is now. The 29-year-old Shabliy has been perfect through his first three fights under the BELLATOR banner, scoring wins over Alfie Davis and Bobby King before notching his signature win with the promotion, a second-round knockout of former champion Brent Primus at BELLATOR 282. Shabliy has honed his skills further at the prestigious American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek, Florida, training alongside MMA superstars like BELLATOR Middleweight Champion Johnny Eblen and others. “Peresvet” will look to showcase his skills on March 10 when he squares off with Tofiq Musayev in this marquee opening round Grand Prix matchup.
BELLATOR 292: NURMAGOMEDOV VS. HENDERSON MAIN CARD:
SHOWTIME
Friday, March 10 — 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT
Lightweight World Championship Main Event: C-Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0) vs. #3-Benson Henderson (30-11)
Lightweight Grand Prix Quarterfinal: #2-Tofiq Musayev (20-4) vs. #4-Alexander Shabliy (22-3)
PRELIMINARY CARD:
BELLATOR MMA YouTube channel | SHOWTIME Sports YouTube channel | Pluto TV
7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT
Bantamweight Bout: Josh Hill (21-5) vs. Cass Bell (6-2)
Heavyweight Bout: Wladmir Gouvea (1-0) vs. Sean Tucker (1-3)
Middleweight Bout: Theo Haig (1-0) vs. Adam Wamsley (2-2)
Los Angeles — BELLATOR MMA today announced the competitors for the 2023 one-million-dollar, BELLATOR Lightweight World Grand Prix. BELLATOR Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov will take part in the 2023 Grand Prix, and his title will remain on the line throughout the tournament. All Lightweight World Grand Prix bouts will be five, five-minute rounds and the official bracket and matchups will be announced shortly.
The 155-pound division marks the sixth weight class featured in a BELLATOR World Grand Prix following heavyweight (Ryan Bader), welterweight (Douglas Lima), featherweight (AJ McKee), light heavyweight (Vadim Nemkov) and bantamweight, which will culminate with a 2023 showdown between interim champ Raufeon Stots and Patchy Mix.
YOUR 2023 LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD GRAND PRIX CONTESTANTS:
USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV (16-0) — BELLATOR Lightweight World Champion
Reigning BELLATOR Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov (16-0) will enter the gauntlet in defense of his world title, which he captured last November at BELLATOR 288 with a resounding decision victory over Patricky Pitbull. The cousin of MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman Nurmagomedov made history as BELLATOR’s first Dagestani titleholder and youngest active champion with the win and in the process was named ESPN’s Top Fighter Under 25 in 2022. A dynamic finisher whose skills and accolades are only outweighed by his promising potential, Nurmagomedov will look to continue adding to the family legacy as he seeks to defend his title and capture the $1,000,000 prize at the culmination of the Lightweight World Grand Prix.
AJ MCKEE (20-1) — No. 8 / No. 3 P4P
Fresh off his BELLATOR vs. RIZIN victory over reigning RIZIN Lightweight Champion Roberto de Souza, BELLATOR’s No. 3 pound-for-pound talent AJ “Mercenary” McKee (20-1) joins the field. McKee is one of MMA’s brightest stars and has already pocketed $1,000,000 with his 2021 Featherweight World Grand Prix victory, which saw him defeat the legendary Patricio “Pitbull.“ Now, McKee’s sights are now trained on conquering the 155-pound division. At just 27, McKee has served as one of the main faces of BELLATOR during his 21-fight career, while scoring 13 thrilling highlight-reel finishes. In 2023, McKee will look to further add to his unrivaled BELLATOR legacy with a second championship reign in a second weight class.
PATRICKY PITBULL (24-11) — No. 1
Nurmagomedov’s last foe, ex-titlist Patricky “Pitbull” (24-11), has a clear path to re-capture the lightweight crown by the time the Lightweight World Grand Prix dust settles. The Brazilian slugger is tied for most knockouts (10) in company history and is no stranger to the tournament format, placing as the runner-up in BELLATOR’s 2011 (Season 4) and 2014 (Season 10) tournaments as well as the 2019 RIZIN Lightweight Grand Prix. At 36, the No. 1-ranked BELLATOR contender’s status as a dangerous finisher and accomplished professional is well-established, with a résumé including victories over Benson Henderson, Roger Huerta, Josh Thomson, and Peter Queally. However, the owner of 16 knockout wins will look to add a few more to his record as he hunts down the title in search of a second championship reign.
TOFIQ MUSAYEV (20-4) — No. 2
Tofiq Musayev (20-4) is the author of one of the best BELLATOR debuts in recent memory, but he hopes it will be his inclusion in the Lightweight World Grand Prix that truly defines his time with the promotion. The 33-year-old stunned the MMA world with his short-notice, 27-second knockout of then-top-ranked Sidney Outlaw at BELLATOR 283, immediately thrusting his name into title contention and placing his native Azerbaijan squarely on the sport’s map. Musayev boasts 16 knockouts in his 20 professional victories, but none had a larger impact on his future than that of Outlaw, which vaulted him to No. 2 in the BELLATOR lightweight rankings. The former RIZIN Lightweight Champion will look to become a world titlist inside the BELLATOR cage this year as part of a talent-stacked tournament field.
BENSON HENDERSON (30-11) — No. 3
Few fighters can be as assured of their place in their weight class’s history than Benson “Smooth” Henderson (30-11). The former UFC and WEC Lightweight Champion has long been regarded as one of the division’s finest representatives, but a BELLATOR title has thus far eluded his crowded mantle of accolades. The well-rounded Henderson holds victories over a legendary list of opponents including Patricio “Pitbull,“ Nate Diaz, Gilbert Melendez, Jorge Masvidal, Donald Cerrone, and many others, but Henderson hopes to add more in 2023. Entering the Lightweight Grand Prix on the strength of back-to-back winning efforts, the No. 3-ranked Henderson plans to turn back the clock for a final run at the BELLATOR championship.
ALEXANDER SHABLIY (22-3) — No. 4
Long considered one of the best fighters unsigned to a major promotion, Russia’s Alexander “Peresvet” (22-3) has looked every bit the part of a future world champion since joining the BELLATOR roster in 2021. The sophisticated striker brings 18 finishes and a devastating highlight-reel with him into the Lightweight World Grand Prix, which he enters on the strength of a second-round knockout of former champion Brent Primus in his last outing. Now ranked No. 4 in the division, the 29-year-old believes he is firmly in his prime; after three straight victories to begin his BELLATOR tenure, Shabliy will look to prove it as he chases a world title for the first time in his professional career.
SIDNEY OUTLAW (16-5) — No. 5
Once booked to face Patricky “Pitbull,“ No. 5-ranked Sidney “Da Gun” Outlaw (16-5) saw his world title hopes vanish at the hands of Tofiq Musayev after his late notice replacement for an injured Pitbull. The 30-year-old relishes the opportunity to once more return to title contention as part of the Lightweight World Grand Prix in 2023, where he hopes his continued training at the prestigious American Top Team gym will pay off in spades. A talented grappler who became a champion on the U.S. Northeast regional scene, Outlaw will look to earn a second chance at the title during the Grand Prix, along with its life-changing $1,000,000 grand prize.
MANSOUR BARNAOUI (20-4)
Rounding out the field is BELLATOR’s newest contender Mansour “Tarzan” Barnaoui (20-4). The Tunisian-Frenchman will look to prove why MMA fans around the world were so thrilled to see him join BELLATOR’s talent-rich lightweight division during the Lightweight World Grand Prix. A relentless finisher, the 30-year-old sports 13 submissions alongside six knockouts to the tune of a blistering 95% finishing rate. Barnaoui wowed fans with his dominant debut showing against Adam Piccolotti at BELLATOR 287, but Barnaoui believes the best of his BELLATOR tenure is yet to come. “Tarzan” has previously held titles in ROAD FC, M-1 Challenge, and BAMMA, but he hopes 2023 will be the year he can add the BELLATOR championship to his impressive (and well-stocked) trophy case.
Alternates for the Lightweight World Grand Prix are to be determined, but BELLATOR’s impressive lightweight roster promises fighters well-qualified for the position. Four ranked contenders, No. 6-ranked Brent Primus (11-3), No. 7-ranked Islam Mamedov (22-2-1), No. 9-ranked Peter “The Showstopper” Queally (13-7-1), and No. 10 Gadzhi Rabadanov (19-4-1), all find themselves outside looking in as of now. Elsewhere, compelling prospects like Archie Colgan (5-0), Jay Jay Wilson (9-1), and Max Rohskopf (7-1) demonstrate the depth of BELLATOR’s lightweight division.
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