Bellator MMA Indicators Heavyweight Champ Ali Isaev and Renews With Six Different World Class Athletes

LOS ANGELES — BELLATOR MMA right this moment introduced the signing of undefeated Russian heavyweight Ali Isaev (9-0) to an unique, multi-fight contract in a transfer certain to bolster the promotion’s heavyweight division. Moreover, BELLATOR is happy to share the re-signing of 4 ranked fighters, an Irish fan-favorite, and a prime prospect to unique, multi-fight contract extensions.
 
BELLATOR MMA President Scott Coker mentioned of Isaev, “I’m more than happy to have a fighter the caliber of Ali Isaev be a part of our heavyweight division, a weight class full of world-class fighters and elite prospects alike. Isaev’s elite wrestling pedigree contains an look within the 2008 Olympics, and he has achieved nice success in MMA as evidenced by championship run at his prior promotion. I count on Isaev to make a right away influence within the division and foresee many compelling matchups for him.“
 
Isaev, 38, earned a fame as a fearsome wrestler previous to transitioning to a profession in blended martial arts. Representing Azerbaijan, Isaev earned bronze and gold medals on the 2009 and 2008 FILA European Championships, respectively. He notably competed on the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as a freestyle wrestler. As a blended martial artist, Isaev boasts an undefeated report of 9-0 replete with 4 knockouts amongst his dominant performances.
 
BELLATOR additionally introduced the re-signing of 4 ranked contenders, #2-ranked flyweight Kana Watanabe (11-1), #5-ranked heavyweight Tyrell Fortune (12-2), #10-ranked light-weight Gadzhi Rabadanov (18-4-2), and #10-ranked mild heavyweight Sullivan Cauley (4-0). Moreover, Irish fan-favorite Brian Moore (15-9) and London-based Hungarian Norbert Novenyi Jr. (5-0) have re-upped with the promotion.
 
“We take nice satisfaction in our means to signal and develop the most effective out there expertise, however equally as necessary is retaining them,” mentioned Coker. “I’m thrilled that we had been in a position to re-sign these nice fighters and sit up for watching them compete within the BELLATOR cage for years to come back.”
 
In a transfer that solidifies BELLATOR’s top-flight girls’s flyweight division, the promotion has re-signed Japanese star Kana Watanabe (11-1) to a multi-fight contract. Watanabe, previously of RIZIN and DEEP JEWELS fame, has seemed each a part of a title contender via her first fights in BELLATOR. The No. 2 flyweight and No. 8 pound-for-pound expertise within the promotion gained three of her first 4 outings underneath the BELLATOR banner, ending Brazilian Ilara Joanne (10-6) with strikes and Denise Kielholtz (6-4) by second-round submission, in addition to outpointing Colombia’s Alejandra Lara (9-6). Watanabe could have a vested curiosity in BELLATOR 288‘s co-main occasion between flyweight champion Liz Carmouche (17-7) and her rival, Julianna Velasquez (12-1); Watanabe’s lone skilled loss got here to Carmouche, and he or she could be wanting to avenge it with the BELLATOR world championship on the road.
 
Tyrell Fortune (12-2), 32, first signed with BELLATOR in 2016 as a part of the promotion’s famed “Fab 5” of elite wrestlers-turned MMA prospects. The 2013 NCAA D-II heavyweight champion and Wrestler of the 12 months for Grand Canyon College and two-time NJCAA champion at Clackamas Neighborhood Faculty has discovered equally exceptional success as an MMA fighter. Fortune has spent his whole 15-fight profession with BELLATOR, climbing to fifth within the newest heavyweight rankings. He has gained 4 of his final 5, together with TKO finishes of Jack Might (11-8), Rakim Cleveland (21-15-1), and Matt Mitrione (13-9).
 
After rattling off three dominant victories to start his BELLATOR profession, 29-year-old Gadzhi Rabadanov (18-4-2) will stay a fixture of the promotion’s marquee light-weight division for the foreseeable future after re-signing a multi-fight deal. The Khabib Nurmagomedov protégé and former GFC interim light-weight champion stopped Daniel Carey (7-6) with strikes within the first spherical of his BELLATOR debut, handed prime prospect Jay Jay Wilson (9-1) the lone lack of his skilled profession, and halted Bobby King‘s (12-5) two-fight win streak at BELLATOR 283. The three spectacular victories elevated Rabadanov to tenth in the latest light-weight rankings, making him a compelling contender for BELLATOR’s lately introduced, upcoming light-weight Grand Prix.
 
It’s arduous to think about a greater begin to a profession than former Arizona State College wrestler Sullivan “Sully” Cauley (4-0) has had via his first 4 skilled outings underneath the BELLATOR banner. The 26-year-old protégé of BELLATOR heavyweight champion Ryan Bader (30-7) has completed all 4 of his fights, together with a win over divisional darkhorse Ben Parrish (5-2), by first-round knockout. Cauley’s emphatic performances vaulted him to tenth within the newest mild heavyweight rankings, showcasing simply how well-received his skillset has been by rankings panelists and MMA followers alike. After dispatching of 25-fight veteran Tyson Jeffries (14-11) at BELLATOR 284, Cauley is primed for a step up in competitors as he continues the subsequent chapter of what guarantees to be a exceptional fight sports activities profession with BELLATOR.
 
Following a raucous night time in Dublin two weeks in the past for BELLATOR 285: Henderson vs. Queally, BELLATOR is happy to introduced the re-signing of fan-favorite Irish bantamweight Brian “The Pikeman” Moore (15-9). A BELLATOR fighter since 2016, the SBG Eire product seemed sensational in a three-round drubbing of Brazil’s Arivaldo Lima da Silva (19-11) in entrance of a roaring hometown crowd on the 3Arena. The win was Moore’s fourth in his final six appearances, and a spot on BELLATOR’s return to Dublin in February may very well be a becoming alternative for Moore to compete for the primary time on his new contract. Talking about his new deal, Moore mentioned: “I really like combating for BELLATOR and I’m thrilled with the brand new contract. They supply us fighters with an enormous platform to showcase our work whereas permitting us to offer for our households.”
 
Simply days after Hungary’s Adam Borics (18-2) put his native nation on the MMA map when he challenged pound-for-pound nice at reigning BELLATOR featherweight champion Patricio Pitbull (34-5) at BELLATOR 286, BELLATOR continues its funding into the European MMA panorama with the re-signing of Borics’ countryman, “Magic” Norbert Novenyi Jr. (5-0). Novenyi Jr., 22, is without doubt one of the brightest middleweight prospects within the sport. Novenyi Jr. comes from an elite fight sports activities familial pedigree; his father, Nortber Novenyi Sr., was the 1980 Olympics Greco-Roman heavyweight champion and a two-time kickboxing world champion. Novenyi Jr.’s glowing undefeated report contains 4 submission victories and a unanimous resolution win over highly-touted Irishman Will Fleury (11-3). Lately recovered from a leg harm that has stored him out of motion since 2020, Novenyi Jr. shall be wanting to return to the BELLATOR cage for the primary time on his new multi-fight contract within the 12 months to come back.

Roberto Villa is the CEO, Founder, Government Author, Senior Editor of FightBook MMA. Has a ardour for Fight Sports activities and in addition a podcast host for Sitting Ringside. He’s additionally a former MMA fighter and Kickboxer.