On Friday, Bellator visits San Jose, California, where company president Scott Coker resides. On that night, reigning Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov defends his belt against veteran Benson Henderson. That headlining matchup may provide fireworks, but it’s just the start. The event, Bellator 292, kicks off the promotion’s lightweight grand prix, a tournament with a championship belt and $1 million on the line, in the deepest weight class in Bellator.
In the co-main event, another grand prix quarterfinal matchup is featured, with a five-round fight between Alexander “Peresvet” Shabliy (22-3 MMA, 3-0 BMMA) and Tofiq Musayev (20-4 MMA, 1-0 BMMA). Each man is undefeated in the Bellator cage and looks to take one step closer to title glory. In what will be a barnburner of a fight, Shabliy looks to advance towards his goal with a decisive victory.
Winning this fight, Shabliy said, will prove to himself that all his hard work has paid off. recently stating that he wants to feel the “satisfaction” of tasting the joy that accompanies the Bellator lightweight championship belt.
Shabliy said through an interpreter that he does not take his quarterfinal matchup with Musayev lightly, but that “Tofiq is actually the guy that I definitely wanted to face” and that on Friday, it will be a battle.
What Shabliy said he’s excited the idea that the matchup can play out anywhere, with both men possessing well-rounded skillsets, Shabliy said that this fight will be like a game of rock, paper, scissors because anything can happen.
To prepare, Shabliy has taken a multi-pronged approach beginning his training in Russia and completing it at American Top Team, with some of the best fighters in the world. In taking this matchup Shabliy believes that if he wins this matchup, then he can win the whole tournament.
In addition to his training teams, Shabliy has been preparing his kickboxing at the highest level due to Musayev’s nature as a dangerous striker. Musayev has 16 knockouts in his pro career and was a world champion in kung fu in 2017. To combat this, Shabliy has done some training with the Russian national kickboxing team.
Shabliy has focused on his striking but said he has not forgotten that this is MMA, knowing he has grappling in his back pocket. Shabliy said he is ready for whatever happens in his first five-round fight. The battle will only last – at most – 25 minutes, but Shabliy has put in the time and preparation to put on his best performance.
Shabliy says that this is exactly how he wanted to start the tournament and that all he needs is a win, saying that “if I finish him, the rest is pretty much easier,” Musayev is a great litmus test for the Russian product. So far, Shabliy is 3-0 in Bellator, beating notable names like Brent Primus, Bobby King and Alfie Davis.
Moving forward, the grand prix is littered with stars, including the aforementioned Nurmagomedov, Henderson and Musayev, as well as other well-regarded talents in Primus, A.J. McKee, Patricky “Pitbull” Freire and Mansour Barnaoui.
With a challenge like this ahead, Shabliy insists he is focused and prepared, taking the grand prix one fight at a time and staying in the moment. In his opening round matchup, he admits the fight could easily go “either way,” but that with victory, the 25-fight veteran says he will be right back in the gym and will be ready for the next challenge on the path to greatness.
The Bellator 292 main card, including the grand prix matchups, airs live on Showtime (10 p.m. ET) following prelims on YouTube (7 p.m. ET). Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
