Shahbulat Shamhalaev

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

On November 3, 2009, at the M-1 Challenge – 2009 Selections event, Shamhalaev lost to the future UFC Lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov via submission (armbar) in the first round.

Before leaving for the United States, he had a record of 9–1–1.

Bellator MMA

In 2012, Shamhalaev started training in Team BombSquad with Pat Bennett, Mike Massenzio, John Franchi, Anthony Leone and Kenny Foster.

Shamhalaev faced Cody Bollinger in the opening round of the Bellator Season 7 Featherweight tournament on October 12, 2012, at Bellator 76. He won the fight via TKO in the first round.

Shamhalaev faced Mike Richman in Semifinal Season 7 Featherweight tournament on November 2, 2012, at Bellator 79. He won via brutal KO in the first round.

Shamhalaev eventually faced Rad Martinez in the finals of the Season Seven Featherweight Tournament on February 21, 2013, at Bellator 90. He won the fight via KO in the second round.

Shamhalaev received his title shot against Pat Curran on April 4, 2013, at Bellator 95. He lost the fight via guillotine choke submission in the first round.

Shamhalaev was expected to face Akop Stepanyan in next Featherweight tournament beginning September 13, 2013, at Bellator 99. However, on September 9, it was revealed he was forced to pull out of the tournament due to his ailing father.

Shamhalaev was expected to face Fabricio Guerreiro on May 9, 2014, at Bellator 119. The fight, however, was cancelled when Guerreiro was injured. The bout was rescheduled and took place at Bellator 120 in Southaven, Mississippi. He lost the fight via first round kimura submission.

On August 25, 2014, Shamhalaev was released from Bellator, along with former Bellator Light Heavyweight champion Attila Végh and eleven other fighters.

Post-Bellator

On June 1, 2016, over two years since his last MMA fight, Shamhalaev was shot multiple times in Makhachkala, Russia. As of September 2016, he planned to return to MMA after he recovered from his wounds. In December 2016, he announced his retirement from professional career in MMA.

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts

• Bellator Fighting Championships
  • Bellator Season 7 Featherweight Tournament Winner

Muay Thai

• WBL
  • Muay Thai World Champion (Dubai, 2007)

Kickboxing

• Russian Kick-Boxing Federation
  • Kickboxing Russian National Champion

Sanshou

• Russian Sanshou Federation
  • Sanshou Russian National Champion

Karate

• Russian Karate Federation
  • Karate Russian Champion

Mixed martial arts record

| ko-wins= 8 | ko-losses= | sub-wins= 1 | sub-losses= 3 | dec-wins= 3 | dec-losses= | dq-wins= | dq-losses= | other-wins=

| | Southaven, Mississippi, United States | |- | Loss | Pat Curran | Technical Submission (guillotine choke) | Bellator 95 | | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States

| | West Valley City, Utah, United States

| | Rama, Ontario, Canada

| | Windsor, Ontario, Canada

| | Yalta, Crimea, Russia

| | Yalta, Crimea, Russia

| | Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, Russia | |- | Draw | Astemir Fakov | Draw | PSFDC - Pancration SFD Championship 4 | | Sochi, Krasnodar Krai, Russia | |- | Win | Andrii Liezhniev | Decision (unanimous) | MFT - Battle of Volga 3 | | Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia | |- | Win | Yunus Tagirov | Submission (armbar) | MFT - Russia's Cup | | Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia

| | Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia

| | Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia

| | Saint Petersburg, Leningrad Oblast, Russia | |- | Win | Radzha Khizriev | TKO (punches) | M-1 Challenge: 2009 Selections 6 | | Makhachkala, Republic of Dagestan, Russia | |- | Win | Oma Tashuev | Decision (unanimous) | MFT - Battle in Zhara | | Volgograd, Volgograd Oblast, Russia |

References

References

1. "Shahbulat Shamhalaev". sherdog.com.
2. (May 1, 2012). "Shahbulat Muay Thai Champion". mixfight.ru.
3. (August 4, 2012). "Alvarez vs. Pitbull Headlines Bellator 76 at Caesars Windsor October 12th". bellator.com.
4. (November 3, 2012). "brutal KO by Shamhalaev". allthebestfights.com.
5. (January 4, 2013). "The Finals Season Seven Featherweight Tournament". bellator.com.
6. Marrocco, Steve. (2013-02-27). "With Straus out, champ Pat Curran meets Shahbulat Shamhalaev at Bellator 95". MMAJunkie.com.
7. (July 13, 2013). "RusFighters vs. Red Fury MMA". tapology.com.
8. (September 9, 2013). "Shahbulat Shamhalaev Withdraws From Featherweight Tournament, Justin Wilcox Now Faces Akop Stepanyan". bellator.com.
9. (15 April 2014). "Shamhalaev is back". fighttime.rudate=April 15, 2014.
10. (May 9, 2014). "Freire vs. Held scratched, Bellator 120 adds Guerreiro vs. Shamhalaev". mmajunkie.com.
11. (August 25, 2014). "Bellator releases Attila Vegh, Shahbulat Shamhalaev and eleven other fighters". mmafighting.com.
12. Critchfield, Tristen. (June 1, 2016). "Report: Ex-Bellator Fighter Shahbulat Shamhalaev Shot in Restaurant Altercation".
13. Zidan, Kadim. (September 13, 2016). "After near-fatal shooting, Shamhalaev interested in MMA return".
14. ""Самый опасный соперник Хабиба". Шамхалаев мог стать звездой США, но сгубил карьеру". championat.com.
15. "- YouTube".