Alexander Shabliy defeated Patricky Freire in their lightweight bout at Bellator 301’s main card. The fight lasted three rounds, and by the end of the bout, Pitbull’s face was already swollen and red with blood after Shabliy refused to be stingy with attacks.
Nobody will be overlooking @AlexandrShabliy after that performance! 👏
Shabliy moves on to the #BellatorLWGP final following an incredible win over Patricky Pitbull.#Bellator301 LIVE on @SHOsports. pic.twitter.com/bKEJDlUUsX
— Bellator MMA (@BellatorMMA) November 18, 2023
The fight lasted three rounds, with Shabliy claiming the win via a unanimous decision. The judge’s scores all came at 50-45, underlining the huge difference between the two fighters. As such, after defeating the former lightweight champion, Shabliy will be free to advance to the lightweight grand prix final.
From the start of the bout, Shabliy was already showing aggression in his moves, delivering punches and different strikes that landed on the opponent. Freire managed to make some hits, but they were nothing compared to the number of punches Shabliy successfully sent.
By Round 3, blood was already all over the face of the Brazilian, and his face was barely unrecognizable, with his eyes almost closing. Yet, Freire remained standing, tolerating the steady flow of jabs from the opponent. In the end, although Shabliy sent his final punches and a spinning wheel kick, he exited the cage in disfigured form.
The new victory gives Shabliy a new 9-fight winning streak and a 24-3 MMA/5-0 BMMA record. Freire, meanwhile, gets a new record of 25-12 MMA/16-10 BMMA.
Unfortunately, while his victory is something to celebrate, Shabliy, like other fighters, is still uncertain about his future under Bellator, which is expected to be acquired by a new company. Until now, there’s still no clear development about the matter, leaving the Bellator fighters of what will happen next after this event.
